Sun Ra & His Astro Infinity Arkestra - Strange Strings (Expanded Edition) (1967/2024)
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks+log+.cue) - 311 Mb | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 175 Mb | 01:16:12
Avant-Garde Jazz | Label: Cosmic Myth Records
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks+log+.cue) - 311 Mb | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 175 Mb | 01:16:12
Avant-Garde Jazz | Label: Cosmic Myth Records
Fans of Sun Ra's Space Bop and genre-bending jazz were in for a shock with Strange Strings. Even in the eclectic and sometimes baffling Sun Ra catalog, Strange Strings, first issued in 1967, is an outlier. Is it music, or just noise? Or noise as music? John Cage could not be reached for comment.Tracklist:
For this album, Sun Ra collected an arsenal of exotic string instruments and handed them out to his Arkestra on the precept that "strings could touch people in a special way." That the Arkestrans didn't know how to play or tune these instruments was not beside the point— it was the point. Ra framed it "a study in ignorance." The result was primitive, yet sophisticated; brutal, yet highly sensitive. In his essay for this expanded edition, musician-curator David Toop calls Strange Strings "saturated in mystery."
The original 1967 Saturn LP version was monophonic, contained three tracks, and suffered distortion in the mastering (perhaps due to the high-decibel studio performance and excessive reverb). Yet some sessions were captured in stereo. A dozen strange-string works have been located, five of which are included on this remastered edition. No track titles appeared on the original Saturn LP verso, but the three works issued were later identified as "World's Approaching," the LP title track, and an inversion of the title, "Strings Strange." A belatedly discovered tape box listed the third recording as "Strange Strange," a title which has been used in this edition.
CD and LP are remastered with bonus tracks, with liner notes by Irwin Chusid, and an essay by David Toop. 2xLP Vinyl Edition pressed at RTI and packed in tip-on Stoughton gatefold jacket, and includes a printed insert card of the original cover art.
01 - World's Approaching (stereo)
02 - Strange Strings (mono)
03 - Strange Strange (mono)
04 - Crystal Spheres (Between Worlds) (stereo)
05 - Cosmos Miraculous (mono)
06 - Untitled St. Peter's (stereo)
07 - Ra Explains the Bandura (mono)
Exact Audio Copy V1.8 from 15. July 2024
EAC extraction logfile from 24. April 2025, 14:58
The Sun Ra Arkestra / Strange Strings
Used drive : OPTIARC DVD-ROM DDU1681S Adapter: 1 ID: 0
Read mode : Secure
Utilize accurate stream : Yes
Defeat audio cache : Yes
Make use of C2 pointers : No
Read offset correction : 6
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : Yes
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Gap handling : Appended to previous track
Used output format : User Defined Encoder
Selected bitrate : 128 kBit/s
Quality : High
Add ID3 tag : No
Command line compressor : C:\Program Files\flac.exe
Additional command line options : -8 -V -T "ARTIST=%artist%" -T "TITLE=%title%" -T "ALBUM=%albumtitle%" -T "DATE=%year%" -T "TRACKNUMBER=%tracknr%" -T "GENRE=%genre%" -T "PERFORMER=%albuminterpret%" -T "COMPOSER=%composer%" -T "ALBUMARTIST=%albumartist%" -T "DISCNUMBER=%cdnumber%" -T "TOTALDISCS=%totalcds%" -T "TOTALTRACKS=%numtracks%" -T "COMMENT=%comment%" %source% -o %dest%
TOC of the extracted CD
Track | Start | Length | Start sector | End sector
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
1 | 0:00.00 | 10:10.70 | 0 | 45819
2 | 10:10.70 | 12:27.42 | 45820 | 101886
3 | 22:38.37 | 20:05.29 | 101887 | 192290
4 | 42:43.66 | 7:30.39 | 192291 | 226079
5 | 50:14.30 | 11:12.20 | 226080 | 276499
6 | 61:26.50 | 8:34.36 | 276500 | 315085
7 | 70:01.11 | 6:10.65 | 315086 | 342900
Track 1
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\01 World's Approaching (stereo).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 100.0 %
Extraction speed 6.5 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 2904D436
Copy CRC 2904D436
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 2
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\02 Strange Strings (mono).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 100.0 %
Extraction speed 8.0 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC B0534495
Copy CRC B0534495
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 3
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\03 Strange Strings (stereo).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 93.6 %
Extraction speed 9.8 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC DA41FC98
Copy CRC DA41FC98
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 4
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\04 Crystal Spheres (Between Worlds) (stereo).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 100.0 %
Extraction speed 9.5 X
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC EDF13888
Copy CRC EDF13888
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 5
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\05 Cosmos Miraculous (mono).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 100.0 %
Extraction speed 9.6 X
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC 7FD8F9EE
Copy CRC 7FD8F9EE
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 6
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\06 Untitled St. Peter's (stereo).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 99.0 %
