Sun Ra
Born: 22nd May 1914, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Died: 30th May 1993, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Nationality: American
Le Sony'r Ra better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific output, and theatrical performances. For much of his career, Ra led "The Arkestra", an ensemble with an ever-changing name and flexible line-up.
Born and raised in Alabama, Blount became involved in the Chicago jazz scene during the late 1940s. He soon abandoned his birth name, taking the name Le Sony'r Ra, shortened to Sun Ra (after Ra, the Egyptian god of the Sun). Claiming to be an alien from Saturn on a mission to preach peace, he developed a mythical persona and an idiosyncratic credo that made him a pioneer of Afrofuturism.
Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Ra
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Artist Profile,
A Celestial Centennial... Marshall Allen at 100
As he reaches his one hundreth birthday, we look back on the career of the Sun Ra Arkestra leader, the many recordings he has appeared on and the contemporary musicians picking up the torch in his wake.
New Release Round-up,
Classic Sun Ra Reissues from Strut Records
Four reissues courtesy of Strut Records present the music of Sun Ra in lovingly-packaged vinyl pressings, remastered from the original analog tapes.
All Genres: Sun Ra
Free Jazz & Avant-Garde
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2 CDs: $26.50
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