Strut Records proudly presents the first definitive expanded reissue of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", Sun Ra"s 1977 session recorded at the Bluebird in Bloomington, Indiana, presented across three Vinyl LPs or as a two CD set. This recording brings in all of these features with re-imagined versions of standards like "Take The "A" Train", "St. Louis Blues" and title track "Over The Rainbow" alongside rarely recorded Ra compositions like "Make Another Mistake" and "Amen Meni Many Amens". Ra conducted improvisations to guide the listener seamlessly from one musical scene to the next. As Sun Ra himself described it: "It"s like a party - we enjoy ourselves and everybody"s invited to enjoy it with us." The original version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow assembled a handful of clearly delineated tracks drawn from the flow of two complete concert recordings, re-arranged out of sequence. Strut"s new edition restores previously excised material and preserves more of the natural transitions between pieces, offering a fuller glimpse into the distinctive aesthetic of Sun Ra and his Arkestra. This definitive reissue is pressed across two CDs, or three vinyl LPs housed in a triple gatefold sleeve, newly remastered by Technology Works from the original source tapes and features extensive new liner notes by Chris Cutler alongside video stills from the original concert.

Jazz