USA: Sun Ra & His Arkestra-The Spirit of Jazz Cosmos Arkestra at WUHY, 1978 (2019)

Sun Ra's Spirit of Jazz Cosmos Arkestra—the only known use of this appellation in Ra's entire catalog—performed in concert at Philadelphia's WUHY radio studios in 1978, probably in July. WUHY producer Anna Mintz, in a voiceover introduction, called the show "one of the hottest things to happen here since Dick Clark and American Bandstand left town." (File under: Juxtaposition of Incongruities.) 

Taped for a broadcast series called "All That Jazz," the concert was augmented with short excerpts of a Sun Ra interview in a voice-over-music format (it's dropped in at unpredictable spots). Copies of the tape have long circulated among Ra collectors in various incarnations—some seemingly complete, others abridged, some mislabeled, and a few with tunes oddly titled (e.g., "Ark Smooth Sailing," and "Drifting in D-Flat," neither of which are actual Ra titles). Some tapes in circulation are dated July 1978; others cite October. (July is commonly accepted.) 

PERSONNEL: 
Sun Ra: piano, Rocksichord, vocal 
John Gilmore: tenor sax, clarinet, timbales 
Byard Lancaster: alto sax, flute 
Marshall Allen: alto sax, flute, oboe, piccolo, percussion 
Danny Davis: alto sax, flute, percussion 
Danny Ray Thompson: baritone sax, flute, percussion 
Walter Miller: trumpet 
Michael Ray: trumpet, flugelhorn 
Leroy Taylor (Eloe Omoe): bass clarinet, flute, percussion 
James Jacson: bassoon, flute, Ancient Infinity Lightning Drum 
Richard (Radu) Williams: bass violin 
Oscar Fleming (Bobo) Brown: poss. bass 
Luqman Ali: drums, percussion 
Ricky Joyce (?): drums 
Stanley Morgan (Atakatune): bass drum, conga, percussion 
Eddie Thomas: prob. percussion 
Michael Anderson: percussion 
Robin Eubanks poss. trombone 
Craig Harris: poss. trombone 
Tony Bethel: poss. trombone 
June Tyson: vocals, dance 
Cheryl Banks: vocals, dance