As promised, tonight’s show featured a special mix of Sun Ra inflenced material – all music either played at the Spatial AKA Orchestra concert at the Barbican or linked to the man from Saturn in some way. Music included Alice Coltrane’s classic Journey in Satchidananda, a track from Jamaica’s Cedric Im Brooks (who consciously acknowledged the influence of Sun Ra on his sound), music from Egypt’s Salah Ragab who played in concert with Sun Ra at the pyramids outside Cairo, Monk’s masterpiece Well You Needn’t (which undoubtedly influenced Jerry Dammers’ arrangement of the Specials’ Ghost Town), a composition by New York street maverick Moondog and finally Sun Ra’s concert anthem Space is the Place.

The rest of the show featured new music from Japan, an extended cut from Lee Morgan’s last recording, three strage little tracks from Word Jazz maestro Ken Nordine and a current iPod favourite from Neil to end the show – Marcos Valle’s summery Escape. Derek’s inclusion of bassist Buster Williams’ tune Fortune Dance prompted Neil to find his vinyl copy of the great album from which this track comes – more in coming weeks!

1. Quasimode feat. Carmen Lundy – Object in the Mirror
2. Grant Green – Blues for Juanita
3. Donald Byrd – Kofi

Sun Ra special mix
4. Alice Coltrane – Journey in Satchidananda
5. Cedric Im Brooks – Silent Force
6. Salah Ragab – Egypt Strut
7. Thelonius Monk – Well You Needn’t
8. Moondog – Bird’s Lament
9. Sun Ra – Where Pathways Meet/Space is the Place

10. Hank Mobley – East of the Village
11. What’s Up? – Vanity
12. Tomasz Stanko – Suspended Variations II
13. Buster Williams – Fortune Dance
14. Ken Nordine – White/Flesh/Azure
15. Lee Morgan – In What Direction Are You Headed?
16. Jafrosax – In the Morning
17. Marcos Valle – Escape