This was the 50th band I've seen so far this August and my first visit to The Forge since it re-opened after a long period in mothballs. Thankfully under the new management the venue is no longer the dogs breakfast it once was, as they have sorted out the issues it had with poor sight lines and even poorer sound, having installed a proper stage and a great sound system, the only faults left are the small number of toilets and poor beer selection but those are minor quibbles.
It's incredible that the Arkestra are still touring having formed originally in 1945 the last remaining original member Marshall Allen is now 99 and too frail to endure a transatlantic flight which is understandable, so the Arkestra are being led on the current UK tour by Noel Scott, they are playing tonight as a 13-piece band. It was good to see a wide age range in the audience and to hear someone say they were born a month after Sun Ra died.
As always the band are all wearing the signature uniforms of spangly outfits and brightly coloured hair as they begin by chanting that they are Su Ra's Arkestra directed by Marshall Allen as the incredibly polyrhythmic jazz gets going, as they take off to prove we are Living In The Space Age that has incredible vocals from Tara Middleton who has taken over the late June Tyson's role in the Arkestra, this features the first great sax freak out led by Noel Scott.
As they meander into Strangers In Paradise it takes a couple of minutes before I know I am right about the song they are playing, with cool outer space vibes, taking it to a cocktail bar just outside of Venus as the super tight rhythmic interplay builds and falls.
Tara is then telling is to Watch The Sunshine as the radiance coming from the stage lifts everyone up like the trumpet solo does, the energy coming from the band is quite something considering they are not exactly a young band. I guess they played Sunrise In Outer Space, but truly the song titles didn't matter what did was the magical musical interplay, the way they never stopped making sure to entertain us, as Noel gave all sorts of signals and cues to get everyone to make this incredible musical stew to work seamlessly.
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Tara was adding loads of percussion as she sang about Sunset In Outer Space and the rhythms built and built and slowly Noel let everyone have a solo from a super strong double bass solo though to getting the four sax players to stand up and blast at us in unison.
They were heading to Astral places determined to swing as hard now, as the band has for decades, it was impossible to stand still and watch them, you had to groove and dance with them, you could easily choose 4 different rhythms to groove to at any one time.
The set closed with the inevitable and immense We Travel The Spaceways from planet to planet that was a stone cold groove from end to end, as it slowly but surely mutated into Space Is The Place most of the horn section stood up and walked off stage, still playing in time honored fashion, with only 5 of them left on stage Noel Scott did the band intros, before they continued to chant Space Is The Place bringing to an end a brilliantly tight hour and 45 minute set that felt like they were only just getting going.
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