Sun Ra discography
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The Sun Ra discography is one of the largest discographies in music history. Jazz keyboardist, bandleader and composer Sun Ra recorded dozens of singles and over one hundred full-length albums, comprising well over 1,000 songs, and making him one of the most prolific recording artists of the 20th century.
History
His own El Saturn Records albums were usually printed in editions of 75 copies per album, and were sold primarily at live performances. Many of Sun Ra's early albums were recorded at home by Ra himself on wire or early tape recorders, and are decidedly lo-fi. Despite the technological limitations, Ra used some innovative recording techniques, and these recordings provided an unprecedented level of documentation, and were inspirational in showing how artists could take control of production and distribution of their works.
Prior to the 1970s, most of these albums were produced in Chicago through the "El Saturn Records Research" enterprise established by Ra and his colleague Alton Abraham, while later El Saturn Records were produced in Philadelphia. A batch of the most significant recordings were licensed to Impulse! Records in the mid-1970s. They were not as successful as hoped, and were deleted from the Impulse catalog, becoming available around the world as inexpensive "cut-outs" and making the music more widely available.
Most El Saturn Records were hand-decorated by Arkestra members, and these LP records sometimes sell for high prices among collectors. These El Saturn Records releases, dating from the 1950s to at least the late 1980s, typically had little or no information as to performers or recording dates, and sometimes didn't even list the songs on the album, often pressing one LP side from one era with another from a different decade, leading to some confusion among completists and fans.
After Sun Ra's death, many of his recordings were released on compact disc for the first time by Evidence Records, Ihnfinity Music, ESP Disk / ZYX Music, or Impulse!. As is the case with an artist whose output is so extensive, there is quite a bit of debate regarding his "best" albums. Of all these recordings, many critics and enthusiasts feel that the 1959 big band album Jazz in Silhouette is the best entry-point into his work, with The Penguin Guide to Jazz naming the album as part of a recommended "Core Collection" for any serious jazz fan and as "one of the most important jazz records since World War II."
Albums
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Credited artist | Label | Date recorded | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Jazz by Sun Ra | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Transition | 1956 | AKA Sun Song |
| 1957 | Super-Sonic Jazz | Le Sun Ra and His Arkestra | El Saturn SR-LP 0216 | 1956 | AKA Super-Sonic Sounds |
| 1959 | Jazz in Silhouette | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | El Saturn K7OP-3590 | 1959 | reissued on as Saturn LP5786 in 1961 |
| 1962 | The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra | Savoy | 1961 | AKA We Are In the Future | |
| 1963 | When Sun Comes Out | Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra | El Saturn LP 2066 | 1962? | |
| 1965 | Fate in a Pleasant Mood | Sun Ra and His Myth-Science Arkestra | Saturn Research LP-9956-2 | 1960 | |
| 1965 | Secrets of the Sun | Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra | El Saturn 9954 | 1962 | |
| 1965 | Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow | Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra | El Saturn LP No. 9956 | 1962 | reissued El Saturn 404 |
| 1965 | The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume One | Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra | ESP-Disk | 1965 | |
