» J’ai rêvé que je devais jouer « Love In Outer Space » déguisé en Sun Ra dans une version futuriste de X-Factor », explique Gilles Peterson dans le généreux livret de la compilation To Those of Earth… And Other Worlds. Disponible en versions 2-CDs et double-vinyle+CD, cette anthologie personnalisée de Sun Ra and his Arkestra aligne 34 titres puisés parmi les 125 (!) albums du Flash Gordon du cosmic jazz à côté duquel les délires afronautes de George Clinton passeraient pour des trajets en TER.
Comme c’est le cas dans toutes les compilations de choix de Gilles Peterson, l’intégrité des titres est respectée et To Those of Earth… And Other Worlds s’écoute comme une mixtape de près de deux heures alternants jazz progressif (« Sleeping Beauty, 1979 »), instrumentaux proto-Floydiens (« India »), chansons doo-wop (‘ »Dreaming », 1955) et extraits live, dont un « Space is the Place » capturé à Zurich en 1987. La présence de titres rares disponibles pour la première fois en CD et plusieurs inédits capturés sur les scènes françaises en 1980 agrémentent également une anthologie susceptible de fournir une excellente porte d’entrée dans l’univers parallèle de Sun Ra.
Gilles Peterson Presents Sun Ra and His Arkestra To Those of Earth… And Other Worlds (Strut Records/Universal). Disponible.
Tracklisting:
CD 1
1. SUN RA AND HIS MYTH-SCIENCE ARKESTRA – CALLING PLANET EARTH
2. SUN RA – SUN SONG
3. THE COSMIC RAYS WITH SUN RA AND THE ARKESTRA – DREAMING
4. SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA – INDIA
5. SUN RA AND HIS MYTH-SCIENCE ARKESTRA – SPACE LONELINESS
6. SUN RA AND HIS INTERGALACTIC INFINITY ARKESTRA – LOVE IN OUTER SPACE (Vocal)
7. SUN RA AND HIS MYTH-SCIENCE ARKESTRA – ADVENTURE-EQUATION
8. SUN RA AND HIS MYTH-SCIENCE ARKESTRA – SPONTANEOUS SIMPLICITY (Stereo version)*
9. SUN RA AND HIS MYTH-SCIENCE ARKESTRA – BRAZILIAN SUN
10. SUN RA QUARTET FEATURING JOHN GILMORE – WHEN THERE IS NO SUN
11. SUN RA AND HIS ASTRO INFINITY ARKESTRA – MY BROTHER THE WIND
12. SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA – MYSTERY, MR. RA*
13. SUN RA AND HIS MYTH-SCIENCE ARKESTRA – BLACK SKY AND BLUE MOON
14. SUN RA AND HIS MYTH-SCIENCE ARKESTRA – WATUSA
15. THE SUN RA ARKESTRA – THE WORLD OF AFRICA
16. SUN RA AND HIS SOLAR ARKESTRA – CLUSTER OF GALAXIES
17. SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA – STRANGE WORLDS (Live In France)**
18. SUN RA AND HIS BLUE UNIVERSE ARKESTRA – BLACKMAN
CD 2
1. SUN RA AND HIS MYTH-SCIENCE ARKESTRA – TWILIGHT
2. SUN RA AND HIS INTERGALACTIC MYTH SCIENCE SOLAR ARKESTRA – SLEEPING BEAUTY
3. SUN RA – MOOG SOLO (Live In France)**
4. SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA – THEY PLAN TO LEAVE
5. SUN RA AND HIS SOLAR ARKESTRA – REFLECTS MOTION (Part 1)
6. SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA – CHILDREN OF THE SUN
7. SUN RA AND HIS MYTH-SCIENCE ARKESTRA – WE TRAVEL THE SPACEWAYS
8. SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA – ASTRO BLACK (Live In Zurich)**
9. SUN RA AND HIS MYTHIC SCIENCE ARKESTRA – SOMEBODY ELSE’S IDEA (Live In Paris)
10. SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA – I ROAM THE COSMOS
11. SUN RA AND HIS SOLAR ARKESTRA – ON JUPITER
12. SUN RA – THERE ARE OTHER WORLDS (THEY HAVE NOT TOLD YOU OF)
13. SUN RA AND HIS INTERGALACTIC INFINITY ARKESTRA – THE ALL OF EVERYTHING
14. SUN RA – ENLIGHTENMENT
15. SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA – MAKE ANOTHER MISTAKE
16. SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA – SPACE IS THE PLACE (Live In France)**
* Previously unreleased on CD
** Previously unreleased