Si la date de sortie dudit projet ne nous est pas indiquée, ses composants nous sont, quant à eux, d’ores et déjà dévoilés. Le projet couvre l’ensemble de la discographie de l’artiste free jazz, du Sun Ra Quartet à son Orkestra, du Myth-Science Arkestra à des compositions diverses — parmi lesquelles “Sun Song, “Love In Outer Space”, des titres unreleased et des versions live.
Gilles Peterson, admiratif de son œuvre, semble vouer un culte au mythe de Sun Ra, dont l’aura resplendit aujourd’hui encore, en dépit de sa disparition au mois de mai de l’année 1993. L’artiste américain constitue l’une des énigmes préoccupantes du siècle dernier, dont la philosophie, l’identité secrète et les légendes (Sun Ra serait né sur Saturne) n’ont cessé d’influencer nombre d’artistes, issus notamment de la scène de Détroit.
Pionnier de l’afro-futurisme, si cher au collectif UR (principalement Jeff Mills) et à certains membres des Belleville Three (Juan Atkins, Derrick May), le succès limité de Sun Ra, de son vivant, s’accentue dès à présent au travers de multiples hommages. Le projet de Gilles Peterson en est désormais le nouveau témoin.
Tracklist de Gilles Peterson Presents: Sun Ra and His Arkestra (Strut Records) :
01. Sun Ra And His Myth- Science Arkestra- Calling Planet Earth
02. Sun Ra- Sun Song
03. The Cosmic Rays With Sun Ra And The Arkestra – Dreaming
04. Sun Ra And His Arkestra – India
05. Sun Ra And His Myth- Science Arkestra – Space Loneliness
06. Sun Ra And His Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra – Love In Outer Space
07. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra – Adventure Equation
08. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra – Spontaneous Simplicity
09. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra – Brazilian Sun
10. Sun Ra Quartet – When There Is No Sun
11. Sun Ra And His Astro Infinity Arkestra – My Brother The Wind
12. Sun Ra And His Astro 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
01. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra – Twilight
02. Sun Ra And His Intergalactic Myth Science Solar Arkestra – Sleeping Beauty
03. Sun Ra – Moog Solo (Live in France)
04. Sun Ra And His Arkestra – They Plan To Leave
05. Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra – Reflects Motion (Part 1)
06. Sun Ra And His Arkestra – Children Of The Sun
07. Sun Ra And His Myth-Science Arkestra – We Travel The Spaceways
08. Sun Ra And His Arkestra -Astro Black (Live in Zurich)
09. 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 Interglactic 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)