The album was the second in a short-term recording deal with
A&M Records, as part of their "Modern Masters Jazz Series" imprint. Sun Ra's profile had risen considerably in the preceding years, partially because of the support given to him in interviews by
avant-garde alternative rock band
Sonic Youth, who had named him as an influence and played shows with Ra and his Arkestra. The album was recorded in a single session at BMG Studios in
New York City, using a 22-piece group that included several Arkestra members or veterans, including three drummers and two bass players (one on
upright bass and another on
electric bass), plus fellow free jazz musician
Don Cherry, who played the
pocket trumpet. Seven tracks were used for the album, and the remainder of the master multi-track tapes were given to Sun Ra and his manager
Alton Abraham for future release on their own after the A&M deal concluded. Many of these recordings were released three years later by
Rounder Records on the album
Somewhere Else, released shortly before Sun Ra's death.
Purple Night is out of print physically, although the album is available via digital outlets. The copyright on the original album passed on to Sun Ra's estate's holding company, Sun Ra LLC, in 2016. ==Track listing==