Lanquidity is a 1978 studio album by American jazz musician Sun Ra.

Lanquidity
Studio album by
Released14 August 1978[1]
Recorded17 July 1978[2]
StudioBlank Tapes Studios, New York City
GenreJazz fusion
Length43:33 (Original LP)
91:20 (Special Edition)
LabelPhilly Jazz
ProducerSun Ra
Sun Ra chronology
Visions
(1978)
Lanquidity
(1978)
Sound Mirror
(1978)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All About Jazzfavorable[3]
AllMusic[4]
Alternative Press[5]
JazzTimesfavorable[5]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings[7]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide[6]
Spinfavorable[5]

Music

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The album was recorded by Bob Blank at Blank Studios, entirely on the night of July 17, 1978, following a performance on Saturday Night Live.[8]

Stylistically, the album is markedly different from Sun Ra's earlier recordings, drawing heavily on funk, R&B and jazz fusion. Lanquidity is also unusual in featuring two guitarists, which were seldom used in the Arkestra.[3] "That's How I Feel" features a tenor sax solo by John Gilmore, Sun Ra's sideman from the 1950s until Sun Ra's death in 1993.

Critical reception

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Spin magazine called Lanquidity "a beautiful place to enter Ra's psych-jazz omniverse", while Alternative Press wrote that it is "impossibly funky": "Often compared to Miles Davis' heaviest jazz-rock-funk fusion, Lanquidity is dense, rhythmic and curiously hypnotic".[5] Music journalist Robert Christgau is a fan of the album.[9][10]

Reissues

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The album was first released in 1978 with a reflective foil silver cover. In 2000, it was reissued on HDCD by Evidence Records, with a light grey cover.[11]

In 2021, Strut announced a reissue of the album. Four editions were made available: a remastered version of the original album on digital and as a single LP, and a "Special Edition" version as a 2xCD and 4xLP box set, including rare alternate mixes by Bob Blank. In addition, record club Vinyl Me, Please. pressed a limited run of 750 copies of the single-LP version on red vinyl.[12]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Sun Ra

Original LP
No.TitleLength
1."Lanquidity"8:19
2."Where Pathways Meet"6:30
3."That's How I Feel"8:09
No.TitleLength
1."Twin Stars of Thence"9:30
2."There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of)"10:58
Total length:43:33

The 2021 "Special Edition" contains the above tracks, followed by Bob Blank's alternate mixes (with the same sequencing) for a total of ten songs.

Personnel

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  • Sun Ra: organ, synthesizer, piano, arranger, keyboards, Hammond organ, electric piano, vocals, bells, Arp, Fender Rhodes, orchestra bells, Mini Moog
  • John Gilmore: tenor saxophone
  • Danny Ray Thompson: flute, baritone saxophone
  • Eddie Gale: trumpet
  • Michael Ray: trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Marshall Allen: flute, oboe, alto saxophone
  • Luqman Ali: percussion
  • Michael Anderson: percussion
  • Artaukatune: drums, tympani
  • Disco Kid: ( Slo Johnson ) guitar
  • Dale Williams: guitar
  • Atakatun Odun: congas
  • Elo Omoe: Flute, bass clarinet
  • Julian Pressley: baritone saxophone
  • Richard Williams: bass
  • James Jacson: oboe, basson, flute, voices
  • June Tyson: voices

References

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  1. ^ "Lanquidity - Sun Ra | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  2. ^ "Lanquidity, by Sun Ra & His Arkestra".
  3. ^ a b Wuethrich, Matthew (12 January 2003). "Sun Ra: Lanquidity (1978)". Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  4. ^ Ruhlmann, William. Lanquidity at AllMusic
  5. ^ a b c d "Sun Ra - Lanquidity CD Album". CD Universe. Muze. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
  6. ^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 186. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
  7. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1360. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
  8. ^ "Sun Ra - Lanquidity (Definitive Edition)". Strut. Strut, Ochre, Spectrum House. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  9. ^ Christgau, Robert (February 6, 2001). "Pazz & Jop Preview". The Village Voice. New York: Village Voice Media. p. 2. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
  10. ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Sun Ra and His Arkestra". www.robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
  11. ^ Jazzlists: Philly Jazz Inc discography, accessed July 9, 2018
  12. ^ "Sun Ra 'Lanquidity' - Vinyl Me, Please". Vinyl Me Please. Offbeat Ventures, LLC. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
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