Sun Ra: electric piano, lightning drum, tympani, squeaky door, strings
Marshall Allen: oboe, alto saxophone, strings
John Gilmore: tenor saxophone, strings
Danny Davis: flute, alto saxophone, strings
Pat Patrick: flute, baritone saxophone, strings
Robert Cummings: bass clarinet, strings
Ali Hassan: trombone, strings
Ronnie Boykins: bass viol
Clifford Jarvis: tympani, percussion
James Jacson: log drums, strings
Carl Nimrod: strings
Art Jenkins: space voice, strings

All About Jazz; 2007-07
"...Emblematic of its title, this is one of the most unusual albums in the vast discography of visionary bandleader Sun Ra. In league with such classics as Heliocentric Worlds (ESP, 1965), The Magic City (Evidence, 1965) and Atlantis (Evidence, 1967), this obscure session focuses on similarly intense long-form improvisations. Originally recorded in 1966, Strange Strings is the culmination of Ra's most otherworldly experiments.
Pre-dating the comprovisations of Butch Morris and the game pieces of John Zorn, this is a classic example of Ra's conduction methods. With no rehearsal beforehand, ("a study in ignorance," Ra told his musicians) the results are surprisingly structured and spaciously uncluttered.
The only Sun Ra album of its kind, the title track and "Strange Strange" feature the entire Arkestra playing stringed instruments; ukuleles, banjos, mandolins, kotos, koras and more. In addition to the array of exotic strings, the ensemble features Art Jenkins uttering reverb-drenched mutterings, a huge sheet of tempered metal used as percussion, and a heady dose of intermittent reverb infiltrating everything.
"Worlds Approaching" opens the session dramatically; thundering tympani announcing an ominous, droning bowed bass ostinato, unleashing a slew of acerbic solos from Ra's front line of horn men, with Marshall Allen's fervent oboe heading the charge. Reverb, distortion and echo oscillate randomly throughout the piece, adding a truly surreal quality. Typical of this vintage, the lo-fi recording quality elicits a folksy, music vérité ambience.
"Strange Strings" and "Strange Strange" reverberate with dissonant texture and percussive clatter; the Arkestra eschews horns entirely, using the thrift store strings Ra acquired for them instead. Far less accessible than the opening tune, there is still a definite sense of episodic logic to these pieces. Similar instrumental groupings materialize with regularity, spurr.......
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