ʀʜᴏᴅᴇs' ʟɪsᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ ɴᴏᴛᴇs

Day 4: "Kingdom of Thunder" by Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra, the fifth track on Fate in a Pleasant Mood. Sun Ra. Pioneer of Afrofuturism and of the most prolific bandleaders of the 20th century. Fate in a Pleasant Mood, Recorded in mid-to-late 1960 in Chicago, Illinois, captures Sun Ra's Arkestra utilizing more dissonance and percussion in their sound, and "Kingdom of Thunder" is perhaps the most percussion-led track on the record (if not "Space Mates" earlier on). Ra's piano playing is entirely absent on this charming little tune, which opts for call-and-response between winds and drums to develop the initial theme, and while it might not be the most mind-blowing track in Sun Ra's catalogue (and certainly not the last of Sun Ra you'll be seeing here), it's a delightful listen. It gets 7 rhoditos out of 10

Wynton is a great genius of our time and The Marciac Suite, recorded in February of 1999 and written in dedication to the small town of Marciac, France, contains some of his most joyful and self-indulgent compositions. It's a warm, sunny listen and the 9 minute waltz "Marciac Moon," the second longest track on the record and I would say the most photogenic, is a must-listen. Everybody here plays beautifully, easy 10 out of 10 rhoditos

The Crusaders are one of my favorite jazz/R&B groups of all time and Those Southern Knights, recorded in the late summer and autumn months of 1975, is one of my favorite records from the band's crossover period. It was trombonist and co-founder Wayne Henderson's final album with the band after 15 years of playing with them. Joe Sample has a gorgeous touch and warm tone on the Fender Rhodes and takes a simply beautiful solo halfway through this track following Henderson's similarly tasty solo in the first leg. A wonderful performance from start to finish and it gets 10 rhoditos out of 10

I might not write as much as I did here for future posts... but I'll try!