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The Sun Ra Arkestra

Band, *1952 US, Chicago
Jazz
A.k.a. Avangard-Free Jazz

U.S. free-jazz ensemble that emerged during the mid-'50s. Initially centered around Sun Ra for almost 40 years, the Arkestra went through various incarnations and is still active currently under the leadership of Marshall Allen. Note: Please use The Sun Ra Arkestra as PAN for only the releases that are a variation of Arkestra. These few exceptions are not ANVs of the Arkestra and are PANs in their own right: The Sun Ra All Stars, Sun Ra Sextet, Sun Ra Quartet, Sun Ra Trio. Current lineup: Marshall Allen - alto saxophone, flute, EVI - joined in 1958 Michael Ray - trumpet, vocals - joined in 1978 Fred Adams - trumpet - joined in 1982 Knoel Scott - alto saxophone - joined in 1979 Vincent Chancey - french horn - joined in 1976 Cecil Brooks - trumpet Danny Ray Thompson - flute, baritone sax, alto sax, bassoon - joined in 1967 Abshalom Ben Shlomo - alto sax, clarinet - joined in 1970 Rey Scott - baritone saxophone - joined in 1988 Dave Davis - trombone - joined in 1997 Elson Nascimento - percussion - joined in 1988 Craig Holiday Haynes - drums - joined in 1980 D. Hotep - guitar - joined in 2000 Yahya Abdul-Majid - tenor saxophone - joined in 1980 Kash Killion - cello - joined in 1989 Bill Davis - bass - joined in 1962 Tyler Mitchell - bass - joined in 1985 Juini Booth - bass - joined in 1967 Farid Abdul-Bari Barron - piano James Stewart - tenor - joined in 2011 Craig Harris - trombone Wayne Anthony Smith Jr. - drums Tara Middleton - voice, percussion, violin Atakatune (Stanley Morgan) - conga, timbal - joined in 1972 George Burton - piano - joined in 2015

     
Members
PortraitSun Ra
p 1914-1993 US
PortraitEddie Gale
tr *1941 US
PortraitJimmy Johnson
dr *1930 US
PortraitCraig Harris
tb *1953 US
David Young
tr US
Eloe Omoe
bcl 1949-1989 US
PortraitDanny Davis
as, fl US
Judith Holton
voc
Ruth Wright
voc
PortraitLex Humphries
dr, perc 1936-1994 US
Cheryl Banks
voc
PortraitAkh Tal Ebah
tr US
PortraitMarshall Allen
as, fl *1924 US
PortraitJohn Gilmore
ts 1931-1995 US
PortraitJune Tyson
voc 1936-1992 US
PortraitDanny Ray Thompson
fl, bs *1947
PortraitClifford Thornton
cor, tb 1936-1989 US
PortraitVincent Chancey
frh *1950 US
PortraitClifford Jarvis
dr, perc 1941-1999 US
PortraitRonnie Boykins
b 1935-1980 US
Robert Cummings
bcl
Ali Hassan
tb US
Teddy Nance
tb, dr
Eric Walker
dr
Chris Capers
tr
Bernard Pettaway
tb
PortraitAlan Silva
b *1939 US
PortraitAlex Blake
b, cb, eb *1951 US
PortraitWalter Miller
tr US
Steve Clarke
b
PortraitJames Jacson
dr, bsn 1932-1997 US
Curt Pulliam
tr
PortraitSkeeter McFarland
eg
Damon Choice
vib
PortraitMichael Ray
tr *1962 US
PortraitNoel Scott
as US
Reg McDonald
dr
PortraitLuqman Ali
dr 1939-2007 US
Tony Bethel
tb
PortraitJulian Priester
tb *1935 US
PortraitAhmed Abdullah
tr *1947 US
PortraitLarry Bright
