International Archives For The Jazz Organ (IAJO) - The Jazz Organ Scene USA

Sun Ra

Sun Ra (* 1914 in Alabama as Herman Poole Blount) was a composer, bandleader, piano and organ player known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific output, and theatrical performances. For much of his career, Sun Ra led the "Arkestra," an ensemble with an ever-changing name and flexible line-up.

Sun Ra 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, Sun 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 Sun 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 Sun 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. Sun Ra passed away in 1993.

from Wikipedia

Batman And Robin Tifton 78002 released 1966	Sun Ra, Hammond organ Marshall Allen, alto sax John Gilmore, tenor sax Tom McIntosh, trombone Jimmy Owens, trumpet Danny Kalb, guitar, harmonica Steve Katz, guitar Al Kooper, guitar, organ Andy Kulberg, bass Pat Patrick, bass Roy Blumenfeld, drums
Angels And Demons At Play El Saturn Records 407 released 1967 recorded 1956 and 1960 in Chicago, IL/USA	Sun Ra, piano, organ Marshall Allen, alto sax, flute Pat Patrick, alto sax, baritone sax, flute John Gilmore, tenor sax, bells Charles Davis, baritone sax Julian Priester, trombone Nate Pryor, trombone Arthur Hoyle, trumpet Phil Cohran, trumpet Ronnie Boykins, bass Victor Sproles, bass Wilburn Green, bass Robert Barry, drums Jim Herndon, timpani, timbales
Nuits De La Fondation Maeght Vol. 1 + 2 Shandar SR 10.001/10.003 released 1971 recorded live August 1970 in Saint-Paul de Vence/France	Sun Ra, piano, organ, synthesizer Marshall Allen, alto sax, flute, piccolo flute, oboe, percussion Danny Davis, alto sax, flute, percussion Pat Patrick, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, bass clarinet, clarinet, flute, percussion Absholom Ben Shlomo, alto sax, clarinet, flute John Gilmore, tenor sax, drums Danny Thompson, bariton sax, bassoon, flute Jame Jacson, clarinet, flute, oboe, percussion Robert Cummings, bass clarinet, drums Kwame Hadi, trumpet Ahk Tal Ebah, trumpet, cornet Alan Silva, bass, cello, violin Rashied Salim IV, vibes, drums Drums - Nimrod Hunt, drums Lex Humphries, drums, percussion John Goldsmith, drums, timpani
The Solar-Myth Approach Vol. 1 + 2 BYG Records 529.202 released 1971 recorded during 1970-1971 in New York City/USA reissued 2005 as Strange Worlds, Charly Records CDGR 294-2	Sun Ra, piano, synthesizer, organ, clavinet Danny Davis, alto sax, alto clarinet, flute Marshall Allen, alto sax, oboe, flute John Gilmore, tenor sax, percussion Danny Ray Thompson, baritone sax, flute Pat Patrick, baritone sax, flute Ali Hassan, trombone Charles Stevens, trombone Kwame Hadi, trumpet Akh Tal Ebah, trumpet, mellophone James Jacson, oboe, flute, Egyptian drum Ronnie Boykins, bass Clifford Jarvis, percussion Lex Humphries, percussion Arthur Jenkins, vocals June Tyson, vocals
Universe In Blue El Saturn Records ESR200 released 1972 recorded early 1970 in New York City/USA	Sun Ra, organ Danny Davis, alto sax, clarinet Marshall Allen, alto sax, oboe, piccolo flute, flute John Gilmore, tenor sax Pat Patrick, baritone sax Danny Thompson, baritone sax, flute Akh Tal Ebah, trumpet Kwame Hadi, trumpet Eloe Omoe, bass clarinet, piccolo flute Alzo Wright, cello Lex Humphries, drums, percussion June Tyson, vocals
Space Is The Place Blue Thumb Records BTS 41 released 1973 recorded October 1972 in Chicago, IL/USA	Sun Ra, piano, Farfisa organ Larry Northington, alto sax Danny Davis, alto sax, flute Marshall Allen, alto sax, flute John Gilmore, tenor sax, drums, vocals Pat Patrick, baritone sax, bass Danny Thompson, baritone sax, flute Akh Tal Ebah, trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals Lamont McClamb, trumpet, percussion Eloe Omoe, bass clarinet Alzo Wright, drums Harry Richards, drums Robert Underwood, drums Lex Humphries, percussion Russell Branch, percussion, congas Stanley Morgan, percussion, congas Cheryl Banks, vocals Judith Holton, vocals June Tyson, vocals Ruth Wright, vocals
Lanquidity Philly Jazz PJ666 released 1978 recorded July 1978 in New York City/USA	Sun Ra, Yamaha organ, synthesizer, piano, Hammond B-3 organ, vocals Marshall Allen, alto sax, flute, oboe John Gilmore, tenor saxophone Julian Pressley, baritone sax Danny Ray Thompson, baritone saxophone, flute Eddie Gale, trumpet Michael Ray, trumpet, flugelhorn Elo Omoe, flute, bass clarinet James Jacson, oboe, basson, flute, voices Disco Kid, guitar Dale Williams, guitar Richard Williams, bass Artaukatune, drums, tympani Luqman Ali, percussion Michael Anderson, percussion Atakatun Odun, congas June Tyson, voices
