Sun Ra Biography (Wikipedia) Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz … There were also very bright and attractive illustrations everywhere. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Sun Ra, “one of the strangest artists that America has ever produced” was once on the cover of Rolling Stone, shared bills with the MC5, performed on Saturday Night Live, influenced everyone from Kenneth Anger to Pink Floyd and dreamed of the day that he could … Sun Ra was created on, may 22, 1914 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA while Herman Poole Blount. Sun Ra was born Herman (Sonny) Blount in 1914, in Birmingham, Alabama. He was named after the popular vaudeville stage magician Black Herman, who had deeply impressed his mother. Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano, synthesizer player, and poet. Sun Ra was one of the great modern visionaries: he not only had a dream, but lived it to the full for over 40 years. Jazz musician. Historians also believe that the famous Sun temple as the capital of Thebes was recorded only during the period of … Being from another planet, he was naturally intrigued by everything earthly — especially music, because music is the one thing on Earth most like the stars. Albums include Lanquidity, Space Is the Place, and Jazz in Silhouette. The Sun Ra Arkestra is the name most commonly used for the current incarnation of Sun Ra's original band, now led by Marshall Allen. From Blount, he became Le Sony's Ra, Sonny Blount and stuck to Sun Ra. A documentary film, Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise, directed by Robert Muge, was released in 1980. He died on May 30, 1993 in Birmingham. He was the most powerful and most worshiped of all Egyptian gods. Biography After Sun Ra's death in 1993, longtime band member John Gilmore took over duties leading the ghost band in creating music and touring. This website uses javascript to show most of the elements. Born: May 22, 1914 Birmingham, Alabama Pianist, Poet, Songwriter, Singer. Later concerts and recordings by Ra incorporated swing standards and even tunes from Disney movies, but maintained a heavy degree of improvisation, and remained highly unpredictable. As he grew in his own vision, Sun Ra went so far as to claim he had come from Saturn. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The Cosmo-biography of Sun Ra is a lengthy picture book for middle schoolers. Ra is also closely associated with the Tree of Life myth, the Ben-Ben Stone and the Bennu Bird myths. Jazz keyboardist, bandleader and composer Sun Ra recorded dozens of singles and over one hundred full-length albums, comprising well over 1000 songs, and making him one of the … Because of the life giving qualities of the sun the Egyptians worshiped the sun as a god. The 96-year-old saxophonist, who began playing with Sun Ra in the late '50s and continued to lead the Arkestra after its namesake's death, discusses the band's first album in more than 20 years. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. The Arkestra recorded an original soundtrack for the film (unrelated to the Space Is the Place album), and it was eventually released on CD in the '90s. Born on 22nd May 1914 as Herman Poole Blount, in Birmingham, Alabama, he was nicknamed "Sonny" from his youth. Amun Ra simply means: Hidden Light (Amun = Hidden/ Ra = Light) Recent research findings show us that Amun (Amen or Amon) is a modern god, within the ambits of Egyptian mythology. Updates? By the mid-1940s he was living in Chicago and scoring music for nightclub floor shows. One of the towering figures of 20th century's music, Alabama-born pianist and organist Herman "Sun Ra" Blount (1914) became the cosmic musician par excellence. He also was a pioneer of modal jazz settings; among his early works, “Ancient Aiethopia” most successfully unites the diverse strands of his composing. Ra’s glory came to an end during the time when the Roman’s conquered Egypt in 30BC. Ra is the Egyptian god of the Sun. Sun Ra’s music became increasingly exotic with the addition of African and Latin-American instruments. The ensemble began performing in Europe in 1970, and they traveled to Egypt for the first time in 1971. 