Sun Ra
Sun Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, legal name Le Sony'r Ra; May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993) was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his experimental music, "cosmic philosophy," prolific output, and theatrical performances. He was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in 1979.
Born in Alabama in 1914, Blount would eventually become involved in the 1940s Chicago jazz scene. He soon abandoned his birth name, taking the name Sun Ra (Ra being the Egyptian God of the Sun) and developing a complex persona and mythology that would make him a pioneer of Afrofuturism: he claimed he was an alien from Saturn, and throughout his life, he consistently denied any ties to his prior identity. His compositions ranged from keyboard solos to big bands of over 30 musicians, and his widely experimental and eclectic music would eventually touch on virtually the entire history of jazz, from ragtime to swing music, from bebop to free jazz. From the mid-1950s to his death, Ra led "The Arkestra", an ensemble with an ever-changing name and flexible line-up (although certain core members remained with the group through its various incarnations, including Marshal Allen, John Gilmore, June Tyson). Its performances often included dancers and musicians dressed in elaborate, futuristic costumes inspired by ancient Egyptian attire and the space age.
Podcasts:
Sun Ra
ALBUMS
- Other Strange Worlds released: 2014
- Art Yard in a Box released: 2012
- The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra released: 2010
- Live in Cleveland released: 2009
- The Antique Blacks released: 2009
- Cosmos released: 2008
- Towards the Stars: Pioneering in 1955-56 released: 2007
- Heliocentric Worlds, Volume 3: The Lost Tapes released: 2005
- Piano Recital: Teatro la Fenice released: 2003
- Spaceship Lullaby released: 2003
- Visions released: 2000
- Standards released: 2000
- Janus released: 2000
- Concert for the Comet Kohoutek released: 2000
- The Great Lost Sun Ra Albums released: 2000
- Lanquidity released: 2000
- Somewhere Else released: 1998
- The Singles released: 1996
- Purple Night released: 1990
- The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume 1 released: 1990
- Blue Delight released: 1989
- Hidden Fire 2 released: 1988
- Hidden Fire 1 released: 1988
- John Cage Meets Sun Ra released: 1987
- Cosmo Sun Connection released: 1985
- Ra to the Rescue released: 1983
- Oblique Parallax released: 1982
- Aurora Borealis released: 1981
- New Steps released: 1978
- Solo Piano, Volume 1 released: 1977
- Space Is the Place released: 1973
- Astro Black released: 1972
- Nothing Is... released: 1970
- Monorails and Satellites released: 1968
- Rocket Number Nine Take Off for the Planet Venus released: 1967
- Sun Song released: 1967
- The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra released: 1961
- Les Genies Du Jazz (Tome 6, No. 10): Sun Ra (And His Arkestra) released:
- Nuits de la Fondation Maeght Vol.2 released:
- Nuits de la Fondation Maeght Vol.1 released:
- The Creator of the Universe released:
- What's New? released:
- St. Louis Blues (Solo Piano) released:
- Hiroshima released:
- Calling Planet Earth released:
- My Brother the Wind II released:
- Featuring Pharoah Sanders and Black Harold released:
- The Other Side of the Sun released:
- The Singles 1960-1982 released:
- The Singles 1954-1960 released:
Spaceship Lullaby
Released 2003- Spaceship Lullaby
- Stranger in Paradise
- Just One of Those Things
- Honky Tonk
- Haunted Heart
- Evelyn
- Honeysuckle Rose
- Honey
- Black Sky & Blue Moon
- Ra Coaching Roland Williams
- Holiday for Strings (Ra Dynamics demo)
- Holiday for Strings
- I Fall Asleep Counting My Blessings
- Nice Work If You Can Get It
- Somebody Loves Me
- Chicago USA
- Chicago USA
- C'est si bon
- Blue Moon
- Baby Please Be Mine
- Blue Skies
- My Only Love
- A Foggy Day
- A Perfume Counter
- Love Is...
