Gearbox Records / UK / 2017 / 7"
This is a previously unreleased Sun Ra solo piano improvisation recorded in June 1990 during an interview with presenter and DJ Jez Nelson at the studios of Jazz FM in London.
As Jez Nelson says in the sleeve notes: “At the end of our conversation I asked Sun Ra if he would play something for us on the beautiful Schimmel piano in the studio next door. He smiled the smile of an ancient spirit with a childlike joy and said he’d be delighted. Then he walked next door, sat down at the piano, said “Hello Mr Schimmel” and played”.
A portion of the proceeds will go to the Steve Reid Foundation, which aims to help people working in music who are in crisis, especially those suffering from illness.
This release is No.3 in the Valve Mastered Sevens series.
Collectable, unique, supreme quality - an ever expanding series of carefully curated 7"s that takes in cult heroes, underground gems, future stars - a true treasure trove of delights to explore in Gearbox's homage to the humble 45. Expect Direct-to-Disc cuts, groundbreaking recording techniques, one-off collaborations.... all connected in one significant way : the purity, warmth and luxuriousness of an all-valve signal chain.
These valve mastered recordings feature Gearbox’s vintage Decca valve mixer in association with their Haeco Scully lathe with Westrex RA1700 series amps, Westrex 3DIIA cutting head, and Telefunken U73B tube limiter.