2, both on the famed ESP-Disk label, and often regarded as some of his best work. Periodicals. He showed that, with imagination, commitment and a love of beauty, one can create one’s own future and make the impossible real. Presumably due to Sun Ra's own purposeful lack of clarity, little else is known about his early childhood. In 2010, Norton Records released a series of "Space Poetry" LPs containing Ra's spoken word material. He was nicknamed "Sonny" from his childhood, had an older sister and half-brother, and was doted upon by his mother and grandmother. Jazz by Sun Ra, Vol. Synopsis This biography is as much about Sun Ra's music as it is about his passionate, often wildly unorthodox views on the galaxy, black people and spiritual matters. Responsible for the existence of all creation, he stays aboard his divine vessel and fights the demonic creature Apophis night after night to ensure that the world is never destroyed by chaos. Sun Ra. Article: Reclaiming Sun Ra's Legacy (2017) Interview: Irwin Chusid on his Sun Ra work (2014) Rodger Coleman's Complete Sun Ra Sundays (2008–2015) Sun Ra Arkive magazine 2002–2003: issue 1, … He attended the Alabama University, then still an agricultural college. Ra was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone in 1969. Read Full Biography. He was highly regarded for his atonal solos on synthesizer, an instrument that he virtually pioneered in jazz. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Selected Discography. "People say I'm Herman Blount, but I don't know him," Mark Jacobson quoted in Esquire. Ra suffered a stroke in 1990, but he still continued to lead the Arkestra and compose music. He led bands for nearly 60 years. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lanquidity is a studio album by American jazz musician Sun Ra originally released in 1978 by Philly Jazz (with a shiny silver cover) and reissued on HDCD by Evidence Records in 2000 (with a light grey cover). Reissue Desires [2014 Expanded Edition] Sun Ra Biography by Scott Yanow + Follow Artist. Many of Ra's most important sidemen were with him on and off for decades (most notably John Gilmore on tenor, altoist Marshall Allen, and baritonist Pat Patrick). He is a 1979 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. 1 Biography 2 Gods of Egypt (2016) 3 Powers and Abilities 4 Items Among the first and oldest gods, Ra has existed for eternity. Sun Ra, byname of Le Sony’r Ra, original name Herman Blount ,byname Sonny, (born May 22, 1914, Birmingham, Ala., U.S.—died May 30, 1993, Birmingham), American jazz composer and keyboard player who led a free jazz big band known for its innovative instrumentation and the theatricality of its performances. The Sun Ra discography is one of the largest discographies in music history. Sun Ra (May 22, 1914 to May 30, 1993) was an innovative and individual jazz composer, bandleader and piano and synthesizer player, who came to be known as much for preaching his bizarre cosmic philosophy as for his phenomenal musical compositions and performances. U.K. label Strut also released a few notable compilations, including In the Orbit of Ra (presented by Allen) and To Those of Earth... and Other Worlds (mixed by Gilles Peterson), as well as a more extensive compendium of his singles. Sun Ra biography and related resources. Sun Ra & the Year 2000 Myth Science Arkestra Sun Ra Arkestra Sun Ra Omniverse Arkestra Sun Ra Quartet. Sun Ra Net Worth is $13 Million Mini Biography. Bandleader, composer, arranger, keyboard player, poet, philosopher, and cosmonaut Sun Ra advanced jazz into the space age. Ra, the Sun God. After appearing on Hal Willner's Disney tribute album Stay Awake in 1988, Ra became obsessed with the music of Disney animated films, and incorporated renditions of these tunes into live performances. Ra became a fixture of Philadelphia radio stations and regularly gave lectures. Highlighting Sun Ra’s peculiar claim of origin is a wonderful way to capture the openhearted weirdness of the musically precocious Herman P. Blount… Mr. Raschka’s messy, moody, exuberant watercolors look like Sun Ra’s music transformed into paint—a gloriously cacophonous unity of … Saturn's contribution to jazz, the unpeggably eclectic bandleader advanced the genre into the space age, planting the seeds for Afrofuturism. Earthlings themselves confused Sun Ra, the way they sorted themselves by color and fought wars against one another. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama. 1. He died on May 30, 1993 in Birmingham. 1 and Vol. Ra graduated from Parker High School. Sun Ra was one of the great modern visionaries: he not only had a dream, but lived it to the full for over 40 years. The film, directed by John Coney, was released in 1974, and is often cited as a seminal work of Afrofuturism. In 1966, the Arkestra had a weekly Monday night gig at Slug's Saloon, a jazz club in the Lower East Side in Manhattan, which greatly increased his fan base among beatniks and music critics. While Ra's music, mythology, and appearance went over the heads of many listeners and audience members, he was praised by jazz legends Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk. On October 20, 1952 he legally changed his name into Le Sony'r Ra. Home in internet of the Sun Ra Arkestra ... El Ra Records . Sun Ra (May 22, 1914 to May 30, 1993) was an innovative and individual jazz composer, bandleader and piano