Sun Ra was a jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher. He was one of the most important figures in 60's avant-garde music along with artists such as Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, and Albert Ayler. Sun Ra developed a complex persona of cosmic philosophies and lyrical poetry that made him a pioneer of Afrofuturism as he preached awareness and peace above all. From the 1950s to when he left the planet in 1993, Sun Ra led "The Arkestra" (a deliberate re-spelling of "orchestra"), an ensemble with an ever-changing lineup and name - it was also called "The Solar Myth Arkestra", the "Cosmo Discipline Arkestra", the "Blue Universe Arkestra", the "Jet Set Omniverse Arkestra" - among many other variations. His music touched on virtually the entire history of ‘jazz’, from blues and ragtime to swing music, from bebop to free jazz. He was also a pioneer of electronic music, space music, and free improvisation, and was one of the first musicians, regardless of genre, to make extensive use of electronic keyboards.
  Widely regarded as one of the most important big bands in American history and one of the greatest live shows on Earth, the spirit of Sun Ra is alive and well in the present day manifestation of the Sun Ra Arkestra featuring a mix of classic Sun Ra compositions and arrangements along with compositions by Marshall Allen.

Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023

Blue Note

Doors: 6 | Start: 7