dr
PortraitAtakatune
cng, perc
PortraitRoger Blank
dr
PortraitJohn Ore
b 1933-2014 US
PortraitCharles Davis
bs *1933 US
PortraitArthur Hoyle
tr *1929 US
Eddie Thomas
perc
PortraitAlvin Fielder
dr, perc 1935-2019 US
PortraitKiane Zawadi
tb, eu
PortraitLaurdine Patrick
sax 1929-1991 US
Charles Stephens
tb
PortraitTani Tabbal
dr US
Don Mumford
dr 1954-2007 US
Wayne Harris
tr US
Kenny Williams
bs, ts
Alzo Wright
vc, dr
Tommy Hunter
dr, perc US
Larry Northington
as, cng, perc
Disco Kid
g
Michael Anderson
sax
PortraitBob Cunningham
b 1934-2017 US
Hayes Burnett
b US
PortraitTyrone Hill
tb 1948-2007 US
Gloristeena Knight
voc, perc
PortraitJohn Goldsmith
dr, perc
Verta Grosvenor
voc
Nimrod Hunt
dr US
PortraitCarl LeBlanc
g, eg, bj *1955 US
James Scales
as US
Wilburn Green
eb, key US
PortraitTyler Mitchell
b US
PortraitRandall Murray
tr
Earl "Buster" Smith
dr 1932-2003 US
Al Evans
tr, fh US
Richard Williams
b
Hobart Dotson
tr 1922-1971 US
Everett Turner
tr
PortraitIndia Cooke
vn
PortraitArt Jenkins
voc 1933-2012 US
PortraitVictor Sproles
b *1927 US
PortraitDale Williams
eg, g US
Math Samba
perc
Roger Aralamon Hazoumé
perc
C. Scoby Stroman
dr, perc 1996-1996
PortraitCraig Haynes
dr, perc *1965
PortraitGeorge Burton
p
Bruce Edwards
g, eg
PortraitCalvin Newborn
g *1933 US
PortraitRobert Barry
dr 1932-2018 US
Lamont McClamb
tr, perc
PortraitKash Killion
vc, eb US
Robert Underwood
dr, key, eb US
Harry Richards
dr, perc
George Hudson
tr 1910-1996 US
PortraitPhil Cohran
tr, cor *1927 US
Russell Branch
cng, perc
Nate Pryor
tb US
Jim Herndon
tim, perc US
Eugene Brennan
cng
Chris Henderson
dr
William Cochran
dr
PortraitGene Easton
ts, as, fl, ob 1927-1998 US
PortraitRollo Radford
b, cb *1943 US
Reynold Scott
bs, fl
Farid Barron
p
Lucious Randolph
tr
PortraitBill Davis
b
PortraitAvreeayl Ra
perc, dr *1947 US
William Brister
dr, perc
PortraitJothan Callins
tr, b, eb 1942-2005 US
Matthew Brown
cng
Ronnie Brown
tr
PortraitJuini Booth
b, eb *1948 US
Bill Fielder
tr
Bo Bailey
tb
Fred Adams
tr, voc
Hakim Rahim
as, fl, voc
PortraitElson Nascimento
perc US
PortraitJames Stewart
bs, ts
Taylor Richardson
eg
PortraitMarvin "Bugalu" Smith
dr
Emmett McDonald
alp
PortraitBen Henderson
b *1955 US
Jon Hardy
dr
Yahya Abdul-Majid
ts, fl
PortraitWayne Anthony Smith, Jr.
PortraitDave Hotep
g, eg
PortraitCecil Brooks
tr
PortraitDave Davis
tb
Augustus Browning
eh GB
Mobarak Mahmoud
PortraitAbshalom Ben Shlomo
cl, fl, as *1943

Band Membership
Discography



Title Artist Year Type
Pine Street Theatre, October 28th 1988The Sun Ra Arkestra2018Album
The Stranger: A Radio PlayThe Sun Ra Arkestra2018Single
Sun EmbassyThe Sun Ra Arkestra2018Album
El Is A Sound Of JoyThe Sun Ra Arkestra2017Single
Plutonian NightsSun Ra / The Sun Ra Arkestra2017Single
Thunder Of The GodsThe Sun Ra Arkestra2017Album
Pictures of InfinityThe Sun Ra Arkestra2017Album
Space JazzThe Sun Ra Arkestra2017Compil.