| The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume Two | 1965 | ||||
| 1966 | Visits Planet Earth | Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra | Saturn – LP No. 9956-11 | 1958 | |
| 1966 | When Angels Speak of Love | Sun Ra and His Myth-Science Arkestra | El Saturn LP 1966 | 1963 | |
| 1966 | Other Planes of There | Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra | El Saturn KH-98766 | 1964 | |
| 1966 | The Magic City | Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra | Saturn Research – LPB - 711 | 1965 | (partially?) live; reissued on Thoth Intergalactic, 403, 1969 |
| 1967 | Angels and Demons at Play | Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra | El Saturn 407 | 1960 | reissued by ABC/Impulse! in 1974 |
| 1967 | Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy | Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra | El Saturn 408 | 1963 | |
| 1967 | We Travel the Space Ways | Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra | El Saturn LP #409 | 1961 | |
| 1967 | Interstellar Low Ways | Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra | EL Saturn LP-203 | 1960 | AKA Rocket Number Nine |
| 1967 | Strange Strings | Sun Ra and His Astro-Infinity Arkestra | Saturn Research – 502 | 1965 | |
| 1968 | Sound of Joy | Sun Ra and the Arkestra | Delmark | 1956 | |
| 1969 | The Nubians of Plutonia | Sun Ra and His Myth-Science Arkestra | El Saturn 406 | 1959 | Originally released The Lady with the Golden Stockings (Saturn, SR 9956-11E/F, 1966); Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra on LP label |
| 1970 | Atlantis | Sun Ra and His Astro-Infinity Arkestra | Saturn Research ESR507 | 1967–1969 | reissued by ABC/Impulse! in 1973 |
| 1970 | Holiday for Soul Dance | Sun Ra and His Astro-Infinity Arkestra | Saturn Research ESR-508 | 1960 | live |
| 1973? | Monorails and Satellites | Sun Ra | Saturn Research SR-509 | 1966 | |
| 1970 | Sound Sun Pleasure!! | Sun Ra and His Astro-Infinity Arkestra | El Saturn #512 | 1959 | |
| 1970 | Continuation | Sun Ra and His Astro-Infinity Arkestra | El Saturn ESR 520 | 1968 | |
| 1970 | My Brother the Wind | Sun Ra and His Astro-Infinity Arkestra | Saturn Research ESR521 | 1969 | |
| 1970 | The Night of the Purple Moon | Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra | El Saturn IR 522 | 1970 | Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra on LP label |
| 1971 | My Brother the Wind, Vol. II: The Wind Speaks | Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra | El Saturn SR-523 | 1969-1970 | Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra on LP label |
| 1971 | The Solar-Myth Approach | Sun Ra and His Solar Myth Arkestra | BYG Actuel | 1970–1971 | 2xLP; reissued 1972 as The Solar-Myth Approach, Vol. 1 and The Solar-Myth Approach, Vol. 2 |
| 1972 | Universe in Blue | Sun Ra and His Blue Universe Arkestra | El Saturn ESR 200 | 1972 | |
| 1974? | Monorails and Satellites, Vol. 2 | Sun Ra | El Saturn 519 | 1966 | |
| 1974? | A Tonal View of Times Tomorrow: Space Probe[de] | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | El Saturn 527 | 1969–1970 | |
| 1972 | Bad and Beautiful | Mr. Sun Ra and His Arkestra | El Saturn ESR532 | 1961 | reissued by ABC/Impulse! in 1975 |
| 1973 | Deep Purple | Sun Ra and His Arkestra Featuring Stuff Smith | El Saturn 485 | 1953–1973 | AKA Dreams Come True |
| 1973 | Astro Black | Sun Ra | Impulse!/ABC | May 7, 1972 | |
| 1973 | Space Is the Place | Sun Ra | Blue Thumb BTS 41 | 1972 | |
| 1973 | Discipline 27-II | Sun Ra and His Astro Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra | El Saturn ES538 | 1972 | |
