{"title":"Sun Ra","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAbout Sun Ra\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eHerman Poole Blount, performing as Sun Ra, was born in Birmingham, Alabama on May 22, 1914. He renamed himself Le Sony'r Ra in 1952, claiming Saturn origins and cosmic mission. He launched his recording career in the mid-1950s with the foundational Sun Ra Arkestra (originally the Solar Arkestra, the Intergalactic Research Arkestra, and various other cosmic-named iterations). The Arkestra has remained active since its formation, with leadership transitions (John Gilmore leadership 1993-1995, Marshall Allen leadership 1995-present, with Allen still leading the band at age 100+ as of 2024). His foundational philosophy combined Afrofuturist cosmology, Egyptian mythology, civil rights consciousness, and broader spiritual approaches into a intergalactic, spiritually-grounded jazz aesthetic. He recorded over 100 studio LPs across his lifetime (most on his own Saturn Records label with hand-decorated covers, with limited regional Chicago\/Philadelphia\/Birmingham distribution). His 1974 Space Is the Place film documented his Afrofuturist philosophy. He died of complications from a stroke on May 30, 1993 in Birmingham at age 79. His foundational influence on jazz, free jazz, avant-garde music, Afrofuturism, and broader contemporary experimental music is widely cited as one of the most important contributions to the form.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSound and style\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eSun Ra's sound is foundational to avant-garde jazz, free jazz, and Afrofuturism as recognized movements - combining jazz, free jazz, avant-garde jazz, big band jazz, swing, modal jazz, fusion, electronic music influences, and experimental composition with his distinctive piano work (use of innovative synthesizer programming and electronic instrumentation including early electronic keyboards like the Clavioline and Minimoog), virtuosic Arkestra arrangements (John Gilmore tenor saxophone, Marshall Allen alto saxophone, June Tyson vocal contributions), and lyrical content addressing cosmic philosophy, Egyptian mythology, civil rights, and broader spiritual themes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDiscography highlights\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJazz by Sun Ra Vol. 1 (1957, Transition)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJazz in Silhouette (1958, El Saturn)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra Vol. I (1965, ESP-Disk)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Magic City (1966, El Saturn)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAtlantis (1969, El Saturn)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpace Is the Place (1973, Blue Thumb\/Impulse!)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLanquidity (1978, Philly Jazz)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSleeping Beauty (1979, El Saturn)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLive at Praxis '84 (1985, Praxis)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlue Delight (1989, A\u0026amp;M)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOut There a Minute (1989, Blast First)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFor collectors\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal El Saturn Records, ESP-Disk, Impulse!, and Blue Thumb pressings of the Sun Ra catalog are foundational items in jazz collecting, with collector premiums on the El Saturn hand-decorated pressings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhere to start\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eListeners new to Sun Ra typically start with Space Is the Place (1973), Lanquidity (1978), or Jazz in Silhouette (1958). \u003cspan class=\"related-collections\"\u003eExplore more: \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/jazz-vinyl-records\"\u003eJazz\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"sun-ra-excelsior-mill-violet-vinyl","title":"Excelsior Mill LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe outsized sounds emerging from the Excelsior Mill organ captured here constitute a unique chapter in the Sun Ra story\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48540756246711,"sku":"210000089530","price":17.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/excelsiormill-limitedvioletvinyl.jpg?v=1781154146"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-pathways-to-unknown-worlds-vinyl","title":"Pathways To Unknown Worlds LP","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"Take a journey through the outer realms of jazz with Sun Ra's seminal album 'Pathways to Unknown Worlds'. This LP, originally released in 1971, features the cosmic big band sound that made Sun Ra a legend in the world of experimental jazz.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48540866609335,"sku":"210000061559","price":27.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/3982952-2719909.jpg?v=1781154546"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-a-fireside-chat-with-lucifer-yellow-vinyl","title":"A Fireside Chat with Lucifer LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn F-bomb saturated hip-hop call \u0026amp; response club cut... from Sun Ra?!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48540919070903,"sku":"210000086869","price":29.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/4430591-3398569.jpg?v=1781154718"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-pink-elephants-on-parade-pink-vinyl-rsd-24","title":"Pink Elephants On Parade LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis album presents a small sample of Sun Ra exploring the Disneysphere. All tracks but one were recorded at concerts and club dates.