The Lost Arkestra Series Vol 1 & 2The Sun Ra Arkestra2017Compil.
Supersonic SoundsThe Sun Ra Arkestra2017Album
SaturnThe Sun Ra Arkestra2017Single
The Lady With The Golden StockingsThe Sun Ra Arkestra2016Album
Friendly LoveThe Sun Ra Arkestra2016Album
Rocket Number NineThe Sun Ra Arkestra2016Album
The Intergalactic ThingThe Sun Ra Arkestra2016Album
The Space Age Is Here To StayThe Sun Ra Arkestra2016Compil.
Sun Ra And His Arkestra At Inter-Media Arts April 1991The Sun Ra Arkestra2016Album
The Sun Myth (African Chant)The Sun Ra Arkestra2016Album
I Roam The CosmosThe Sun Ra Arkestra2016Album
I'm Gonna Unmask The Batman / The Perfect ManThe Sun Ra Arkestra2016Single
Live In Winston-Salem, NC June 1990The Sun Ra Arkestra2015Album
Planets Of Life Or Death: Amiens '73The Sun Ra Arkestra2015Album
Live At BabylonThe Sun Ra Arkestra Under The Direction Of Marshall Allen2015Album
Live In The Late 80'sThe Sun Ra Arkestra2015Compil.
To Those Of Earth... And Other WorldsGilles Peterson Presents The Sun Ra Arkestra2015Compil.
Space Is The Place: 40th Anniversary EditionThe Sun Ra Arkestra2015Album
Sign Of The MythThe Sun Ra Arkestra2014Album
Crystal SpearsThe Sun Ra Arkestra2014Album
Continuation Vol. 2The Sun Ra Arkestra2014Album
Live In Nickelsdorf 1984The Sun Ra Arkestra2014Album
Jazz Heroes 10Ornette Coleman, The Sun Ra Arkestra2014Compil.
In The Orbit Of RaMarshall Allen Presents The Sun Ra Arkestra2014Compil.
3rd September 1988 ChicagoThe Sun Ra Arkestra2014Album
Other Strange WorldsThe Sun Ra Arkestra2014Album
Live In Ulm 1992The Sun Ra Arkestra2014Album
Live At The Red GarterThe Sun Ra Arkestra2013Album
Lost Arkestra Part.IIThe Sun Ra Arkestra2013Album
My Way Is The SpacewaysThe Sun Ra Arkestra2013Album
Space AuraThe Sun Ra Arkestra2013Album
Black Utopia: Sun Ra Lectures & RehearsalsThe Sun Ra Arkestra2012Album
Live At The Squat TheatreThe Sun Ra Arkestra2012Album
The Nubians Of Plutonia + Bad And BeautifulThe Sun Ra Arkestra2012Compil.
Angels And Demons At Play + Sound Sun Pleasure!! & We Travel The Space WaysThe Sun Ra Arkestra2012Compil.
Live At The Storyville In NYC - 29th October 1977The Sun Ra Arkestra2011Album
Wake Up Angels (Live At The Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival 1972-73-74)The Sun Ra Arkestra2011Compil.
Live At The Storyville In NYC - 24th October 1977The Sun Ra Arkestra2011Album
Live At Red Creek, Rochester, NYThe Sun Ra Arkestra2010Album
Lost Arkestra Part.IThe Sun Ra Arkestra2010Album
Live In LondonThe Sun Ra Arkestra2010Album
The Outer DarknessThe Sun Ra Arkestra2010Album
The Sub-DwellersThe Sun Ra Arkestra2010Album
Strange Worlds In My MindThe Sun Ra Arkestra2010Album
The Paris Tapes: Live At Le Théâtre Du Châtelet 1971The Sun Ra Arkestra2010Album
Beyond The Purple Star Zone / Oblique ParallaxThe Sun Ra Arkestra2010Compil.