| 1974? | The Invisible Shield | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | El Saturn 529 | 1962–1970 | AKA Janus; A Tonal View of Times Tomorrow, Vol. 2; Satellites are Outerspaces |
| 1975 | Pathways to Unknown Worlds | Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra | ABC Impulse! | 1973 | reissue of Saturn 564 |
| 1975 | What's New (Sub Underground Series) | The Sun Ra Arkestra | Saturn | 1962 & 1975 | |
| 1976 | Cosmos | Sun Ra | Cobra (France) | August 1976 | issued in US on Inner City in 1977 |
| 1977-10-14 | Some Blues But Not the Kind That's Blue | Sun Ra | El Saturn 747 | 1977 | AKA My Favorite Things |
| 1977 | Solo Piano | Sun Ra | Improvising Artists | 1977 | |
| 1978 | New Steps | Sun Ra Quartet | Horo | 1978 | |
| 1978 | Other Voices, Other Blues | Sun Ra Quartet | Horo | 1978 | |
| 1978 | Visions | Sun Ra and Walt Dickerson | SteepleChase Records | 1978 | |
| 1978 | Lanquidity | Sun Ra | Philly Jazz | 1978 | |
| 1979 | The Other Side of the Sun | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Sweet Earth | 1978-1979 | |
| 1979-07-25 | God Is More than Love Can Ever Be | Sun Ra Trio | Saturn 72579 | 1979 | |
| 1979-09-13 | Omniverse | Sun Ra | El Saturn 91379 | 1979 | |
| 1979-10-16 | On Jupiter[de] | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | El Saturn 101679 | 1979 | AKA Seductive Fantasy AKA UFO |
| 1979 | Sleeping Beauty | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | El Saturn | 1979 | AKA Door of the Cosmos |
| 1980 | Strange Celestial Road | Sun Ra | Rounder 3050 | 1979 | |
| 1981-10-04 | Aurora Borealis | Sun Ra | El Saturn 10480 | 1980 | |
| 1983 | A Fireside Chat with Lucifer | Sun Ra and His Outer Space Arkestra | Saturn Research B1984SG-9 | 1982 | |
| 1983 | Just Friends | Sun Ra | El Saturn XI | 1956-1982 | |
| 1984 | Celestial Love | Sun Ra and His Outer Space Arkestra | El Saturn 19842 | 1982 | |
| 1984 | Nuclear War | Sun Ra Arkestra | Y Records | 1982 | |
| 1987 | Reflections in Blue | Sun Ra Arkestra | Black Saint | 1986 | |
| 1987 | Hours After | Sun Ra Arkestra | Black Saint | 1986 | |
| 1989 | Out There a Minute[de] | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Blast First | 1961–1970 | |
| 1989 | Blue Delight | Sun Ra | A&M | 1988 | |
| 1990 | Mayan Temples | Sun Ra Arkestra | Black Saint | 1990 | |
| 1990 | Purple Night | Sun Ra | A&M | 1989 | |
| 1993 | Soundtrack to the Film Space Is the Place | Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Solar Arkestra | Evidence | 1972 | |
| 1993 | Somewhere Else | Sun Ra | Rounder | 1988-1989 |
Posthumous releases of studio material and rehearsals
| Credited artist | Artist | Original Label(s) | Recorded | Release date & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue York | Sun Ra | Jeanne Dielman | 1963 | 2014 as a bonus disc for the Continuation album re-release and 2016 as the Blue York Album. Previously unreleased recording from 1963 |
| Heliocentric Worlds Vol. 3 (The Lost Tapes) | Sun Ra | ESP-Disk | 1965 | 2005. Previously unreleased recording from the Heliocentric Worlds Volume II sessions |
| Other Strange Worlds | Sun Ra And His Astro-Infinity Arkestra | Roaratorio | 1965 | 2014. Previously unreleased recording made in Sun Ra's apartment in New York City |
| Thunder of the Gods | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Modern Harmonic | 1966 | 2017. Previously unreleased live and studio recordings |
| Sun Embassy | Sun Ra And His Astro-Ihnfinity Arkestra | Roaratorio | 1968–1969 | 2018. Archival recordings from the Sun Ra Philadelphia house, Sun Studios, from May 1968 to October 1969 |
| The Intergalactic Thing | Sun Ra And His Astro-Ihnfinity Arkestra | Roaratorio | 1969 | 2016. A dozen previously unreleased recordings from rehearsals at the Sun Ra Philadelphia house |
