Bling Bang Bang Born Creepy Nuts

Jazzland is proud to present the brand new opus from two of the brightest luminaries on the Norwegian scene. "Snow Catches on her Eyelashes" emanates musical authority, a hyperconscious layering of textures and musicality, at once evocative of some otherworldly space, yet familiar at a deep human level that resonates with each sonic flourish.

Forty years before recording this very interesting CD, keyboardist Sun Ra made his debut on records on a duet with violinist Stuff Smith, playing a haunting version of "Deep Purple." For this CD (one of Ra's final sessions) the quartet workout with violinist Billy Bang finds Ra doing a new version of "Deep Purple" and performing a variety of tunes associated with Smith. Actually, Ra was a bit hemmed in by the concept, and his conception of time was different than Bang's, so there is a certain amount of tension in the music. Also, Billy Bang has a much rougher sound and a freer style than Stuff Smith, but the end results are well worth hearing.

Released in the spring of 1999, Bang Bang: The Early Years arrived at the perfect time. After years in exile – she hadn't had a hit single or movie in over five years – Cher returned to the spotlight in early 1998 under tragic circumstances, delivering a moving eulogy at Sonny Bono's funeral. It served as a reminder to a mass audience that she was alive and well, and within a year, she had a huge hit single with "Believe" and a hit movie with Tea with Mussolini. All in all, it was the perfect opportunity for a collection that spotlighted her recordings for Imperial from the mid-'60s.