Extraction speed 11.4 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 2275B52D
Copy CRC 2275B52D
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 7
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\07 Ra Explains the Bandura (mono).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 100.0 %
Extraction speed 10.6 X
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC C62A781B
Copy CRC C62A781B
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
None of the tracks are present in the AccurateRip database
No errors occurred
End of status report
–– AcoustID Plugin V1.2.0
Submitting 7 results to AcoustID
AcoustID successfully submitted
–– CUETools DB Plugin V2.2.6
[CTDB TOCID: rG9pTTubfxGG95erkdmufoyaxDg-] found
Submit result: rG9pTTubfxGG95erkdmufoyaxDg- has been confirmed
Track | CTDB Status
1 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
2 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
3 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
4 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
5 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
6 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
7 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
==== Log checksum 2BC433739B60034A0AC7BF515A4BA63BB14C02DBA7DEA30AF7EB277D8DD93057 ====
EAC extraction logfile from 24. April 2025, 14:58
The Sun Ra Arkestra / Strange Strings
Used drive : OPTIARC DVD-ROM DDU1681S Adapter: 1 ID: 0
Read mode : Secure
Utilize accurate stream : Yes
Defeat audio cache : Yes
Make use of C2 pointers : No
Read offset correction : 6
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : Yes
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Gap handling : Appended to previous track
Used output format : User Defined Encoder
Selected bitrate : 128 kBit/s
Quality : High
Add ID3 tag : No
Command line compressor : C:\Program Files\flac.exe
Additional command line options : -8 -V -T "ARTIST=%artist%" -T "TITLE=%title%" -T "ALBUM=%albumtitle%" -T "DATE=%year%" -T "TRACKNUMBER=%tracknr%" -T "GENRE=%genre%" -T "PERFORMER=%albuminterpret%" -T "COMPOSER=%composer%" -T "ALBUMARTIST=%albumartist%" -T "DISCNUMBER=%cdnumber%" -T "TOTALDISCS=%totalcds%" -T "TOTALTRACKS=%numtracks%" -T "COMMENT=%comment%" %source% -o %dest%
TOC of the extracted CD
Track | Start | Length | Start sector | End sector
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-
1 | 0:00.00 | 10:10.70 | 0 | 45819
2 | 10:10.70 | 12:27.42 | 45820 | 101886
3 | 22:38.37 | 20:05.29 | 101887 | 192290
4 | 42:43.66 | 7:30.39 | 192291 | 226079
5 | 50:14.30 | 11:12.20 | 226080 | 276499
6 | 61:26.50 | 8:34.36 | 276500 | 315085
7 | 70:01.11 | 6:10.65 | 315086 | 342900
Track 1
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\01 World's Approaching (stereo).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 100.0 %
Extraction speed 6.5 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 2904D436
Copy CRC 2904D436
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 2
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\02 Strange Strings (mono).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 100.0 %
Extraction speed 8.0 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC B0534495
Copy CRC B0534495
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 3
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\03 Strange Strings (stereo).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 93.6 %
Extraction speed 9.8 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC DA41FC98
Copy CRC DA41FC98
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 4
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\04 Crystal Spheres (Between Worlds) (stereo).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 100.0 %
Extraction speed 9.5 X
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC EDF13888
Copy CRC EDF13888
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 5
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\05 Cosmos Miraculous (mono).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 100.0 %
Extraction speed 9.6 X
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC 7FD8F9EE
Copy CRC 7FD8F9EE
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 6
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\06 Untitled St. Peter's (stereo).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 99.0 %
Extraction speed 11.4 X
Track quality 100.0 %
Test CRC 2275B52D
Copy CRC 2275B52D
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
Track 7
Filename C:\EAC_Rips\Sun Ra - Strange Strings [FLAC]\07 Ra Explains the Bandura (mono).wav
Pre-gap length 0:00:02.00
Peak level 100.0 %
Extraction speed 10.6 X
Track quality 99.9 %
Test CRC C62A781B
Copy CRC C62A781B
Track not present in AccurateRip database
Copy OK
None of the tracks are present in the AccurateRip database
No errors occurred
End of status report
–– AcoustID Plugin V1.2.0
Submitting 7 results to AcoustID
AcoustID successfully submitted
–– CUETools DB Plugin V2.2.6
[CTDB TOCID: rG9pTTubfxGG95erkdmufoyaxDg-] found
Submit result: rG9pTTubfxGG95erkdmufoyaxDg- has been confirmed
Track | CTDB Status
1 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
2 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
3 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
4 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
5 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
6 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
7 | (3/3) Accurately ripped
==== Log checksum 2BC433739B60034A0AC7BF515A4BA63BB14C02DBA7DEA30AF7EB277D8DD93057 ====
Thanks to the Original ripper !