Sun Ra
American jazz composer and bandleader (1914–1993)
Le Sony'r Ra[2] (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. 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.[3]
Sun Ra | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Sun Ra circa 1973 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Herman Poole Blount |
| Also known as | Le Sony'r Ra (legal name) |
| Born | May 22, 1914 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | May 30, 1993 (aged 79) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Genres | Avant-garde jazz, free jazz, jazz fusion, experimental, bebop, space music[1] |
| Occupation(s) | Bandleader, composer, arranger, artist, poet |
| Instruments | Piano, organ, keyboards, Minimoog, celesta, percussion, vocals |
| Years active | 1934–1993 |
| Labels | El Saturn Records, Thoth Intergalactic, Impulse!, MPS, ESP-Disk, Black Saint, A&M, Leo, Rounder |
From the mid-1950s until his death, Ra led the musical band known as The Arkestra. Its performances often included dancers and musicians dressed in futuristic costumes inspired by Ancient Egyptian.[4]
Ra died of a stroke caused from heart and respiratory failure at a hospital in Birmingham, Alabama on May 30, 1993 at the age of 79.
Related pages
changeReferences
change- ↑ "The light still shines on Sun Ra". LA Times. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
- ↑ Szwed, p. 83.
- ↑ Barrett, Gena-mour (2018-05-06). "Afrofuturism: Why black science fiction 'can't be ignored'". BBC. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ↑ Rogers, Toby (June 20, 2018). "The Last Giant: Marshall Allen Celebrates 94th Birthday". Black Star News. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
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