The great Sun Ra has two more album releases to close out the century. Not bad for an extraterrestrial who died on May 30th 1993. Herman "Sonny" Blount was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1914. After settling in Chicago in the mid-1940's, he played piano with Fletcher Henderson's big band. In the early 50's, Blount began referring to himself as Sun Ra and insisting that he was from Saturn. Accompanied by a group of loyal musicians including tenor saxophonist John Gilmore and altoist Marshall Allen, Sun Ra formed the Mythscience Arkestra (AKA the Solar Arkestra) in 1954. Espousing a philosophy that borrowed from Egyptian and Nubian mythology as well as plenty of intergalactic lore, Sun Ra developed a distinctive brand of free jazz that blended big band arrangements with layers of African percussion and multiphonic smears of squealing reeds and blaring brass. Employing poetry and dance as well as flamboyant costumes, Ra's ensemble blossomed under his guidance as he evolved as a bandleader/composer. Several of the Arkestra's musicians remained with him for decades.
Exhorting angels and aliens alike, Sun Ra's space age exhibitionism broke the barrier between tribal/cult shamanism and playing jazz music in a big band. The parallels between Ra's Arkestra and George Clinton's P-Funk ensemble are more than obvious and even rock groups like the MC5 have celebrated Ra's legacy. Impacting on free jazz musicians the world over for more than forty years, Sun Ra's influence in modern music runs far and wide. His 1971 performance in front of the Pyramids in Egypt predated a similar arrival by The Grateful Dead, who were also ardent followers of the Arkestra. His own work with moog synthesizers, farfisa and other electronic keyboards was far ahead of the curve. Ra also formed his own record label "El Saturn" in the late fifties, putting him at the forefront of indie/DIY aesthetic.
With well over one hundred recordings, it's easy to delve into Ra's back catalogue for some verifiable classics. Try "Angels And Devils At Play," "Jazz In Silhouette," "We Travel The Spaceways," "The Futuristic Sounds Of Sun Ra," "The Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra Vols. 1-3," or anything re-issued on the Evidence label. Add to this imposing list the newly released "Janus"(1201 Music), comprised of live sessions and recording dates made between 1968 and 1970 as well as 'Life Is Splendid" (Total Energy), showcasing the Arkestra's outstanding performance at the Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival in 1972. Yes, space is the place according to Sun Ra-but you can find his new CDs right here on Earth.
by Mitch Myers
copyright 1999 New City Communications, Inc.