Switched On Ra

Description

Almost four years have passed since their last record and two years since Bitchin Bajas last toured. Now, they return from some unknown, reclusive heavenly space with the riches of the entire cosmos in hand. Their new album, Switched On Ra, is the result of a typical Bajas exercise: letting go to pay homage to the trailblazers who came before them. It’s a good way to get a musical flow — they play a little of themselves, then a little for the trailblazers, then a little more for the band. In no time at all they’re playing with those intertwined inspirations that can, in the end, only come from within. For Switched On Ra, this meant a deep dive into the songs of one of their forerunners, Sun Ra, whose music is quite literally written into the Bajas’ DNA. Diving into the music looked crazy on paper: the drone synth band tackling the Arkestra’s harmonies and Ra’s relaxed grooves? The track rearrangements went well, and then, at the last minute, another twist—why not pay homage to the queen herself, and envision the arrangements with a Wendy Carlos vibe? A little side homage? After all, Switched on Bach was a visionary album, bringing analog synths into the mainstream sound of the late 60s—and this version of Ra is poised to introduce him to a whole new audience. Sun Ra was, of course, a true visionary of keyboard playing, using electric keyboards in the late 40s and 50s to fill a role in jazz that was traditionally played on acoustic piano. Once that was done, he pushed his writing in directions inspired by electric sounds, to places no one had thought to go before. His playing was a statement of individuality, which became the background radiation of his journey through the cosmos; the search for a place beyond earthly domination, for all the people who desperately wanted to get out. Bitchin Bajas had been working in a microtonal world, generally without chords, but here they move forward righteously, their vibration triangulating as they highlight Ra’s music with some Wendy Carlos inspiration, creating an unexpected space for everyone to flourish. There’s a true sense of joy as these collected signals bounce off the tape and move through the speakers into your space. To achieve this unique colloid, Bitchin Bajas used nineteen different keyboards. They refrained from deploying their arsenal of reed and wind instruments: everything had to be played on keys. This meant Yamahas, Rolands, Korgs, Casios, a MicroMoog and, of course, their trusty Ace Tone organ. They even pulled out the Crumar DS-2, to get some of Ra’s favorite sound in the mix. Then Jayve Montgomery added an EWI as a solo voice on a few tracks, just to get a bit of airborne signal (and a natural nod to EWI master Marshall Allen). Switched On Ra is an effervescent celebration of music across time and space. Let's go!