The Complete Concert, by John Cage Meets Sun Ra

The Complete Concert

by John Cage Meets Sun Ra

supported by

	/

Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Includes digital booklet with liner notes by Howard Mandel!

Purchasable with gift card

$9.99 USD or more
Clear Vinyl 2-LP
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
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, stretched out across two LPs. 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, all lovingly packaged in new artwork that captures the stark brilliance of the music. 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

Includes unlimited streaming of The Complete Concert via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. ... more

Sold Out

	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 2) 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 Continued (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 Continued 02:47
	21.	Sun Ra - Untitled Keyboard Solo 5 10:05

about

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

credits

released March 27, 2018

license

about

Sun Ra Birmingham, Alabama

Across the history of jazz, there is no wilder, more future-forward composer and performer than Sun Ra. Known as much for his wild on-stage persona as his innovative compositions, Sun Ra was the avant-garde bleeding edge of the jazz genre, introducing modal composition and electronic instrumentation before almost anyone else. ... more

contact / help

Contact Sun Ra

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like The Complete Concert, you may also like:

Artlessly Falling
by Mary Halvorson's Code Girl

supported by 10 fans who also own “The Complete Concert”

Mary Halvorson is a genius composer and guitarist who has developed her own musical language, and with Code Girl she has incorporated poetry into that language. Incredible compositions and lyricism (each track is a different kind of poem). Halvorson's playing is as great as usual, and all the other members of the band sound great. Robert Wyatt's singing in particular works extremely well in the tracks he's featured. Highly, highly recommend. rat
go to album
Promises
by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra

supported by 10 fans who also own “The Complete Concert”

Magic in its purest form. I love Floating Points, I love Pharoah Sanders, I love The London Symphony Orchestra. It's a match made in heaven, and the result is absolutely gorgeous. I have loved this record since its release, and realized I don't own it for some reason. So its time to change that. 9.5/10 honestly could become a 10/10 on an indepth vinyl relisten. angrypizza98
go to album
Code Girl
by Mary Halvorson

supported by 8 fans who also own “The Complete Concert”

Angular, glitchy avant-jazz. This is foreground music, highly recommended. sluckman93
go to album
Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Beyond Saturn)
by Sun Ra & His Arkestra

featured on Bandcamp Radio May 11, 2021
go to album
Unity: Live at Storyville NYC Oct 1977
by Sun Ra & His Arkestra

featured on Bandcamp Radio Oct 13, 2020
go to album
Egypt Strut / Dawn (EP)
by Sun Ra & His Arkestra with Salah Ragab

featured on Bandcamp Radio May 19, 2020
go to album
Pharoah
by Pharoah Sanders

supported by 7 fans who also own “The Complete Concert”

Pharoah's long forgotten masterpiece. This record could have been lost, but it just got resurrected, and seriously, this is probably one of Sanders top 2 or 3 albums. Those who discovered Pharoah with Promises, might prefer this to Karma. The first track, Harvest Time is a gem and both live takes on this double CD are compelling variations of the studio version, maybe even more exciting! Alex Deschênes
go to album