| Crystal Spears | Sun Ra | Evidence | 1973 | 2000. Previously unreleased album which was planned for release and shelved by Impulse! in the 1970s |
| Cymbals | Sun Ra | Evidence | 1973 | 2000. Previously unreleased album which was planned for release and shelved by Impulse! in the 1970s |
| Friendly Love | Sun Ra | Evidence | 1973 | 2000. Previously unreleased album which was planned for release and shelved by Impulse! in the 1970s |
| Sign Of The Myth | Sun Ra And His Astro-Infinity Arkestra | Roaratorio | 1973 | 2014. Previously unreleased Impulse! recordings from the Pathways To Unknown Worlds sessions |
| Dance of the Living Image: The Lost Reel Collection Volume 4 | Sun Ra | Transparency | 1974 | 2007. Previously unreleased reel-to-reel rehearsal sessions made in San Francisco |
| Untitled Recordings | Sun Ra | Transparency | 1973-1985 | 2008. Live recording from 1985, Rehearsal from 1978 and jam from 1973 |
| Of Abstract Dreams | Sun Ra | Strut | mid 1970s | 2018. Previously unreleased session at WXPN in Philadelphia |
| Prophet | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Modern Harmonic | 1986-08-15 | 2022. Previously unreleased session at Mission Control Studios in Westford, Massachusetts with Sun Ra playing the Prophet VS (vector synthesizer) |
| Inside the Light World: Sun Ra Meets the OVC | Sun Ra | Strut | 1986 | 2024. Multi-track session recorded for the Outer Space Visual Communicator videos and newly mixed |
| Uncharted Passages | Sun Ra | Modern Harmonic | 1977 & 1979 | 2025. Solo piano from a live concert in 1977 and a studio session in 1979 |
Live albums
| Year | Title | Credited artist | Label | Recorded | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Music from Tomorrow's World: Chicago 1960 | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Atavistic | 1960 | |
| 1976 | Featuring Pharoah Sanders & Black Harold (aka Judson Hall, New York, December 31, 1964) | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | El Saturn | 1964-12-31 | |
| 1966 | Nothing Is | Sun Ra | ESP-Disk | 1966-05 | |
| 2013 | Space Aura | Sun Ra and His Band from Outer Space | Art Yard | 1966 | |
| 1974 | Outerspaceways Inc. | Sun Ra and his Astro-Intergalactic Research Arkestra | El Saturn | 1966-1968 | reissued as Spaceways |
| 1971 | Pictures of Infinity[de] (aka Outer Spaceways Incorporated) | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Black Lion Records | 1966 | |
| 2009 | Newport Jazz Festival - The Electric Circus | Sun Ra | Transparency | 1968-1969 | |
| 2013 | Live at the Red Garter | Sun Ra Arkestra | Transparency | 1970 | |
| 1971 | Nuits de la Fondation Maeght Volume 1 | Sun Ra Arkestra | Shandar | 1970-08-03 – 1970-08-05 | |
| 1971 | Nuits de la Fondation Maeght Volume 2 | Sun Ra Arkestra | Shandar | 1970-08-03 – 1970-08-05 | |
| 2025 | Nuits de la Fondation Maeght | Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Research Arkestra | Strut | 1970-08-03 – 1970-08-05 | 6LP/4CD box set |
| 1970 | It's After the End of the World | Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Research Arkestra | MPS | 1970-10-17 1970-11-07 | |
| 1998 | Black Myth/Out in Space | Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Research Arkestra | MPS Records/Motor Music | 1970-10-17 1970-11-07 | |
| 2010 | Live in London | Sun Ra and the Intergalactic Research Arkestra | Transparency | 1970-11-09 | |
| 2023 | Paradiso Amsterdam 1970 | Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Research Arkestra | Jazz in Paradiso | 1970-11-18 | |
| 1972 | Live in Egypt, Vol. I: Nature's God (Dark Myth Equation Visitation) | Sun Ra and His Astro Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra | El Saturn | 1971 | AKA Discipline 27 |
| 1972 | Nidhamu | Sun Ra and His Astro Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra | El Saturn | 1971 | AKA Live in Egypt, Vol. II |
