I've tried to explain Birmingham, Alabama-born Sun Ra before, most notably here, and his music still crops up in my listening, such as this example, but who better to discuss and describe his legacy than members of the Arkestra itself? Boys and girls, here's an instructive and educational video film on Space and the Music of the Omniverse.
Points On A Space Age is a 2009 documentary by Ephrahaim Asili. It's a 60-minute doc along the lines of the talking-head-intercut-with-performance-clips style. It works because of the interesting and passionate nature of the images of the band as well as of the audio, as the band attempts to articulate what Ra meant to them, and why they are keeping the flame alive.
Bassoonist/multireedist James Jacson had studied Zen Buddhism before joining Sun Ra and identified strong similarities between Zen teachings and practices (particularly Zen koans) and Ra's use of non sequiturs and seemingly absurd replies to questions. Drummer Art Jenkins admitted that Sun Ra's "nonsense" sometimes troubled his thoughts for days until inspiring a sort of paradigm shift, or profound change in outlook. Drummer Andrew Cyrille said Sun Ra's comments were "very interesting stuff … whether you believed it or not. And a lot of times it was humorous, and a lot of times it was ridiculous, and a lot of times it was right on the money."
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is the son of Sun Ra baritone saxophonist Pat Patrick.
Sun Ra left the earth for his next mission in 1993. The remnants of the band include Marshall Allen, Ra’s greatest disciple and current bandleader and keeper of the flame. Now 86, Allen also serves as recruiter for new members, and potential converts of Sun Ra’s philosophy, once based on space travel and music as a tool for evolution into a new consciousness and tuning into holy vibrations.
All music, without exception, is a direct expression of the buddha dharma.
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