Today marks the centennial of the arrival of prolific jazz composer and bandleader Sun Ra to Planet Earth. Born on May 22nd 1914, Ra, previously known as Herman Poole ‘Sonny’ Blount, would go on to play a varied and highly pivotal role on the outer reaches of the jazz realm, producing music that can best be described in places as otherworldly and building a formidable and much sought after discography, underpinned by many recordings alongside his free jazz ensemble the Sun Ra Arkestra. Since beginning his onward journey in 1993, his star has predictably reached legendary status with his influence continually felt throughout the music world. His highly quotable interplanetary musings can often be found peppered throughout many contemporary recordings while some of his own compositions have become standards in their own right.
For the Sun Ra novice, there are many places to dip that first tentative toe into the water, and we’re sure a few more will undoubtedly pop up this week. However we doubt there will be a more comprehensive tribute than the one selected by our friend Black Classical and broadcast via InvaderFM on the musician’s centenary (May 22nd 2014). You should all be aware by now of his unmistakable talent for compiling a mixtape or two (if you’re not, here is a good place to start) while his love of a marathon session is even more curious (12 hours of spiritual jazz anyone?). As such, if today you fancy a proper education into one of the more creative minds in jazz history, we heartily suggest checking out the mammoth 13 hour mix of Sun Ra affiliated business and other spiritually charged tracks below. It is of course fairly deep with large doses of the musician’s more obscure moments rubbing shoulders with some of his more well-known material. For those interested, a full tracklist has already been posted on Black Classical’s Tumblr page but we post it here in full for posterity’s sake.
TRACKLIST
Space Introduction…
Sun Ra – Black is the Outer Darkness (Nidhamu)
Sun Ra – Atlantis
Sun Ra – Tither & Yon
Sun Ra – Black Mass
Sun Ra – Cosmic Explorer
Sun Ra / Amiri Baraka – Black Mass
Sun Ra – The Song of the Drums
Sun Ra – Times the Universe Speaks
Sun Ra – As Space Ships Approach
Sun Ra – Cosmo Enticement
Sun Ra – Ancient Aiethopia
Sun Ra – Fate in a Pleasant Mood
Sun Ra – Song of Tree and Forest
Sun Ra – Strange Dreams, Strange Worlds
Sun Ra – China Gates
Sun Ra – It’s After the End of the World (Monohub’s FuturePast Mix)
Sun Ra – Of Other Tomorrows Never Known
Sun Ra – Plieades
Sun Ra / John Cage – Improvisations on Yamaha DX7 synthesizer / Empty Words (Part IV)
Sun Ra – Unidentified Blues
Sun Ra – Intro
Sun Ra – Astro Black
Sun Ra – Cosmo Enticement
Sun Ra – Strings Strange
Sun Ra – Sound Spectra-Spec Sket
Sun Ra – Cosmo Media
Sun Ra – Journey Through Stars
Sun Ra – Moondance
Sun Ra – East of Uz
Sun Ra – Sub Underground
Sun Ra – Walking on the Moon
Sun Ra / Salah Ragab – Dawn
Sun Ra – Space Probe
Philip Cohran and the Artistic Heritage Ensemble – The Dogon
Sun Ra – Solar Drums
Sun Ra – The Magic City
Sun Ra – The Possibility Of Altered Destiny
Sun Ra – Dance of Innocent Passion
Sun Ra – Intensity
Sun Ra – The Shadow World
Gerry Hemingway – Kwambe
Sun Ra – Astro Nation of the United Worlds of Outer Space
Sun Ra – Exotic Forest
Joe McPhee / John Snyder – Shadow Sculptures
Sun Ra – The Possibility Of Altered Destiny
Sun Ra – Prepare for the Journey to Other Worlds
Griot Galaxy – Mathnawi
Faruq Z. Bey – Undercurrent
Northwoods Improvisors – Isolation
William Hooker – Drum Form (I)
Sun Ra – Black Man from the Cosmos
Sun Ra – Soul Vibrations of Man (Part I)
William Hooker – Pieces I, II
Eddie Gale – Ghetto Love Night
Eddie Gale – Look at Teyonda
Eddie Gale – The Rain
Eddie Gale – The Gleeker
Eddie Gale – A Song of Will
Eddie Gale – It Must Be You
William Hooker – Drum Form (II)
Sun Ra – Solar Differentials
Azar Lawrence – Bridge to a new age (chant)
Sun Ra – When there is no Sun (horo)
Bulgarian Jazz Quintet – Blues in 10/12
Ahmed Abdullah – East of UZ
Valdambrini Piana Quintet – Arabic Mood
Sun Ra – Antique Blacks [Equation Declamation]
Sun Ra – Satellites Are Spinning
Sun Ra – The Satellites Are Spinning
Sun Ra / Don Cherry – Live in Battery Park
Sun Ra – PARIS TAPE A
Sun Ra – PARIS TAPE G
Sun Ra – The Antique Blacks
Sun Ra – The Ridiculous ‘I’ and the Cosmos Me
