Focal Point : Sun Ra

 

Sun Ra's birthday is TOMORROW! 

Who is Sun Ra, you ask? 

Sun Ra was a prolific jazz leader (born in Birmingham, AL) known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He is a 1979 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. 

In 1936 or 1937, in the midst of deep religious concentration, Sun Ra claimed that a bright light appeared around him, and, as he later said " I went up … I wasn't in human form … I landed on a planet that I identified as Saturn ... They told me that the world was going into complete chaos … I would speak [through music], and the world would listen." 

From the mid-1950s to his death, Sun Ra led his "Arkestra" (a deliberate re-spelling of "orchestra"). The Arkestra's cosmic sounds were ever-changing, ever-evolving. 

A lot of Sun Ra's music is ... well ... out there ... and may seem a little too chaotic and untamed for the unprepared ear. So in this mix, I balanced everything out by weaving in and out of the chaos with Sun Ra's more melodic compositions.

 As always, 

*** Enjoy *** 

If you'd like to download the mix, you can RIGHT HERE.

The track list can be found HERE.

And now, a few choice Sun Ra videos :


This one's quite informative

 

 This one's beyond entertaining!

And this one's OUT THERE!!!

 


and now for some Sun Ra-filled

1. 


I designed the new Tshirts for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame!
And Sun Ra's image is on em!!!
Behold:

2.

Speaking of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, on June 7th at 7pm, there'll be a huge Sun Ra Celebration !!! HERE is the facebook event page and below is the amazing poster, which was designed by Beth Ragland and Chris Stewart (two of our very own Psychic Tuesday mixmasters!)Here HERE!!!

Speaking of Sun Ra celebrations, at Bottletree THIS SATURDAY, May 25th at 8pm, there'll be a Sun Ra tribute night called "Spaceship Saturn ~ Celebrating Sun Ra’s Original Arrival"

3.

And lastly but not leastly, check out THIS list of the 11 greatest science fiction themed bands! Sun Ra is number 5 and Alabama's own Man or Astroman? is number 1 !!!  Yee haw!!!

1stly, I just found out that the lead singer of Majical Cloudz is the son of the actor who played Windham Earle on David Lynch's awesome TV show "Twin Peaks" ! Here he is playing the old father character in his own son's music video ...

Drugs, anyone? If it's like this, no thanks! No Joy ...

Speaking of drugs, here is an extremely trippy affair from Young Galaxy

Melody 's Echo Chamber ... Some girls are almost prettier than drag queens!

Here's what Thurston Moore's been doing since Sonic Youth broke up

Oh how I love the following short film!
It's Maya Deren's  "At Land" with Jonny Greenwood's music for the soundtrack!

Speaking of short films, Kathleen O'Dwyer posted the wonderfully surreal "Book Of Days" by Meredith Monk ... Cheers, Kathleen!

Elise sent 2 gems ... Thanky, E!!!

1. Mmmm! Sour Death Balls!

2. Why drive safely when you can drive deplorably?!

Haha!!! Ryan sent this train wreck of a video called "Tan Mom"!
Muchos gracias, R!!!

This last one is not funny ... it's just absolutely 100 % amazing!