and synthesizer player, who came to be known as much for preaching his bizarre cosmic philosophy as for his phenomenal musical compositions and performances. After the Arkestra moved to New York about 1960, he became wholly involved with free jazz; he dispensed with composition entirely, creating works by conducting his improvisers. Sun Ra Family, Childhood, Life Achievements, Facts, Wiki and Bio of 2017. Sun Ra & the Year 2000 Myth Science Arkestra, The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Vol. Among his free jazz recordings, The Magic City (1965/66) is the most significant. Benjamin Boone: The Poets Are Gathering Selected discography. Releases on Y Records, including the infamous Nuclear War (1982), exposed Sun Ra's work to post-punk/indie audiences. Complete Sun Ra 2017 Biography. As he grew in his own vision, Sun Ra went so far as to claim he had come from Saturn. The Sun Ra discography is one of the largest discographies in music history. This website uses javascript to show most of the elements. Leading a big band (which he called the Arkestra) in Chicago, Ra started off playing advanced bop, but early on was open to the influences of other cultures, experimenting with primitive electric keyboards, and playing free long before the avant-garde got established. Saturn's contribution to jazz, the unpeggably eclectic bandleader advanced the genre into the space age, planting the seeds for Afrofuturism. Be the first to contribute! The Sun Ra discography is one of the largest discographies in music history. "People say I'm Herman Blount, but I don't know him," Mark Jacobson quoted in Esquire. The Arkestra continued recording and performing, and albums appeared on labels large (Impulse!, Atlantic) and small (Philly Jazz, Sweet Earth Records). The sun played a very important role in ancient Egyptian life. From the 1950s he led his own bands, the variously constituted Arkestras, which played his own music: an expanded hard bop that included tympani, electric piano, and flute—instruments then rare in jazz. Related Blog Posts. 1 also appeared on producer Tom Wilson's Transition Records. If you don't see the contents properly, try to activate javascript. His mother named him Herman, after a famous stage magician in Birmingham. Herman Blount (1914-1993), who later became known as Sun Ra, was a Birmingham native and visionary musician whose jazz styling and personal mythology left a lasting impression on modern music. Find Sun Ra Arkestra bio, music, credits, awards, & streaming links on AllMusic It looks like we don't have any Biography for Sun Ra Arkestra yet. He also performed with swing musicians Coleman Hawkins and Stuff Smith in 1948, but really got started around 1953. Since 1954, Marshall Allen has been the ferocious core of the Arkestra. Sun Ra was born in Birmingham, Alabama on the 22nd of May in the year 1914. Works better in Chrome or Firefox browsers. The Singles, Evidence, 1954-82 Jazz in Silhouette, Evidence, 1958 The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Vol. Submit Corrections. Since Sun Ra's death, the Arkestra has continued to perform under the direction of Allen. Corrections? Sun Ra was one of the most unusual musicians in the history of jazz, moving from Fletcher Henderson swing to free jazz with ease, sometimes in the same song. As he grew in his own vision, Sun Ra went so far as to claim he had come from Saturn. After Gilmore's passing, the torch was passed to Marshall Allen, who still leads it as of this writing. These meanings are interdependent and presume a tradition in which musical works exist as repeatable entities. I found that this book was very long for a picture book. Jazz keyboardist, bandleader and composer Sun Ra recorded dozens of singles and over one hundred full-length albums, comprising well over 1000 songs, and making him one of the … Or, if you prefer a more straightforward approach to your musical biographies, Sun Ra was born Herman P. Blount in Birmingham, Alabama in 1914. The album, led by the 21-minute title track, was released in 1973, and endures as one of his most popular and influential works. Musical composition, the act of conceiving a piece of music, the art of creating music, or the finished product. My love of STAR WARS stems from the influence Sun-Ra had on my family. Herman Blount (1914-1993), who later became known as Sun Ra, was a Birmingham native and visionary musician whose jazz styling and personal mythology left a lasting impression on modern music. 