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48540933750967,"sku":"210000088716","price":30.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/elephants-pink-lp-ps-900.png?v=1781154770"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-space-is-the-place-vinyl-180g-verve-by-request-series","title":"Space is the Place LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eSpace Is The Place - highlighted by the rousing 21-minute title track - is both an essential album and a great onramp for new listeners to travel the spaceways of Sun Ra's other-worldly blend of avant-garde jazz, experimental rock, and Afrofuturism.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48540962095287,"sku":"210000083226","price":32.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/sun-ra-space.jpg?v=1781154875"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-singles-vol-1-vinyl-1952-1961","title":"Singles Vol. 1 3LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut present the definitive collection of singles released by Sun Ra across his illustrious career, spanning 1952 to 1991. Released prolifically during the 1950s and more sporadically thereafter, primarily on the Saturn label, the 45s offer one-off meteorites from Ras prolific cosmic journey, tracing the development of his forwardthinking Space-Bop and his unique take on jazz and blues traditions. The collection is hugely varied, ranging from Ra s spoken word recitations and his early work with Chicago vocal groups to the different phases of his Arkestra, small group and duet recordings. The singles are also unpredictable vehicles for Ras music, combining different tracks from different sessions and occasionally making available music which was recorded many years beforehand. As with his LPs, most 45s were only pressed in small runs and have since become extremely rare and sought after. Only a small handful of copies of Love In Outer Space b\/w Mayan Temple and The Blue One b\/w Orbitration In Blue have ever been seen; some have only been discovered in physical form in recent years; some were planned and pencilled but allegedly never made it to vinyl (including Saturn and Velvet from the Jazz In Silhouette LP) and some appeared as limited one-off magazine singles and posthumous releases, including Hell #1 aka Out There A Minute. The set is the most comprehensive collection of Ra s singles to date. Sleeve note writers Francis Gooding and Paul Griffiths brilliantly illustrate the role of the single within Ras career and break down each release with detailed track by track notes. Working with Sun Ra LLC and Sun Ra archivist Michael D. Anderson, Strut has also assembled the best possible master sources for each track. Singles will be released in various formats across two release dates. All formats feature fully remastered tracks, rare photos, original 45 artwork, Francis Goodings extensive sleeve notes, an interview with Saturn Records founder Alton Abraham by John Corbett and detailed track by track and session notes by Paul Griffiths.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48541044998327,"sku":"210000019505","price":42.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/81jawnn4ohl-sl1200.jpg?v=1781155203"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-inside-the-light-world-sun-ra-meets-the-ovc-vinyl-rsd-24","title":"Inside the Light World : Sun Ra Meets The OVC 2LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis extraordinary album unveils previously unreleased recordings from the year 1986 for the very first time, showcasing a unique chapter in the Sun Ra catalogue, officially released for Record Store Day 2024.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48541066592439,"sku":"210000088756","price":49.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/4300997-3119721.jpg?v=1781155276"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-exotica-orange-vinyl","title":"Exotica 3LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eInterdimensional exotica in the form of eccentric space jazz, sonic experimentation, Afro-centric rhythms, and ostinato electronic freakouts!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48541076422839,"sku":"210000103234","price":60.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/lp-mh-8012.jpg?v=1781155314"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-do-the-impossible-soundtrack-to-the-documentary-purple-vinyl-w-blu-ray-disc","title":"Do The Impossible: Soundtrack to the Documentary 2LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiscover the essence of Sun Ra with the \"Do The Impossible: Soundtrack to the Documentary\" 2LP on striking purple vinyl. This release features the full soundtrack from the PBS documentary, accompanied by insightful liner notes from executive producer Bradford Smith and interviews with Arkestra members. Immerse yourself in the extraordinary world of this innovative jazz icon.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48771579084983,"sku":"210000106753","price":42.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/4503384-3588777.jpg?v=1782827676"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-god-is-more-than-love-can-ever-be-vinyl","title":"God is more than Love can Ever Be LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eSun Ra's \"God Is More Than Love Can Ever Be\" strips away the cosmic fluff, presenting a tight jazz trio session recorded in a single day in 1979. Driven by piano, bass, and drums, each of the five tracks twists free from conventional norms, challenging the standard treatment of such works. It's an LP that demands a second look in the expansive realm of jazz.