Sun Ra

Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific output, and theatrical performances. For much of his career, Ra led The Arkestra, an ensemble with an ever-changing name and flexible line-up.
Born and raised in Alabama, Blount 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.
==Links to Peel==
In the late 1960s some contemporary jazz musicians were respected by the Underground circles in which Peel moved, notably Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk and the avant-gardists who won an audience in the wake of John Coltrane's late work, such as Sun Ra, Albert Ayler and Ornette Coleman - who was a major musical influence on Peel's all-time favourite, Captain Beefheart. 
Peel first played Sun Ra's music on his shows in the late 60's and mentioned in the Disc & Music Echo, published on 24th October 1970, that he was looking forward seeing Sun Ra perform at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on 9th November. 
Sun Ra's music continued to be played by Peel well into the 70's and beyond.
Peel's copy of Sun Ra's 'Angels And Demons At Play' album was displayed as part of his Record Collection: V&A LPs between 2016 and 2017 at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
==Shows Played==
;thumb|220x220px1968
*27 November 1968: Nebulae (album - The Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra, Vol. I)
;1974
*30 April 1974: Tiny Pyramids (LP - Angels And Demons At Play) Impulse!
;1989
*23 October 1989: Out There A Minute (LP - Out There A Minute) Blast First
;1999
*09 June 1999: Heliocentric (LP – The Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra, Vol.1) Arkestra
;2000
*04 October 2000: We Travel The Spaceways (LP - Greatest Hits: Easy Listening For Intergalactic Travel) Evidence
*19 October 2000: We Travel The Spaceways (CD - Greatest Hits: Easy Listening For Intergalatic Travel) Evidence
== See Also ==
* John Peel Remembered: Dreaming
==External Links==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
Category:Artists