SUN RA — Hours After (review)

SUN RA — Hours After album cover Album · 1989 · Progressive Big Band Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
snobb
"Hours After" contains material,recorded during same two-days session of 1986 what was used releasing "Reflections In Blue" two years earlier. So it's no strange that you'll find same well-played and quite original swing and standards.Sun Ra even sings on "Beautiful Love" - with sad and emotive voice,slightly similar to Robert Wyatt's later vocals.

But not this song is main surprise - "Dance of Extra Terrestrians" is 13+ minutes long spacey free jazz song in tradition of Ra circa early 70s! Knowing first album,based on this session's material (swing + trad big band compositions) and after three first songs of this album less of all you expect such scenario!Even more - album's closer "Love On A Far Away Planet" continues the line of it's predecessor.Not too much out and with some minor notes on it, it's still free form composition,played by 14-pieces Ra's Arkestra!

If "Reflections In Blue" was pleasant in moments but overall almost disappointing album, "Hours After" logically containing outtakes from "Reflections...", is much more adventurous work. Yes, you will hardly call it conceptual album,better tag is probably the collection of songs, but even in that quality it works better than predecessor!Not on the level of some great earlier releases, but one between better albums,coming from 80s it's for sure.
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Timeless Post-Fusion Contemporary
DAVID BENOIT
Buy this album from MMA partners
Nothing Pop/Art Song/Folk
LOUIS COLE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Martin Archer & Walt Shaw : Biyartabiyu Avant-Garde Jazz
MARTIN ARCHER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Meet The Graingers Pop/Art Song/Folk
NATE NAJAR
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Songs My Mom Liked EPK - Anthony Branker
ANTHONY BRANKER
js· 30 minutes ago
Jean-Pierre (feat. Darryl Jones)
BILL EVANS (SAX)
snobb· 11 hours ago
Magic Box
CHRISTOPHE MARGUET
snobb· 11 hours ago
The Peacocks
ANTOINE DRYE
js· 17 hours ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us