One of jazz music’s most entertaining and eccentric figures is profiled in Robert Mugge’s hourlong, 1980 profile of the late bandleader-keyboardist-composer Sun Ra. “I don’t consider myself one of the humans,” he once said. “I’m a spiritual being,” who was reputed to eschew the usual jazzman’s indulgences of drugs and sex and who, despite the weird trappings (he and his big band, the Intergalactic Omniverse Arkestra, usually performed in glittery costumes that combined African, alien, and thrift-shop styles), infused his music with a strong sense of discipline and precision. Here we see Ra and the band rehearsing and performing; their “joyful noise” is free, sometimes chaotic, but also clearly blues-based, somewhat reminiscent of Monk or Mingus (there’s even a rendition of “‘Round Midnight”). Ra is also interviewed surrounded by the Egyptian artifacts and antiquities that were an important element of his “mythocracy.” He clearly loves having an audience–and how can you not enjoy listening to a guy who also chooses the White House as a backdrop for solemn pronouncements like “I’m not a part of history–I’m more a part of mystery, which is my story”? –Sam Graham
Sun Ra – A Joyful Noise
Pinned on March 18, 2013 at 6:49 pm by Shirley Lemon
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Fascinating document of a fascinating man This video gets four stars not for its execution (frankly, in spots it makes Blair Witch Project look like Citizen Kane) but for its subject, the mysterious Sun Ra and his Arkestra. The movie basically consists of Sun Ra talking about his philosophies, interspersed with interviews with members of the Arkestra and film of the Arkestra rehearsing and performing. However, the sound quality of this film leaves a lot to be desired; I haven’t seen the newer version of this video/DVD and I hope they remaster the sound, because there are some dynamic moments here with the Arkestra.
classic sun ra if you are a sun ra fan then this is a must. if you want an introduction to sun ra you couldnt ask for much better. great live performances and classic quotes from the master of the one liner. ” with all the school and hospitals you got, your supposed to have a better world than this” and” you cant have a whitehouse if you dont have a blackhouse, in fact you cant have anything without its opposite” and the timeless ” space is the place.” some of the music on this dvd is simply awesome. horns echoing ancient egypt, synthesizers making modern musicians look pathetic, an ancient infinity drum and a moog synthesizer. sun ra, tho he would deny he is of our species, is the man.
this has restored my faith forget the bull about everyone putting Sun Ra in novelty basket (because he may be one of the first to use a electric keyboard or he wore funny costumes,) i will stand up and claim he is a true genius (what ever that means) Sun Ra has fully restored my faith in the power and fredom that exsists in music 40 odd years after this music breaks through the commercial hundrums and destroys the pretence of all these modern hazz players Ra creates the blue print for future music. He never bows down to coporate tyes or holds back from truely exploring sound. Ra makes spirtual music for the next century. This film is not only beautiful check out the opening shots on the roof (absolutly amazing) but increadibly powerful although check out the latter free jams of ra sweating over his moog in great colourcomical at times this adds to the mystery of mr mystery, the way he comands his band and releases his vision is awe-inspiring powerfully nosy, beautiful and brilliant. Not many films capture such an amazing revolutionary group in vivid colour and sound as this dvd does, althose pop band from the sixties are ridculus compared to the universialy tuned in Mr Ra. this is a must for all real music cosmologist