by Scott Yanow
One of the finest Sun Ra recordings from his final years, this effort is particularly recommended due to the many Ra keyboard solos and John Gilmore features, the latter of which include a tenor showcase on &Opus In Springtime.& Trumpeters Michael Ray and Ahmed Abdullah, altoist Marshall Allen and singer June Tyson also have their spots, and the repertoire consists of ten Ra originals (including a remake of &El Is the Sound of Joy&) and three standard ballads. Overall, this is a fine all-around studio set that avoids some of the excesses of Sun Ra's concerts of the period. Recommended.