Live In Rome is a 2010 release of a live Sun Ra concert recording in Rome back in 1980. As far as sound quality goes this one is pretty great for a Sun Ra recording; for the most part. In term of scope it's fucking fantastic. You get two fully packed CDs that offer both the wild and the groovy side of Sun Ra. The concert opens with a 20 minute untitled track which was probably composed at the spot or 10 minutes before tops. It feels more like a medley than a complete track and it goes from relatively normal to absolute abstract free jazz throughout its runtime. After this lengthy session the band shifts into a more accessible sound with June Tyson softly singing while the band rests for a while only to burst yet again into a firestorm of free improvisation. This free form flying goes on for approximately the midpoint of the first CD. The band changes completely the tone of the concert first by a short poem/speech that Ra himself makes (who is by the way noticeably absent from the first part of this recording but makes up for it in later parts of the recording) and then secondly with some blazing hot swing and ragtime tunes that showcases the band in a completely different but even more amazing light than before. It is here that the band proves itself to the audience that they're not just noodling free improvisers but that they are in reality a tightly knit unit capable of fast and also technical feats.
The second CD kicks off with a unique rendition of Watusa that's more focused on instruments that aren't percussive in nature and also with Ra leading the charge making this a new favorite of mine. After such a great track the rest is only gravy on top. The band continues on with a very familiar moody composition called Lights on a Satellite. The sound on this one is a bit botched, probably due to instrument changes (Ra switches from piano to electric keyboards) and is a bit jarring at times but this gets sorted out as things move on to the next track. After this the tracks get more relaxed in mood as the band plays more of their familiar repertoire and also bring more emphasis to vocal segments and chants. But the band is not quite yet finished as they go into full weirdness for one more time before ending the performance with a couple more regular tracks and vocal parts.
All in all this is a fantastic live recording full of amazing tracks and performances. If you like Sun Ra even a bit I think you'll find lots of enjoyment on this record.
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