Legendary Self Discipline

Hearkening back to the first releases from his own El Saturn record label in the 1950’s, where early Sun Ra records were typically printed in editions of 75 and featured hand-made or pasted-on sleeves, Kingdom of Discipline arrives in 2024 in a physical, hand-made edition of just 75 copies via Dead Currencies. "You've got a solo, John!" From the opening notes, where we’re dropped in the middle of a rehearsal at Saturn House on Morton Street in West Philadelphia, circa 1978, it’s clear that this is no stuffy jazz label offering. We hear Ra directing some of the legendary cast that would populate his Arkestra. Marshall Allen is on hand, as is John Gilmore. This is, essentially, “lo-fi” from one of the inventors of the genre later exemplified by punk rock and 90’s slacker indie-rock. It's a poetic symmetry for an artist who recorded to Sound Mirror wire tape machines in the 1940’s and self released home recordings before Daniel Johnston was even born. In some ways, Sun Ra has always been the bridge between jazz and punk rock’s DIY ethos. And not just because the MC5 opened for him in their heyday.

By the direct students of Master Gichin Funakoshi