The Strange Strings Ensemble

"ONE FOR RA is an instantaneous composition. The music is totally improvised. Total improvisation without any preconceived score or structure equals composition for us. ONE FOR RA is dedicated to Sun Ra. In particular it’s a tribute to the album Sun-Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra “Strange Strings”, first released on his own Saturn label in 1967. We all played a spontaneous composition performing ancient, mostly ethnic, acoustic string instruments from Vinciarelli’s vast collection. All instruments were completely “untuned”, thus following Sun Ra’s approach to that peculiar work—which he called “a study in ignorance”. The sounds are acoustic and no electronics are involved—except for a short, real-time looped vocal part. No use of overdubs nor outtakes.

ONE FOR RA has been performed at the end of some days of intense recording sessions for My Cat Is An Alien & Joëlle Vinciarelli’s project > ETERNAL BEYOND > . The idea came out the same day during a conversation with Philippe Robert, renowned music critic and writer as well as self-declared non-musician. Thus his involvement in the performance as fourth member of the group was even more exciting and challenging. Listening to the final piece, the extreme cohesion of sound at times makes it difficult to be sure who was playing what. Yet that’s a further point to enter into the core of the composition. We highly suggest to the listener to forget there are four people on this recording and try to hear it as a whole. ONE FOR RA, indeed!" Maurizio & Roberto Opalio, Saturn, Solar System