Pianists · 1914–1993
Sun Ra
American jazz composer and bandleader (1914–1993)
- Born
- 22 May 1914
Birmingham - Died
- 30 May 1993
Birmingham - Country
- United States
- Active
- 1934–1993
- Record labels
- ESP-Disk, A&M Records, BYG Records, El Saturn Records
- Discography
- 80 albums
Biography
Sun Ra was a jazz musician who played piano, organ, keyboard instrument and cello. Sun Ra was born on 22 May 1914 in Birmingham and died on 30 May 1993 in Birmingham. The music is usually filed under jazz, jazz fusion and swing. Record labels: ESP-Disk, A&M Records, BYG Records and El Saturn Records. The discography here lists 80 albums, from “Jazz by Sun Ra” (1957) to “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” (2026). Honours include NEA Jazz Masters.
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, 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.
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Discography
Studio and live albums
Also plays on
Albums where Sun Ra is credited as a sideman
| 1955 | The Hawk Returns — Coleman Hawkins |
Awards
Books about Sun Ra
Listen on Spotify
Frequently asked questions
What instrument did Sun Ra play?
Sun Ra is known for playing piano, organ, keyboard instrument and cello.
When and where was Sun Ra born?
Sun Ra was born 22 May 1914 in Birmingham.
What are Sun Ra's best-known albums?
Albums in our database include Jazz by Sun Ra (1957), The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra (1962), The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume 1 (1965), Rocket Number Nine Take Off for the Planet Venus (1967) and Monorails and Satellites, Volume 2 (1969).
External links
- en.wikipedia.org ↗
- de.wikipedia.org ↗
- it.wikipedia.org ↗
- wikidata.org ↗
- musicbrainz.org ↗
- discogs.com ↗
- allmusic.com ↗
- sunra.com ↗
Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.