| 1972 | Horizon | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | El Saturn | 1971 | Recorded live in Egypt, 1971 |
| 2010 | The Paris Tapes - Live at Le Theatre Du Chatlet 1971 | Sun Ra and His Mythic Science Arkestra | Kindred Spirits / Art Yard | 1971 | |
| 2009 | Helsinki 1971 | Sun Ra And His Intergalactic Solar Research Arkestra | Transparency | 1971-10-14 | |
| 1998 | Calling Planet Earth | Sun Ra | Freedom | 1971-12-05 | |
| 2007 | The Creator of the Universe (Lost Reel Collection Volume 1) | Sun Ra | Transparency | 1971 | includes Berkeley lecture on second disc |
| 2007 | Intergalactic Research (Lost Reel Collection Volume 2) | Sun Ra | Transparency | 1971-1972 | |
| 2007 | The Shadows Took Shape (Lost Reel Collection Volume 3) | Sun Ra | Transparency | early 1970s | |
| 2008 | Live at Slug's Saloon | Sun Ra | Transparency | 1972 | 6CD box set |
| 2016 | I Roam the Cosmos | Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra | Art Yard | 1972 | |
| 1999 | Life Is Splendid | Sun Ra and His Solar Myth Arkestra | Total Energy | 1972 | live at the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival 1972 |
| 2010 | The Universe Sent Me (Lost Reel Collection Volume 5) | Sun Ra | Transparency | 1972-1973 | |
| 1999 | Outer Space Employment Agency | Sun Ra And His Intergalactic Arkestra | Total Energy | 1973 | live at the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival 1973 |
| 2006 | What Planet Is This? | Sun Ra and His Space Arkestra | Leo | 1973 | |
| 1993 | Concert for the Comet Kohoutek | Sun Ra | ESP-Disk | 1973 | |
| 1975 | Live in Paris at the "Gibus" | Sun Ra | Atlantic Records | 1973 | |
| 2015 | Planets Of Life Or Death: Amiens '73 | Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Research Arkestra | Strut | 1973 | |
| 2010 | The Road to Destiny (Lost Reel Collection Volume 6) | Sun Ra | Transparency | 1973 | |
| 2001 | It Is Forbidden | Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Arkestra | Total Energy | 1974 | live at the Ann Arbor Blue and Jazz Festival in Exile 1974 |
| 2011 | Wake Up Angels | Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra | Art Yard | 1972-1974 | live at the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festivals 1972-1974 |
| 1974 | Out Beyond the Kingdom Of | Sun Ra and His Outer Space Arkestra | El Saturn 61674 | 1974 | |
| 1974 | The Antique Blacks | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Saturn 81774 | 1974 | |
| 1974 | Sub Underground | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Saturn 92074 | 1974 | |
| 2009 | Live in Cleveland | Sun Ra | Leo | 1975 | |
| 1976 | Live at Montreux | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Inner City Records | 1976 | |
| 1994 | A Quiet Place in the Universe | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Leo | 1976 | |
| 2024 | At The Showcase: Live in Chicago 1976-1977 | Sun Ra | Jazz Detective | 1976-1977 | |
| 1977 | Taking a Chance on Chances | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Saturn | 1977 | |
| 1977 | Somewhere Over the Rainbow | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Saturn | 1977 | |
| 1977 | The Soul Vibrations of Man | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Saturn | 1977 | |
| 2016 | In Some Far Place: Roma 1977 | Sun Ra | Strut | 1977 | |
| 1978 | St. Louis Blues (solo piano) | Sun Ra | Improvising Artists | 1977 | |
| 1978 | Some Blues But Not the Kind That's Blue | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Saturn | 1977 | |
| 2003 | Solo Piano Recital Teatro La Fenice | Sun Ra | Leo | 1977 | |
| 1978 | Unity | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Horo | 1977 | |
| 2006 | Springtime in Chicago | The Sun Ra Arkestra | Leo | 1978 | |
