Strut Records has recently released the first definitive expanded reissue of Sun Ra’s Somewhere Over The Rainbow, the group’s visionary 1977 live session at the Bluebird in Bloomington, Indiana, now expanded across three vinyl LPs. This new edition restores previously unreleased material and the organic transitions between pieces, letting the full flow of the Arkestra’s cosmic ritual unfold in real time.

The 20-track recording includes reimagines classic standards like a pulsing, other‑planet “Take The ‘A’ Train,” a deeply blues‑drenched “St. Louis Blues,” and a shimmering, hypnotic “Over The Rainbow” alongside rarely recorded Ra gems. Pieces like “Make Another Mistake,” “I’ll Wait For You” and the incantatory “Amen Meni Many Amens” showcase Sun Ra’s blend of chant, groove, and improvisation.

Across the expansive set, the group takes listeners on a journey through jazz history, space‑bound narratives, and ecstatic ensemble blowouts, preserving the feeling of a single, unfolding sonic ceremony. It’s less a mere concert document than a door into Sun Ra’s otherworldly universe, offering fans an unprecedented, immersive view into the Arkestra at their peak. It stands as one of the essential reissues of the year and a must for Sun Ra enthusiasts.

Sun Ra And His Arkestra — ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’
(Originally released: 1977 / El Saturn Records)
(Reissued: 2026 / Strut)

01. Shadows Of Infinity
02. Pleiades
03. Discipline 27
04. Bluebird Set #2 Piano Solo
05. Equation Of The Myth
06. Neptune
07. Yesterdays
08. St. Louis Blues
09. The Mystery of Two
10. We Live To Be
11. Amen Meni Many Amens
12. Saturn Speaks
13. Images In A Mirror
14. Take The ‘A’ Train
15. Make Another Mistake
16. Bluebird Shuffle
17. Outer Reach Intensity Energy / Cosmos Rendezvous
18. Next Stop Mars
19. Over The Rainbow
20. I’ll Wait For You

BUY RECORDS

• Cosmic
• Jazz
• Reissue
• Spiritual Jazz