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. According to John Szwed’s seminal biography of Sun Ra, “Space is the Place,” “Abraham was philosophical by nature, serious and scholarly, with a deep interest in science, metaphysics, and Bible scholarship.” He clicked with Sun Ra—who at the time was still going by the name Sonny—and the two quickly became inseparable. For the Record …. With the various incarnations of his inimitable Arkestra, his repertoire ranged from boogie-woogie to … The sun, and therefore Ra, represented life, warmth, and growth to ancient Egyptians. It was responsible for life, light, and warmth. Critic Jason Ankeny [2] describes Marshall as "one of the most distinctive and original saxophonists of the postwar era." There were paragraphs on each page. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Saturn's contribution to jazz, the unpeggably eclectic bandleader advanced the genre into the space age, planting the seeds for Afrofuturism. However, I didn't really understand the plot of the story very well. In 2003, he published a Miles Davis biography, So What: The Life of Miles Davis. In this sense, composition is necessarily distinct from improvisation.…. 1 (1965) and Atlantis (1969), groundbreaking in their shifting away from conventional melody and harmony, as well as their usage of synthesizers and electronic keyboards. In 2000, Szwed published a study of Sun Ra, Space is the Place: The Lives and Times of Sun Ra. Bandleader, composer, arranger, keyboard player, poet, philosopher, and cosmonaut Sun Ra advanced jazz into the space age. He showed that, with imagination, commitment and a love of beauty, one can create one’s own future and make the impossible real. From an early age, Sun Ra… Born Herman "Sonny" Blount in Birmingham, Alabama, he abandoned his birth name … When Upper and Lower Egypt came together they changed the name to Amun-Re. My jaw started dropping on page one and it continued from there. Sun Ra discography and songs: Music profile for Sun Ra, born 22 May 1914. Being from another planet, he was naturally intrigued by everything earthly — especially music, because music is the one thing on Earth most like the stars. He was also the predominant creator god in ancient Egyptian religion. American free-jazz composer, pianist and band leader. Ra’s name came from Re and Amun. Benjamin Boone: The Poets Are Gathering The Arkestra, which included dancers, dressed in fantastical costumes inspired by ancient Egyptian attire and the space age, and Sun Ra conducted while wearing flowing robes and futuristic helmets. In 1946–47 he was apprenticed to swing bandleader-arranger Fletcher Henderson. Related Posts. Sun Ra and his band performed several genres of music. Sun Ra was one of the great modern visionaries: he not only had a dream, but lived it to the full for over 40 years. For a man who claimed citizenship on the planet Saturn, Sun Ra traveled galaxies away from his Alabama roots where he was born Herman (Sonny) Blount. He freelanced at a variety of jobs in the Midwest, recording with blues singer Wynonie Harris in 1946 and working as a pianist/arranger with Fletcher Henderson in 1946 and 1947. But Szwed’s biography of Sun Ra is gorgeous, indispensable and a riot to read. This period saw the release of The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Vol. Sun Ra, byname of Le Sony’r Ra, original name Herman Blount,byname Sonny, (born May 22, 1914, Birmingham, Ala., U.S.—died May 30, 1993, Birmingham), American jazz composer and keyboard player who led a free jazz big band known for its innovative instrumentation and the theatricality of … Initially active as a blues pianist, he worked with swing musicians such as Coleman Hawkins during the 1940s, then established his own trajectory during the '50s, when he founded the ever-changing ensemble known as the Arkestra. Ra is the all-powerful God of the Sun and Light. He was known for his experimental music.For much of his career, Ra led "The Arkestra", an ensemble with an ever-changing name and flexible line-up. The Arkestra has continued to perform since Ra's passing in 1993, and he remains a crucial influence on all forms of creative, forward-thinking music. He showed that, with imagination, commitment and a love of beauty, one can create one’s own future and make the impossible real. Discipline No. During the 1970s and ’80s Sun Ra’s Arkestra made increasing use of earlier compositions of his own and of composers such as Henderson, Duke Ellington, and Thelonious Monk. The right eye of Ra represented the Sun; while the left eye of Ra represented the moon. