If you were going to envision the ultimate avant-garde meeting-of-the-minds jam session, who would you pick? Even the most hopeful fan of strange and innovative music couldn't have seen this one coming: on one afternoon in 1986, at Coney Island's dilapidated freak show, space-age avant-jazz genius Sun Ra met avant-garde "serious music" composer John Cage in an unforgettable performance.
You couldn't imagine two figures more opposite. Cage was known for his unusual approach to composition, using objects such as radios and television sets, as well as pure silence, as instruments, often encouraging his musicians to do other things at their whim on stage. Sun Ra, on the other hand, was a jazz arranger known for his "space-age" approach to jazz, adding free-jazz and surrealist elements into a musical form that Cage often disdained -- improvisational music. And yet, for one afternoon, they pooled their talents -- Ra playing keyboards, leading his small group and reading his unusual poetry; Cage "performing" vocal readings and passages of vocal sound -- plus his trademark silence -- designed to baffle and disorient. The combination is breathtaking, both organic and mechanical, free-form and totally composed.
For the very first time, Modern Harmonic presents the full and unexpurgated concert from 1986. In addition to never-before-heard songs and musical passages, this album at last presents the long-rumored co-performance between the two musical giants. Take yourself back to 1986 and a once-in-a-lifetime performance that you can finally hear as it was intended.
"This live album documents the meeting of two avant-garde legends." - Pitchfork
"This month?s WTF prize goes to John Cage Meets Sun Ra, a monophonic double LP released on clear vinyl by the Modern Harmonic label, which documents a performance by the two eponymous giants of the 20th century avant-garde in a Coney Island freak show in June 1986. With the whole concert released for the very first time, including 25 minutes of previously unheard material, it’s an absolute no-brainer for friends of the strange."
-Daniel Spicer, What's New In Vinyl--JAZZWISE Magazine
1. Rick Russo - Introduction 01:11
2. Marshall Allen - Untitled Wind Synthesizer Intro 01:02
3. Sun Ra - Untitled Keyboard Solo 1 06:43
4. John Cage - Empty Words (Vocal Solo) 02:39
5. John Cage - Empty Words (Silent Solo) 03:03
6. John Cage - Empty Words (Vocal Solo) 04:46
7. Sun Ra - Untitled Keyboard Solo 2 02:54
8. Sun Ra - We Hold This Myth To Be Potential 02:41
9. Sun Ra - The Damned Air 02:51
10. John Cage - Empty Words (Vocal Solo) 01:29
11. John Cage - Empty Words (Silent Solo) 02:37
12. John Cage - Empty Words (Vocal Solo) 04:01
13. Sun Ra - The Living Parable 00:37
14. Sun Ra - This Is The Space Age 01:25
15. Sun Ra - Untitled Keyboard Solo 3 06:55
16. Sun Ra - Enlightenment (featuring June Tyson) 02:28
17. Sun Ra - Untitled Keyboard Solo 4 02:03
18. John Cage and Sun Ra - Silent Duet 02:14
19. John Cage and Sun Ra - Empty Words and Keyboard 05:23
20. John Cage and Sun Ra - Silent Duet 2 02:47
21. Sun Ra - Untitled Keyboard Solo 5 10:05
