For those that don’t know, the Sun Ra Arkestra is an avant-garde free jazz-cum-psychedelic-cum space jazz big band. Formed by Sun Ra in the early 1950s and carried on after his death in 1993, the Arkestra continues to be a real musical innovator. Comprising of nine members, the band walked onto the Belgrave stage to rapturous applause and cheers. They were all dressed in the trademark glittery West African and Egyptian-inspired costumes and proceeded to play two amazing sets that melded jazz, big band, space jazz, psychedelia, jazz fusion and more. The first song they played was one of their best, entitled ‘Interplanetary Music’; it’s a classic Sun Ra track with a chanted refrain and a gorgeously swinging beat. Thelonious Monk once replied to someone who said the Arkestra were too far out, by saying “yeah, but it swings”.

The free jazz element of the Arkestra is one of the most interesting bits of the whole Sun Ra experience. Lots of this comes from Marshall Allen, the current band-leader, who has been a member for over 58 years. He can get the most incredible sounds from a saxophone, making it squeal and pop and groan. The band can do free jazz experimentation like no other but can also do amazing slow jams like the fourth number of the night, ‘Seductive Fantasy’. This one featured an incredible vocal performance from the band’s female lead, Tara Middleton.

One of the best moments was when part of the horn section disappeared offstage in the middle of a song, only to reappear in the crowd, playing along with the band. This, as well as the audience interaction and the constant smiles some of the band had on their faces, shows how engaged and involved and simply happy the whole band are to still be able to bring Sun Ra’s music to the masses after all these years.

Will Ainsley

Image: Colston Hall