Black Sun Ensemble - S/T

“Black Sun Ensemble offers sensual, aerial, sonic magic carpet rides laced with the steady flavor of India that will take you high above the Himalayas in your head. But this isn’t plinky, incense-burning, catatonic hammock music, nor does it smell of hippie backwash and flashbacks (thought the music can be hypnotic and psychedelic). You can see forever with the Black Sun Ensemble.” -CMJ New Music Report

“Jesus Acedo was the quixotic leader of Black Sun Ensemble who, on the basis of his enigmatic recordings, has been hailed by critics as one of the most innovative guitarists of our time. Born on Christmas Eve, 1962 in Tucson, Arizona, to Mexican immigrant parents, Acedo was one of eight children, the only one with an interest in music. After the death of his father in 1975, Acedo grieved by immersing himself in music. He spent most of his early adolescence at the Tucson public library listening to Ravi Shankar and Led Zeppelin records. At this time, Acedo bought a guitar. In high school, he began experimenting with the unique tunings of his guitar that give his music what one reviewer reverently called “peculiarly mystical, twangy, meditative, Middle Eastern rock sound”. Muze, in describing his style, said he can “spit blasts of dragon fire or conjure the exotic, iridescent mystique of peacock feathers with a single stroke.” A self-titled debut album was released by Tucson’s Pyknotic Records in 1985. Its extraordinary qualities led Acedo to sign a five-year contract with England’s Reckless Records, and in 1988 the label released “Black Sun Ensemble” (1988), “Lambent Flame” (1989) and “Elemental Forces” (1991). These records were a critical and commercial success. At the time, Offbeat exclaimed that BSE was “possibly, the world’s coolest band.”


•Comes with a 8-page booklet, with notes by Byron Coley, BSE bassist Mike Glidewell, Rich Hopkins (songwriter, Sidewinder, and founder of San Jacinto Records), and a reproduction of a poetry volume by BSE’s Jesus Acedo.

Track Listing:
Side A
1. Heart Of The Sky (4:33)
2. Mayan Dance (2:12)
3. Dove Of The Desert (3:47)
4. Golden Rays (4:42)
5. Emerald Eye (3:50)
6. Red Ocean (3:52)

Side B
1. Ice Breaker (2:54)
2. Blue Thunder (4:48)
3. Ruby Eyes Of China (4:48)
4. Cobracalia (3:55)
5. Mandolin Winds (3:24)
6. A Chunk Of Mandolin Love (4:00)