Sun Ra – There Is Change in the Air
Sun Ra – Nidhamu
Sun Ra – Untitled Improvisation
Don Cherry – Bitter Funeral Beer
David Wertman – Oh John Love Train
Amiri Baraka – Various
David Wertman – Clear Air Dancer
Amiri Baraka – It’s Nation Time
Amiri Baraka – Chant
Amiri Baraka – Answers
Amiri Baraka – All In The Street
Sun Ra – Untitled Improvisation
Amiri Baraka – Come See About Me
Sun Ra – Untitled Improvisation
Amiri Baraka – Peace In Place
Amiri Baraka – Bad News
Sun Ra – Untitled Improvisation
Amiri Baraka – Wha’s Gonna Happen
June Tyson – Along came Ra
David Wertman – Earthly Delights
Sun Ra – I, Pharaoh
Sun Ra – Imagination
Sun Ra – To Nature’s God
Sun Ra – Unknown
The Art Ensemble Of Chicago – Zero Sun (Dedicated to Sun Ra)
Dinamitri Jazz Folklore + Amiri Baraka – Kongo Bells Part ii
Sun Ra – Untitled [percussion, synthesizer]
Unknown (Space Poetry) – Gotta Getaway
Sun Ra – Untitled [synthesizer]
Phil Cohran – El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz
Phil Cohran – Armageddon
Black Star Ensemble – Armageddon is Here
Ronnie Boykiss – Invocation Pt. 1
Sun Ra – Nuclear War
Ra Synthesis – Back from Where You Came
Sun Ra – The Sub-Dwellers
Anthony Braxton / William Parker / Milford Graves – Third Meeting
Sun Ra / Pharaoh Sanders – Dawn Over Israel
Sun Ra – The Music Is A Universal Language
Sun Ra – The Universe Is Endless
Sun Ra – Fourth Meeting
Sun Ra – The Universe Sent Me
Sun Ra – Declamation The Universe Sent Me to Converse With You
Sun Ra – Untitled Improvisation
Sun Ra – Cosmo Earth Fantasy
Jothan Callins – Prayer For Love & Peace
Sun Ra – I Speak Of Everything
Sun Ra – The World Comes To An End
Art Ensemble of Chicago – How Strange
Sun Ra – It’s After The End Of The World
Sun Ra – Strange Dreams
Art Ensemble of Chicago – Ole Jed
Sun Ra – Strange Worlds
Sun Ra – Black Sun
Sun Ra – Untitled Improvisation
Sun Ra – Black Myth
Sun Ra – It’s after the End of the World
Sun Ra – All Men Are Equal
Sun Ra – Black Forest Myth
Sun Ra – The Past Is A Dream
Duke Edwards – Black Elephant
Sun Ra – If You Are Not A Myth
Duke Edwards – Man – Don’t Cry Baby – Why – Reach for a Star
Build an Ark – Nature
Sun Ra – Tapestry From An Asteroid
Archie Shepp – Uhuru
Clifford Thornton / Jayne Cortez – Festivals and Funerals
Sun Ra – Medley I
Sun Ra – The World of Africa
Sun Ra – Pleiades
Emanative – Love In Outer Space (Alternate Universe) – [EXCLUSIVE]
Sun Ra – Medley II
June Tyson – Astro Black
Sun Ra – Theme from the Star Gazers
Sun Ra – Soul Vibrations of Man (Part ii)
Sun Ra – Rocket #9
Sun Ra – The Wind Speaks
Sun Ra – Unknown
Sun Ra – Untitled Improvisation
Sun Ra – Musical Astronauts
Sun Ra – Enlightenment
Sun Ra – Rocket Number Nine
Sun Ra – Children of the Sun
Sun Ra Music Archive Reissues 21 Albums Mastered For iTunes
In related Sun Ra news, The Jazz Times recently announced that 21 of the  musician’s albums will see a re-release in digital format on iTunes. Released on the Enterplanetary Koncepts label, the records have been specifically remastered and transferred at 24-bit from the analog master tapes and feature previously unreleased bonus tracks. This new series of releases is available to download from itunes.com/sunramusic.
Now go get your Osiris on and prepare yourself for an evening of left of centre spiritual jazz sounds!
RT @thejazzmeet: Tonight at 10p[m on @InvaderFM, @rndqd presents a 13 hour tribute to the mighty Sun Ra. http://t.co/Nsq6wmcqQo
RT @thejazzmeet: Tonight at 10p[m on @InvaderFM, @rndqd presents a 13 hour tribute to the mighty Sun Ra. http://t.co/Nsq6wmcqQo
@thejazzmeet @invaderFM thank you boss man, loverly words 🙂
RT @thejazzmeet: Tonight at 10p[m on @InvaderFM, @rndqd presents a 13 hour tribute to the mighty Sun Ra. http://t.co/Nsq6wmcqQo
Thanks bob, always in debt to you — youre far too kind, much love always!
cant thank you enough for these collections…really invaluable, modern, imaginative, and inspiring work. it’s a real gift to everyone…
RT @thejazzmeet: Tonight at 10p[m on @InvaderFM, @rndqd presents a 13 hour tribute to the mighty Sun Ra. http://t.co/Nsq6wmcqQo
RT @thejazzmeet: Tonight at 10p[m on @InvaderFM, @rndqd presents a 13 hour tribute to the mighty Sun Ra. http://t.co/Nsq6wmcqQo
RT @thejazzmeet: Tonight at 10p[m on @InvaderFM, @rndqd presents a 13 hour tribute to the mighty Sun Ra. http://t.co/Nsq6wmcqQo