Sun Ra’s Followers (47)

Sun Ra

Born

in Birmingham, Alabama, The United States

May 22, 1914

Died

May 30, 1993

Genre

Poetry, Music

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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 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 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 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. Throughout his life he denied ties to his prior identity, saying "Any name that I use other than Ra is a pseudonym."

His widely eclectic and avant-garde music echoed the entire history of jazz, from ragtime and early New Orleans hot jazz, to swing music, bebop, free jazz and fusion. His compositions ranged from keyboard solos to works for big bands of over 30 musicians, along with electronic excursions, songs, chants, percussion pieces, and anthems. From the mid-1950s until his death, Ra led the musical collective The Arkestra (which featured artists such as Marshall Allen, John Gilmore and June Tyson throughout its various iterations). Its performances often included dancers and musicians dressed in elaborate, futuristic costumes inspired by ancient Egyptian attire and the Space Age. (Following Ra's illness-forced retirement in 1992, the band remained active as The Sun Ra Arkestra, and, as of 2018, continues performing under the leadership of veteran Ra sideman Marshall Allen.)

Though his mainstream success was limited, Sun Ra was a prolific recording artist and frequent live performer, and remained influential throughout his life for his music and persona. He is now widely considered an innovator; among his distinctions are his pioneering work in free improvisation and modal jazz and his early use of electronic keyboards and synthesizers. Over the course of his career, he recorded dozens of singles and over one hundred full-length albums, comprising well over 1,000 songs, making him one of the most prolific recording artists of the 20th century ...more

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Sun Ra’s books

Average rating: 4.02 · 371 ratings · 56 reviews · 18 distinct works • Similar authors

	This Planet is Doomed: The Science Fiction Poetry by Sun Ra, Amiri Baraka, Miriam Linna 4.03 avg rating — 107 ratings — published 2011 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Wisdom of Sun Ra: Sun Ra's Polemical Broadsheets and Streetcorner Leaflets by Sun Ra, John Corbett (Goodreads Author) (Compiler), Anthony Elms (Editor) 4.11 avg rating — 53 ratings — published 2006	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Immeasurable Equation: The Collected Poetry and Prose by Sun Ra, Hartmut Geerken (Editor) 4.18 avg rating — 49 ratings — published 2005 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Prophetika Book One by Sun Ra, Charles Plymell (Foreword) 3.60 avg rating — 55 ratings — published 2014 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sun Ra: Art on Saturn: The Album Cover Art of Sun Ra's Saturn Label by Sun Ra, Irwin Chusid (Editor), Chris Reisman (Editor) 4.68 avg rating — 37 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sun Ra: Collected Works, Vol. I: Immeasurable Equation by Sun Ra, Adam Abraham (Editor), James L. Wolfe (Foreword) 3.95 avg rating — 19 ratings — published 2005	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Space is the Place 3.75 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2015 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Extensions Out: Immeasurable Equation (Volume 2) 4.50 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 1972 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Horizon 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sun Song 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Sun Ra (?)

“I’m not real, I’m just like you. You don’t exist in this society. If you did your people wouldn’t be seeking equal rights.

You’re not real, if you were you’d have some status among the nations of the world. So we are both myths.

I do not come to you as a reality, I come to you as the myth because that is what black people are: myths.

I came from a dream that the black man dreamed long ago. I’m actually a presence sent to you by your ancestors.”
― Sun Ra, Space is the Place

33 likes

“If death is the absence of life, then death's death is life.”
― Sun Ra

20 likes

“The possible has been tried and failed. Now it's time to try the impossible.”
― Sun Ra

15 likes

See all Sun Ra's quotes »

Sun Ra’s Followers (47)

Sun Ra

Combine EditionsSun Ra’s books

Combine Editions
Sun Ra’s books