| 1978 | Disco 3000 | Sun Ra Quartet | El Saturn | 1978 | |
| 1978 | Media Dreams | Sun Ra Quartet | El Saturn | 1978 | |
| 1978 | The Sound Mirror | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | El Saturn | 1978 | |
| 2024 | Lights on a Satellite - Live at the Left Bank | Sun Ra | Resonance | 1978 | |
| 2010 | Live at the Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto 1978 | Sun Ra | Transparency | 1978 | 10 CD box set |
| 1985 | Outer Reach Intensity Energy | Sun Ra | El Saturn | 1978-1983 | |
| 1980 | Of Mythic Worlds | Sun Ra | Philly Jazz | 1979 | |
| 1979 | I, Pharaoh | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | El Saturn 6680 | 1979 | |
| 1994 | Live from Soundscape | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | DIW Records | 1979 | |
| 1980 | Voice of the Eternal Tomorrow | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | El Saturn | 1980 | |
| 2010 | Live in Rome | Sun Ra | Transparency | 1980-03-28 | |
| 1981 | Sunrise in Different Dimensions | The Sun Ra Arkestra | Hathut Records | 1980 | |
| 2007 | The Complete Detroit Jazz Center Residency | Sun Ra And The Omniverse Jet Set Arkestra Limited issue of 500 copies, 28-CD Box Set | Transparency | 1980 | |
| 1981 | Beyond the Purple Star Zone | Sun Ra And His Omniverse Jet-Set Arkestra | El Saturn 123180 | 1980 | |
| 1981 | Dance of Innocent Passion | Sun Ra | El Saturn | 1981 | |
| 1981 | Oblique Parallax | primarily Sun Ra on keyboard | El Saturn SR72881 | 1980 | |
| The Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab In Egypt | The Sun Ra Arkestra / Salah Ragab / The Cairo Jazz Band | Leo | 1983 | ||
| 2008 | Milan, Zurich, West Berlin, Paris | Sun Ra All Stars | Transparency | 1983 | 5 CD box set |
| 1983 | Ra to the Rescue | Sun Ra | El Saturn | ||
| 1988 | Love in Outer Space | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Leo | 1983 | |
| 1985 | Hiroshima | The Sun Ra All Stars Band | Saturn | 1983-1984 | |
| 1985 | Cosmo Sun Connection | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Saturn/ Recommended Records | 1984 | |
| 2014 | Live in Nickelsdorf 1984 | The Sun Ra Arkestra | Trost | 1984-03-11 | |
| 2023 | Live At Mohren - March 25th 1984 | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | De Occulta Records | 1984-03-25 | |
| Live at Praxis '84 | The Sun Ra Arkestra | Leo | 1984 | ||
| 2024 | Excelsior Mill | Sun Ra | Modern Harmonic | 1984-12-31 | |
| 2006 | Live at Club Lingerie | The Sun Ra Arkestra | Transparency | 1985 | |
| 2006 | Live at Myron's Ballroom | The Sun Ra Arkestra | Transparency | 1985 | |
| 1986 | A Night in East Berlin | Sun Ra and His Cosmo Discipline Arkestra | Saturn | 1986 | |
| 2019 | Live In Kalisz 1986 | Sun Ra Arkestra | Lanquidity Records | 1986 | |
| 1987 | John Cage Meets Sun Ra | Sun Ra and John Cage | Meltdown | 1987 | |
| 1988 | Cosmo Omnibus Imagiable Illusion | Sun Ra Arkestra | DIW | 1988 | |
| 1988 | Hidden Fire 1 | Sun Ra | Saturn 13188III / 12988II | 1988 | live at Knitting Factory, NYC |
| 1988 | Hidden Fire 2 | Sun Ra | Saturn 13088A / 12988B | 1988 | live at Knitting Factory, NYC |
| 2018 | Pine Street Theatre, October 28th 1988 | Sun Ra And His Cosmo Love Adventure Arkestra | Jackpot | 1988-10-28 | |
| 1995 | Second Star to the Right (Salute to Walt Disney) | Sun Ra & His Intergalactic Arkestra | Leo | 1989-04-29 | |
| 1997 | Stardust from Tomorrow | Sun Ra & His Intergalaxtic Arkestra | Leo | 1989-04-29 | |
| 1990 | Live London 1990 | Sun Ra and His Year 2000 Myth Science Arkestra | Blast First | 1990 | |
| 1994 | Live at the Hackney Empire | Sun Ra And The Year 2000 Myth Science Arkestra | Leo | 1990 | |
| 1993 | Pleiades | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Leo Records | 1990 | |