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48785743708343,"sku":"210000047657","price":22.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/3778785.jpg?v=1783045786"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-the-futuristic-sounds-of-sun-ra-vinyl","title":"The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eSun Ra's \"The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra\" hits like a jazz manifesto, where the universe meets the hustle of the streets. The playful experimentation of the 1962 original shines through this remaster, from the funk-forward \"Bassism\" to the reflective \"China Gates.\" It's not just jazz; it's a vibrant dialogue between instruments that feels like a heartbeat. If you thought jazz was just for dimly lit clubs, this record swings wide the door to a future filled with sound.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48785772019895,"sku":"210000074253","price":29.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/4123934-2867411.jpg?v=1783045872"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-ra-to-the-rescue-translucent-green-vinyl","title":"Ra To The Rescue LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eSun Ra's \"Ra To The Rescue\" on translucent green vinyl channels a cosmic energy through its eclectic rhythms and experimental sounds. Recorded in varied locations like the Squat Theater in NYC, it fuses electronic playfulness with saxophonic grit. This digitally remastered LP features tracks like the captivating \"They Plan To Leave,\" inviting listeners into Ra's innovative musical universe.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48785860100279,"sku":"210000073563","price":27.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/4084804-2880432.jpg?v=1783046126"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-horizon-vinyl","title":"Horizon LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eSun Ra's Horizon LP bursts with expansive sound and a daring spirit, reflecting the vibrancy of the Arkestra in full force. Recorded in 1972 at Streeterville Studios with the largest ensemble Sun Ra ever assembled, it intricately weaves layers of jazz that traverse time and space. The innovative quadraphonic sound amplifies the album's cosmic celebration, demanding visceral engagement. Every note strikes with gravity, etching a significant moment in avant-garde jazz history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48785869406391,"sku":"210000052066","price":28.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/3869575-2647519.jpg?v=1783046153"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-lanquidity-vinyl","title":"Lanquidity LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eSun Ra's \"Lanquidity\" from 1978 challenges boundaries with its unyielding experimentation. The track \"Where Pathways Meet\" slices through the ordinary, embodying the essence of a mind unconfined by convention. This isn't mere music; it's a stark proclamation made from the depths of creative chaos.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48785877008567,"sku":"210000062912","price":35.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/3997282-2746414.jpg?v=1783046172"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-thunder-of-the-gods-lightning-yellow-vinyl","title":"Thunder of the Gods LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eSun Ra's \"Thunder of the Gods\" LP features striking lightning yellow vinyl. This release from Modern Harmonic highlights his avant-garde jazz style. Scheduled for release on May 3, 2024, it's a notable piece for serious collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48785884119223,"sku":"210000089213","price":17.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/4320835-3130092.jpg?v=1783046191"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-a-fireside-chat-with-lucifer-green-vinyl","title":"A Fireside Chat with Lucifer LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eSun Ra's \"A Fireside Chat with Lucifer\" serves as an essential entry in his discography, merging avant-garde jazz with audacious themes. At the heart lies the expansive 20-minute title track, where Ra's innovative organ work invites organic sound exploration, contrasting effectively with the confrontational nature of \"Nuclear War.\" The vibrant lime green vinyl reflects the artist's refusal to conform, making this release a significant point of interaction for those seeking depth in musical experimentation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48785929404599,"sku":"210000100344","price":29.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/4430591-3398569_4a06c383-f575-423d-b92d-4b027032411f.jpg?v=1783046316"},{"product_id":"sun-ra-somewhere-over-the-rainbow-3lp-gatefold-jacket","title":"Somewhere Over the Rainbow 3LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eSun Ra's \"Somewhere Over the Rainbow\" is like watching a jazz orchestra take flight in a saucer; it's reality-twisting and utterly enthralling. This triple LP of unreleased sections lets the Arkestra stretch their cosmic legs, throwing out improvised jazz that can rearrange your understanding of the genre. With gems like \"Take The 'A' Train\" and the haunting title track, it's not just music; it's a cerebral workout for anyone willing to get lost in its depths.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48906085269687,"sku":"210000106951","price":54.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/4512924-3633645.jpg?v=1784558673"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.waxtraxrecords.com\/collections\/sun-ra.oembed","provider":"Wax Trax Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}