Sun Ra information needed....

[<TBuck%KNOX.BITNET@UICVM.uic.edu>]

Greetings,
   I am gathering information for an undergraduate honors research
project concerning the free-form jazz musician, Sun Ra. I believe that
Sun Ra has been a significant figure in the jazz world and I hope to
develop a better understanding of both his music and philosophy. I plan
to write a biographical history with a list of known recordings
including a discussion of their merits and availability.
   This project is in its preliminary research stages and I have only
been able to find a small handful of books with any significant
information about Sun Ra. I've also found references to a couple hundred
magazine articles. Unfortunately most are likely to be record reviews.
(I'll soon be trying to order them through the interlibrary loan system)
   If you have *any* of the following kinds of information, please don't
hesitate to drop me a note, either by direct electronic mail or through
the postal system. If you could also pass this note on to anyone who
might be able to help me in my quest, I would greatly appreciate it.
   Here is how you can help. I'm looking for....


1) Any recordings, especially those on Ra's own private record label,
Saturn Records. I am interested in either cassette tape duplicates of
Sun Ra recordings you might own, or purchasing any recordings you might
be willing to part with. I already own the following on CD or LP:

Blue Delight, 1989
Cosmic Equation
Dancing Shadows, 1966
Live At Montreux, 1976
Live At The Pit-Inn, Tokyo, 1988
Out There A Minute, late 1960's
Reflections In Blue, 1986
Purple Night, 1990
The Solar Myth Approach, 1971
Sun Song, 1957
Visions (Walt Dickerson with Sun Ra), 1978
We Are In The Future, 1961

   I have cassette duplicates of the following LP's, but would like to
purchase original copies if possible. I also need information off album
jackets such as liner notes, song titles, recording dates, or musician
lineups, as well as record catalog numbers and the addresses of any
record companies for which Sun Ra has recorded.

Astro Black
God Is More Than Love
The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, vol. 2
It's After The End Of The World
Lanquidity, 1978
The Magic City
Media Dreams
Omniverse
On Jupiter
Pictures Of Infinity
Sleeping Beauty
Solo Piano, vol. 1

2) Books or magazine articles about Sun Ra, any books with significant
information about him, or interviews with him.

3) Books or other sources containing *any* of Sun Ra's poetry.

4) Any other information I might find useful such as sources for first
person interviews, contacts that would have more information, or people
that would have more contacts. Anything that you think might lead to
something useful.

5) Any information about grants for this type of research. I hope to do
field research in Philadelphia, Chicago and New York--the three cities
in which Sun Ra has been based during his career.

6) Personal recollections of Sun Ra concerts. If you've seen him and his
Arkestra perform live, I want to hear from you!


Adva(thanx)nce. Happy Trails and Later Days....


Thomas J. Buck                                  Tom <TBuck@Knox.Bitnet>
Box 306 - Knox College                          "Sound Can Move Planets"
Galesburg, Illinois 61401                              - Sun Ra -