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Sun Ra was born on May 22, 1914 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA as Herman Poole Blount. Born May 22, 1914 in Birmingham, Alabama, as Herman Poole "Sonny" Blount. Ra's surrealist sci-fi epic Space Is the Place, preceded by an unrelated album of the same title, was released in 1974, subsequently becoming a major cult classic film. Biography. If you don't see the contents properly, try to activate javascript. Ra was the god of the sun and light, who traveled across the sky every day in a burning boat. He was born Herman Blount on May 22, 1914, in Birmingham, Alabama, as discovered by his biographer, John F. Szwed, and published in his 1998 book. Ra died in 1993, and Gilmore led the Arkestra until his death in 1995, at which point Allen took over. A documentary film, Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise, directed by Robert Muge, was released in 1980. Jazz musician Sun Ra (1914–1993) always said that he came from Saturn. Under his direction, big band and swing are played to perfection and beyond. Amun-Ra’s boat traveled across the sky by … Home in internet of the Sun Ra Arkestra ... El Ra Records . Sun Ra Biography by Scott Yanow + Follow Artist. Presumably due to Sun Ra's own purposeful lack of clarity, little else is known about his early childhood. Szwed wrote Doctor Jazz, a booklet about Jelly Roll Morton for the 2005 issue of The Complete Library of Congress Recordings by Alan Lomax on Rounder Records. Sun Ra was born Herman (Sonny) Blount in 1914, in Birmingham, Alabama. Over thousands of years the name Amun-Re evolved into Amun-Ra and then just to Ra. Gilmore was raised in Chicago and played clarinet from the age of 14. Establishing their interstellar mystique, the group sported futuristic costumes during their outlandish performances, and recorded constantly, issuing records through Ra's independent label El Saturn Records, often with misleading or nonexistent liner notes. My love of STAR WARS stems from the influence Sun-Ra had on my family. Born Herman "Sonny" Blount in Birmingham, Alabama, he abandoned his birth name … Sun Ra's musical career is hard to generalize about. Jazz musician Sun Ra (1914–1993) always said that he came from Saturn. Posthumous albums of live material have appeared on labels such as DIW, Leo Records, and Kindred Spirits. PKM: I read your Sun Ra biography [Space Is The Place: The Lives and Times of Sun Ra] in 1997, when it was first published, and reviewed it for the Advocate newspapers. The Cosmo Biography of Sun Ra Chris Raschka, author and illustrator Candlewick Press 99 Dover St., Somerville, MA 02144 9780763658069, $15.99, www.amazon.com At birth, he was named Herman Poole Blount.Ra changed his name severally before sticking to Sun Ra. Their concerts alternated free improvisations and mystical group chants with eccentric versions of swing tunes, sounding like a spaced-out Fletcher Henderson orchestra. Ra's music encompassed nearly every style of jazz, with roots in ragtime and swing to bebop and avant-garde jazz. Presumably due to Sun Ra ’ s own purposeful lack of clarity, little else is known about his early childhood. Through his elaborate concerts, films, and countless recordings, he fused imagery and mythology related to ancient Egypt as well as science fiction, planting the seeds for what would eventually be referred to as Afrofuturism. Sun Ra the space age prophet lands his spaceship in Oakland, having been presumed lost in space for a few years. Following several singles, including songs recorded with doo wop and R&B vocal groups such as the Qualities and the Cosmic Rays, early albums released by the Arkestra on El Saturn Records included Super-Sonic Jazz and Jazz in Silhouette. The name Re was from Upper Egypt and the name Amun came from Lower Egypt. In 1968, he relocated his group to Philadelphia, and the band undertook their first tour of the West Coast of the United States, exposing their elaborate performances to hippies and Deadheads. Jazz keyboardist, bandleader and composer Sun Ra recorded dozens of singles and over one hundred full-length albums, comprising well over 1000 songs, and making him one of the … 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. Sun Ra, who claimed to have been born on the planet Saturn, grew up in Birmingham, studied piano under noted teacher Fess Wheatley, and attended Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical College (now University). After moving to New York in 1961, Ra performed some of his most advanced work. His mystic nature started from his naming. Sun Ra was born on the planet Saturn, ages ago, and spent some time on Earth using the power of music to demonstrate the virtues of discipline and harmony to members of this planet. Sun Ra was born Herman (Sonny) Blount in 1914, in Birmingham, Alabama. 1 & 2, ESP, 1965 Space is the Place, Evidence, 1972 Purple Night, A&M, 1989 Gilmore led the Arkestra on dates when Ra was too ill to perform. Sun Ra (1914– 1993) was an innovative jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesiser player, who came to be known as much for his Cosmic Afro-futurist Philosophy as for his phenomenal musical compositions and performances. Sun Ra death: May 30, 1993; Birmingham, Alabama. 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