Four Classic Albums CD

Thanks to a vast catalogue that includes literally hundreds of albums, it can be hard for newcomers to get into the work of spiritual jazz pioneer Sun Ra. If you fall into this category, we'd heartily recommend this excellent collection of the far-sighted artist's early recorded work. Across the four discs you'll find post-bop debut "Jazz By Sun Ra" (1956), the more space-age and avant-garde sounds of "Super-Sonic Jazz" (his first outing with the expanded Sun Ra Arkestra, 1957), the more free-jazz influenced "Jazz In Silhouette" (the Arkestra's second set, from 1969), and 1961's incredible fusion of hard-bop, modal and spiritual elements, "The Futuristic Sound of Sun Ra". As if that wasn't enough, the final disc in the set also includes a swathe of singles and B-sides released in the same period.