| 1993 | At the Village Vanguard | Sun Ra Sextet | Rounder | 1991 | |
| 1993 | Friendly Galaxy | Sun Ra Arkestra | Leo | 1991 | |
| 2016-11-25 | At Inter-Media Arts, April 1991 | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Modern Harmonic | 1991-04-20 | |
| 1992 | Destination Unknown | Sun Ra & His Omniverse Arkestra | Enja Records | 1992 |
Posthumous compilations
| Recorded | Released | Album | Credited artist | Original Label(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954-1982 | 1996 | The Singles | Sun Ra | Evidence |
| 1956–1973 | 2000 | Greatest Hits: Easy Listening for Intergalactic Travel | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Evidence |
| 1955–1956 | 2007 | Toward The Stars - Pioneering In 1955-56 | Sun Ra | FiveFour |
| 2009 | Interplanetary Melodies | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Norton | |
| 2009 | The Second Stop Is Jupiter | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Norton | |
| 2009 | Rocket Ship Rock | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Norton | |
| 2014 | In the Orbit of Ra | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Strut | |
| 2015 | To Those of Earth... And Other Worlds | Sun Ra and His Arkestra | Strut | |
| 1952–1961 | 2016-11-25 | Singles: The Definitive 45s Collection, Vol. 1—1952–1961 | Sun Ra | Strut |
| 1962-1991 | 2017-04-26 | Singles: The Definitive 45s Collection, Vol. 2 — 1962-1991) | Sun Ra | Strut |
| 2017-11-24 | Exotica | Sun Ra | Modern Harmonic | |
| 1958–1985 | 2018-03-27 | The Space Age Is Here To Stay | Sun Ra and His Interplanetary Vocal Arkestra | Modern Harmonic/Sundazed Music |
| 2019-11-29 | Saturnian Queen of the Sun Ra Arkestra | June Tyson | Modern Harmonic | |
| 2024-04-20 | Pink Elephants on Parade | Sun Ra | Modern Harmonic | |
| 2024 | Kingdom of Discipline | Sun Ra | Dead Currencies | |
| 2025-04-12 | Stray Voltage | Sun Ra | Modern Harmonic |
Singles
| Year | Title | Credited Artist | Label | Recorded | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | I Am Strange / I am an Instrument | Sun Ra | Norton 45-153 | 1952-1962 | |
| 2005 | Chicago USA / Spaceship Lullaby | Sun Ra with Nu Sounds | Stop Smiling | 1955 | |
| 1983 | Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie (demo) / A Foggy Day | The Cosmic Rays / The Nu Sounds | El Saturn SATURN 9 | 1954-1959 | |
| 1956 | I'm Coming Home / Last Call for Love | Billie Hawkins with Sun Ra and his Orchestra | Heartbeat | 1956 | |
| 1956 | Soft Talk / Super Blonde | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Saturn Z1111 | 1956 | |
| 1956 | Saturn / Call For All Demons | Le Sun Ra and his Arkistra | Saturn G7OW5257/G7OW5259 | 1956 | |
| 1956 | Medicine for a Nightmare / Urnack | Le Sun Ra and his Arkistra | Saturn G7OW5258/G7OW5261, Z222 | 1956 | |
| 1961 | Happy New Year to You! /It's Christmas Time | The Qualities | Saturn M08W4052/3 | 1956-1961 | |
| 1950s | Muck Muck / Hot Skillet Mama | Yochanan (The Space Age Vocalist) | Saturn 4236/4237 | 1957? | |
| 1958 | Bye Bye / Somebody's In Love | The Cosmic Rays with Sun Ra | Saturn 222/223 | 1958 | |
| 1958 | Hours After / Great Balls of Fire | Le Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Saturn J08W0245/6 | 1958 | |
| 1967 | Adventur in Space / October | Sun Ra and his Astro-Infinity Arkestra | Saturn 874 | 1956-1959 | |
| 1960 | Dreaming / Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie | The Cosmic Rays with Sun Ra and Arkestra | Saturn SR-401/SR-402 | 1959 | |
| 1961 | The Sun One / Message to Earthman | Yochannon with Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Saturn 1502 | 1960? | |
| 1960 | Space Loneliness / State Street | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Saturn L08W-0114/0115 | 1960 | |