Sunrise In Different Dimensions Hat Hut Records hat ART 2017 released 1981 recorded live February 1980 at Gasthof Mohren in Willisau/Switzerland	Sun Ra, piano, organ Noël Scott, alto sax, baritone sax, flute Marshall Allen, alto sax, oboe, flute John Gilmore, tenor sax, clarinet, flute Kenneth Williams, tenor sax, baritone sax Danny Thompson, baritone sax, flute Michael Ray, trumpet, flugelhorn Chris Henderson, drums Eric Walker, drums
Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab In Egypt Praxis CM 106 released 1983 recorded February 1971 through January 1983 in Al-Qahira/Egypt	Sun Ra, keyboards, melodica, organ Hartmut Geerken, conductor, percussion Wilfried Eichhorn, soprano sax, tenor sax, percussion Marshall Allen, alto sax, flute, kora, percussion Danny Thompson, alto sax, baritone sax, percussion Farouk Abdou, tenor sax El Sayyed el Aydy, tenor sax John Gilmore, tenor sax, percussion Farouk Abdel Rahman, tenor sax, percussion Faith Abdel Salam, tenor sax, percussion Sayyed Salama, tenor sax Abdel Hakim el Zamel, baritone sax, percussion Mahmound Ayoub, trombone, percussion Tyrone Hill, trombone Mohammed Abdo, trumpet Sadeek Basyouni, trumpet, percussion Ronnie Brown, trumpet, percussion El Sayyed Dahrouk, trumpet Khalifa el Samman, trumpet Abdel Atey Farag, trumpet Khalifa Ismail, trumpet, percussion Ibrahim Wagdi, trumpet, percussion Mohammed Abdel Rahman, tuba, percussion Herbert Joos, flugelhorn, mellophone, percussion Zaky Osman, trumpet, oboe, piccolo Toto Abdel Hamid, nay Khamis el Khouly, piano Helmut Zimmer, piano, percussion Esmat Abbas, bass Claus Buehler, bass, percussion Rollo Radford, bass, percussion Moohy El Din Osman, bass, percussion Claude Broche, drums Chris "Chubby" Henderson, drums James Jacson, bassoon, drums, percussion Eloe Omoe, bass clarinet, percussion Clifford Jarvis, drums Salah Ragab, drums, congas Rudi Theilmann, drums, percussion Eric "Samarai Celestial" Walker, drums Matthew Brown, congas Sayyed Ramadan, bongos The Cairo Free Jazz Ensemble The Cairo Jazz Band
Live At Praxis '84 Golden Years Of New Jazz GY 5/6 recorded live February 1984 at The Orpheus Theatre in Αθήνα (Athens)/Greece	Sun Ra, piano, organ, synthesizer, voice Eloe Omoe, alto sax, bass clarinet, contra-alto clarinet, flute, electronic wind instrument, percussion Marshall Allen, alto sax, clarinet, flute, oboe, kora, electronic wind instrument, percussion Danny Ray Thompson, alto sax, baritone sax, flute, bongos, electronic wind instrument John Gilmore, tenor sax, clarinet, timbales, electronic wind instrument, voice James Jackson, bassoon, flute, oboe, ancient Egyptian infinity drum, electronic wind instrument, voice Ronnie Brown, trumpet, flugelhorn, tambourine Rollo Redford, bass Don Mumford, drums, percussion Matthew Brown, congas Salah Ragab, congas, percussion
Springtime in Chicago Golden Years Of New Jazz GY 026/027 recorded live September 1978 in Chicago, IL/USA	Sun Ra, organ, synthesizer Marshall Allen, alto sax, piccolo Danny Davis, alto sax, flute John Gilmore, tenor sax, clarinet, timbales, vocals Danny Ray Thompson, baritone sax, flute Michael Ray, trumpet Eddie Gale, trumpet Walter Miller, trumpet James Jacson, bassoon, flute, Egyptian drums Eloe Omoe, bass clarinet, flute Dale Williams, guitar Damon Choice, vibes Luqman Ali, drums Atakatune, congas June Tyson, vocals
The Space Age Is Here to Stay Modern Harmonic MHCD-011 recorded between 1958 and 1985, compilation	Sun Ra, piano, organ, synthesizer Sun Ra and His Interplanetary Vocal Arkestra June Tyson, vocals John Gilmore, vocals Michael Ray, vocals James Jacson, vocals Tyrone Hill, vocals Eddie Thomas, vocals Akh Tal Ebah, vocals Hattie Randolph, vocals
Thunder Of The Gods Modern Harmonic MHCD-021 recorded between 1966 and 1971 in New York City/USA, compilation	Sun Ra, organ, drums Danny Davis, alto sax, clarinet Marshall Allen, alto sax, oboe, flute John Gilmore, tenor sax Pat Patrick, baritone sax Ali Hassan, trombone James Jacson, oboe, flute, drums string section Ronnie Boykins, bass, viola Clifford Jarvis, percussion
The Early Albums Collection 1957-1963 Enlightenment EN4CD9145 compilation	Sun Ra, keyboards no further details known

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