- Wordless Piece
- I Was Wrong
- Louise
- St. Louis Blues
- The Wooden Soldier & The China Doll
- Africa
- Somebody's in Love
- Bye Bye
- Black Sky & Blue Moon
- Honey
- Honey
- Come Rain or Come Shine
The Singles
Released 1996- A Foggy Day
- Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie (demo version)
- Dreaming
- Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie (studio version)
- Bye Bye
- Somebody's in Love
- Medicine for a Nightmare
- Saturn
- Supersonic Jazz
- Happy New Year to You
- It's Christmas Time
- Muck Muck (Matt Matt)
- Hot Skillet Mama
- Great Balls of Fire
- Hours After
- Teenager's Letter of Promises
- I'm So Glad You Love Me
- The Sun One
- The Sun Man Speaks
- The Sun Man Speaks (alternate take)
- October
- Adventure in Space
- Message to Earthman
- Message to Earthman (alternate take)
- State Street
The Singles 1960-1982
- The Blue Set
- Big City Blues
- Tell Her to Come on Home
- I'm Making Believe
- The Bridge
- Rocket #9
- Blues on Planet Mars
- Saturn Moon
- The Sky Is Crying
- She's My Baby
- I Am Gonna Unmask the Batman
- I Want an Easy Woman
- The Perfect Man
- Journey to Saturn
- Enlightenment
- Love in Outer Space
- Mayan Temple
- Disco 2000
- Sky Blues
- Rough House Blues
- Cosmo-Extensions
- Quest
- Outer Space Plateau
The Singles 1954-1960
- A Foggy Day
- Dreaming
- Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie
- Bye Bye
- Somebody's in Love
- Medicine for a Nightmare
- Saturn
- Supersonic Jazz
- Happy New Year to You
- It's Christmas Time
- Muck Muck (Matt Matt)
- Hot Skillet Mama
- Great Balls of Fire
- Hours After
- Teenager's Letter of Promises
- I'm So Glad You Love Me
- The Sun One
- The Sun Man Speaks
- The Sun Man Speaks
- October
- Adventure in Space
- Message to Earthman
- Message to Earthman
- State Street
Born: 1914-05-22
Died: 1993-05-30
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by Coil
Sex With Sun Ra
by: CoilSun Ra was here in his element
He invited me back for a ride
I smiled, agreed, and we left for the place
That is full of reasons for time and for space
He said he was leaving last tide
Sun Ra was here in his element
He invited me back for a ride
I agreed and left for the places
He said he was leaving last tide
In a spaceship powered by natural sounds
I smiled, agreed, and we left for the place
That is full of the reasons for time and space
He said, "I dream of colour music,
And the intricacies of the machines that make it
possible"
I said, "You are nothing if not inconsistent"
He said, "I rely upon being insistent
I'm almost never forever
I'm almost never for now
I implore you, explore all the people you meet
I implore you, explore all the people you meet"
Sun Ra was here in his element
He invited me back for a ride
He said, "I will be all right if you kiss me
And I will be all right if you hold me
It will be all right if you kiss me
It'll be all right if you hold me"
He said, "Now is the time to relaunch the dream weapon"
He said, "Now is the time to relaunch the dream weapon
Relaunch the dream weapon
We worship at the shrine of the thylacine
We worship at the shrine of the thylacine
We worship at the shrine of the thylacine"
And we worshipped at the shrine of the thylacine
I thought, priceless, bloody priceless
Priceless, bloody priceless
Petals pleated
Tear droplets repeated
Sepals, ssss... separate
We hydrogenerate in the basin of a black pan
I see acid free, not an ideal homeland for you or me
With desert venom and military temples
Black wings flying over without management
Without management or plan
Where resonators rub against the delinquent and the
compliant
I will be all right if you kiss me
I will be all right if you hold me
When I see the great black light
When I see the grey-black light
That shines in the eyes of animals
When I find you I will remind you
Most accidents occur at home
Most accidents occur at home
Or in Harry Smith's room in the Chelsea Hotel
Or in Harry Smith's room in the Chelsea Hotel
Where we relaunch the dream weapon
Where we relaunch the dream weapon
Where we relaunch the dream weapon
All will be forgotten, all will be forgotten
All will be forgotten, and all will be well
All will be forgotten, and all will be well
Priceless, bloody priceless
I will be all right if you kiss me
I will be all right if you hold me
I'll be all right if you kiss me
I will be all right if you hold me
In Harry Smith's room in the Chelsea Hotel
Harry Smith's room