| 1960 | The Blue Set / Big City Blues | Sun Ra and his Arkestra | Saturn SA-1001 | 1960 | |
| 1964-1965 | A Blue One / Orbitration in Blue | Sun Ra and His Arkestra featuring Pat Patrick on the baritone sax | Saturn SRA999 | 1962 | |
| 1989 | Out There a Minute on The Devil's Jukebox 10x7" | Sun Ra | Blast First BFDJ 1-10 | 1962-1964 | |
| 1960s | Tell Her to Come Home / I'm Making Believe | Little Mack | Saturn 144M | 1962 | |
| 1968 | The Bridge / Rocket Number Nine | Sun Ra and his Outer Space Arkestra | El Saturn 3066 | 1967 | |
| 1969 | Blues on Planet Mars / Saturn Moon | Sun Ra and his Astro-Solar Infinity Arkestra | Saturn 911 | 1968 | |
| 1973? | Journey to Saturn / Enlightenment | Sun Ra and his Astro-Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra | Saturn ES 538 | 1970-1974? | |
| 1973-1974 | I'm Gonna Unmask the Batman / The Perfect Man | Sun Ra | Saturn ES 537 | ||
| 1975 | Love in Outer Space / Mayan Temple | Sun Ra | Saturn 256/62775 | 1975 | |
| 1982 | Quest / Outer Space Plateau | Sun Ra & his Outer Space Arkestra | Saturn SUN-RA 1982 Z | 1977&1982 | |
| 1978 | Disco 2100 / Sky Blues | Sun Ra | Saturn 2100 | 1978 | |
| 1979 | Rough House Blues / Cosmo Extensions | Sun Ra | Saturn SR51879 | 1979 | |
| 1982 | Nuclear War / Sometimes I'm Happy | Sun Ra | Y Records RA1 | 1982 | |
| 2014 | Prophetika | Sun Ra | Norton 1901 | 1978-1979 | |
| 1988 | Queer Notions / Prelude No. 7 | Sun Ra | DIW DEP 1-1 | 1988 | |
| 1988 | East of the Sun / Frisco Fog | Sun Ra | DIW DEP 1-2 | 1988 | |
| 1988 | Opus Springtime / Cosmo Swing Blues | Sun Ra | DIW DEP 1-3 | 1988 | |
| 1994 | I am the Instrument | Sun Ra | Blast First BFFP CD101 | 1991 |
Related
| Recorded | Album | Credited artist | Original Label(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954–1960 | Spaceship Lullaby: Chicago 1954-60 | Sun Ra/the Vocal Groups featuring Nu Sounds, the Unitels & the Cosmic Rays | Atavistic |
| 1966 | Impressions of a Patch of Blue | Walt Dickerson Quartet with Sun Ra on harpsichord | MGM |
| 1966 | Batman and Robin - The Sensational Guitars of Dan and Dale | Uncredited, but featuring Sun Ra & members of the Arkestra and the Blues Project | Tifton |
| 1968 | A Black Mass | Imamu Amiri Baraka with Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra | Jihad Productions |
| 1986 | Un "Sung Stories" | Phil Alvin featuring Sun Ra & his Arkesta on three tracks | Slash |
| 1988 | Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films | Sun Ra & His Arkestra perform "Pink Elephants On Parade" from Dumbo | A&M Records |
| 1992 | A Tribute to Stuff Smith | Billy Bang with Sun Ra, John Ore and Andrew Cyrille | Soul Note |
| 2013 | ARTPOP | Writing credit with Lady Gaga for the song "Venus" | Interscope |
| 2023 | Red Hot & Ra: Nuclear War, (A Tribute to Sun Ra: Volume 1) | Georgia Anne Muldrow, Josef Leimberg, Angel Bat Dawid, Malcolm Jiyane Tree-o, Grandmaster CAP | Red Hot Organization |
| 2023 | Red Hot + Ra: Solar – Sun Ra in Brasil, (A Tribute to Sun Ra: Volume 2) | Xuxa Levy, Orquestra Afrosinfônica, Jazzmeia Horn, Munir Hossn, Meshell Ndegeocello, Metá Metá, Edgar, Fabrício Boliveira, Edbrass Brasil, Xênia França, Tiganá Santana, Hamilton de Holanda Trio, Max de Castro, BNegão, Orchestra Klaxon | Red Hot Organization |
| 2024 | Red Hot + Ra: The Magic City, (A Tribute to Sun Ra: Volume 3) | Meshell Ndegeocello | Red Hot Organization |
| 2024 | Red Hot + Ra: Outer Spaceways Incorporated (A Tribute to Sun Ra: Volume 4) (2024) | Kronos Quartet, Marshall Allen, Laurie Anderson, Jlin, Laraaji, RP Boo, 700 Bliss, Armand Hammer, Terry Riley | Red Hot Organization |
External links
- . AllMusic.
- Navarrete, Suso. . the-temple.net.
- Campbell, Robert. . University of Alabama at Birmingham. Archived from on 2011-07-20.