History Music / SunRa

Sun Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, legal name Le Sony'r Ra, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993) is one of the oddest oddballs in {{Jazz}}. Despite being born as Herman Poole Blount in Birmingham, Alabama, he denied this person ever existed and claimed he was actually born as Sun Ra on the planet Saturn, where he was [[AlienAbduction abducted by aliens]] and brought to Earth. They apparently [[TouchedByVorlons told him]] to spread a message of intergalactical brotherhood and peace, which he took very seriously.

He and his band members began dressing up in Egyptian headgear and costumes and performed mystical music, characterized by [[EpicRocking long hypnotizing performances]], mixed with AncientAstronauts themes and imagery borrowed from AncientEgypt culture and [[Myth/EgyptianMythology mythology]]. Sun Ra became very popular near the end of the 1950s and especially during the 1960s where fans of Psychedelica adored his shows. In 1974 he even managed to produce a feature film called ''Film/SpaceIsThePlace''.

Sun Ra was definitely a ''very'' eccentric person. As an UsefulNotes/{{asexual}} he had no interest in romantic relationships. He was a very disciplined and a spiritual man who refrained from drinking alcohol and taking other drugs. He also genuinely believed the ScienceFiction background he imagined for himself. During his final illness, Sun Ra's baffled physician called a neurologist for his advice. "This man insists he's from Saturn. What should we do?" The second doctor arrived, and taking one look said, "This is Sun Ra; of course he's from Saturn."

Also note that Sun Ra's extraterrestrial musician concept happened decades before Music/DavidBowie recorded ''Music/SpaceOddity'' (1969) and ''Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars'' (1972). Sun Ra was also a pioneer in using keyboards, synthesizers and influences from other genres in his work, predating Music/MilesDavis' late 1960s experiments with jazz fusion. He is considered to be the TropeCodifier and GenrePopularizer for Afro-Futurism and was a big influence on Music/GeorgeClinton's stage shows and albums with Parliament and Funkadelic in the 1970s. Other fans of his music are Music/{{Devo}}, who started their career as an opening act for his shows, Music/{{MC5}}, Music/TheResidents, Creator/MattGroening, Music/{{dEUS}} and Music/{{Bjork}}. If you want to check out his work you may experience ArchivePanic, for he was active from 1934 until his death in 1993, releasing well over 100 albums, comprising over 1000 songs. Not to mention the seriously limited editions pressed and printed by Ra and The Arkestra themselves. They used to doodle on the album covers [[OlderThanTheyThink before it was cool]]. These releases often had tracks available nowhere else.

'''Discography'''

'''Videography'''

Sun Ra was definitely a ''very'' eccentric person. As an [[UsefulNotes/{{asexual}}]] he had no interest in romantic relationships. He was a very disciplined and a spiritual man who refrained from drinking alcohol and taking other drugs. He also genuinely believed the ScienceFiction background he imagined for himself. During his final illness, Sun Ra's baffled physician called a neurologist for his advice. "This man insists he's from Saturn. What should we do?" The second doctor arrived, and taking one look said, "This is Sun Ra; of course he's from Saturn."

Sun Ra was definitely a ''very'' eccentric person. As an [[UsefulNotes/{{Asexuality}} asexual]] he had no interest in romantic relationships. He was a very disciplined and a spiritual man who refrained from drinking alcohol and taking other drugs. He also genuinely believed the ScienceFiction background he imagined for himself. During his final illness, Sun Ra's baffled physician called a neurologist for his advice. "This man insists he's from Saturn. What should we do?" The second doctor arrived, and taking one look said, "This is Sun Ra; of course he's from Saturn."

* CoolOldGuy: Marshall Allen is the epitome of this, born in 1924 and still leading the band!

* ClothesMakeTheLegend : Sun Ra never appeared in public without being dressed in his IconicOutfit: long robe, [[CoolHat Ancient Egyptian headgear]]. His Arkestra to this day continues the tradition.

* NeoClassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: Sun Ra's music was a mixture of {{Jazz}}, {{Blues}}, AvantGardeMusic, WorldMusic and ClassicalMusic.

* {{Asexuality}}: He had no interest in sex and most of his songs talk more about universal brotherhood and peace than about romance.

* CloudCuckooLander: He claimed to be abducted by aliens and was actually born on Saturn. His eccentricity was manifestly skilled and bordered on OutsiderMusic, were it not that his music is actually performed by professionals.

Sun Ra was definitely a ''very'' eccentric person. As an [[UsefulNotes/{{Asexuality}} asexual]] he had no interest in romantic relationships. He was a very disciplined and a spiritual man who refrained from drinking alcohol and taking drugs. He also genuinely believed the ScienceFiction background he imagined for himself. During his final illness, Sun Ra's baffled physician called a neurologist for his advice. "This man insists he's from Saturn. What should we do?" The second doctor arrived, and taking one look said, "This is Sun Ra; of course he's from Saturn."

Also note that Sun Ra's extraterrestrial musician concept happened decades before Music/DavidBowie recorded ''Music/SpaceOddity'' (1969) and ''Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars'' (1972). Sun Ra was also a pioneer in using keyboards, synthesizers and influences from other genres in his work, predating Music/MilesDavis' late 1960s experiments with jazz fusion. He is considered to be the TropeCodifier and GenrePopularizer for Afro-Futurism and was a big influence on Music/GeorgeClinton's stage shows and albums with Parliament and Funkadelic in the 1970s. Other fans of his music are Music/{{Devo}}, who started their career as opening act for his shows, Music/{{MC5}}, Music/TheResidents, Creator/MattGroening, Music/{{dEUS}} and Music/{{Bjork}}. If you want to check out his work you may experience ArchivePanic, for he was active from 1934 until his death in 1993, releasing well over 100 albums, comprising over 1000 songs. Not to mention the seriously limited editions pressed and printed by Ra and The Arkestra themselves. They used to doodle on the album covers [[OlderThanTheyThink before it was cool]]. These releases often had tracks available nowhere else.

* CoverVersion: He covered "Pink Elephants On Parade" from ''Disney/{{Dumbo}}'', which appears on the Disney tribute album ''Music/StayAwake'' too. But his most famous cover among jazz enthusiasts is Music/DukeEllington's "Take the A Train."

* ClothesMakeTheLegend and CoolHat: Sun Ra never appeared in public without being dressed in his IconicOutfit: long robe, Ancient Egyptian headgear. His Arkestra to this day continues the tradition.