Reflections In Blue / Hours AfterThe Sun Ra Arkestra2010Album
Points On A Space AgeThe Sun Ra Arkestra2009Album
The Second Stop Is JupiterThe Sun Ra Arkestra2009Compil.
Rocket Ship RockThe Sun Ra Arkestra2009Compil.
Interplanetary MelodiesThe Sun Ra Arkestra2009Compil.
Helsinki 1971 - The Complete Concert And InterviewThe Sun Ra Arkestra2009Album
Jazz In Silhouette / Sound Sun Pleasure!!The Sun Ra Arkestra2009Compil.
Live At The ParadoxThe Sun Ra Arkestra Under The Direction Of Marshall Allen2009Album
Nidhamu + Dark Myth Equation VisitationThe Sun Ra Arkestra2008Compil.
New HorizonsThe Sun Ra Arkestra2008Compil.
The Complete Detroit Jazz Center ResidencyThe Sun Ra Arkestra2008Album
Springtime In ChicagoThe Sun Ra Arkestra2006Album
Live In OaklandThe Sun Ra Arkestra2006Single
What Planet Is This?The Sun Ra Arkestra2006Album
Live At Club LingerieThe Sun Ra Arkestra2006Album
Lone Star Roadhouse And African StreetThe Sun Ra Arkestra2006Single
Live At Myron's BallroomThe Sun Ra Arkestra2006Album
East And West BerlinThe Sun Ra Arkestra2005Album
Solo Piano / Montreux And LuganoSun Ra / The Sun Ra Arkestra2005Album
Washington, D.C.The Sun Ra Arkestra / Rufus Harley Quintet2005Single
The Magic SunThe Sun Ra Arkestra2005Album
The Cry Of JazzThe Sun Ra Arkestra2004Single
Live At The PalominoThe Sun Ra Arkestra2003Album
Live In Atlanta 1984 - Astral Planes And New Moon BeamsThe Sun Ra Arkestra2003Album
Music For The 21st Century (Live At The Uncool Festival In Poschiavo, Switzerland)The Sun Ra Arkestra Under The Direction Of Marshall Allen2003Album
Music From Tomorrow's WorldThe Sun Ra Arkestra2002Album
It Is ForbiddenThe Sun Ra Arkestra2001Album
God's Private EyeThe Sun Ra Arkestra2000Album
Greatest Hits: Easy Listening For Intergalatic TravelThe Sun Ra Arkestra2000Compil.
Pathways To Unknown Worlds + Friendly LoveThe Sun Ra Arkestra2000Compil.
Live At Praxis '84The Sun Ra Arkestra2000Compil.
Life Is SplendidThe Sun Ra Arkestra1999Album
A Song For The SunThe Sun Ra Arkestra Under The Direction Of Marshall Allen1999Album
Outer Space Employment AgencyThe Sun Ra Arkestra1999Album
Black Myth / Out In SpaceThe Sun Ra Arkestra1998Compil.
Stardust From TomorrowThe Sun Ra Arkestra1996Album
Second Star To The Right (Salute To Walt Disney)The Sun Ra Arkestra1995Album
Live At The Hackney EmpireThe Sun Ra Arkestra1994Album
A Quiet Place In The UniverseThe Sun Ra Arkestra1994Album
Live From SoundscapeThe Sun Ra Arkestra1994Album
Fate In A Pleasant Mood / When Sun Comes OutThe Sun Ra Arkestra1993Compil.
Space Is The PlaceThe Sun Ra Arkestra1993Single
Friendly GalaxyThe Sun Ra Arkestra1993Album
PleiadesThe Sun Ra Arkestra With Symphony Orchestra1993Album
Destination UnknownThe Sun Ra Arkestra1993Album
Angels And Demons At Play / The Nubians Of PlutoniaThe Sun Ra Arkestra1993Compil.
Soundtrack To Space Is The PlaceThe Sun Ra Arkestra1993Album
Visits Planet Earth / Interstellar Low WaysThe Sun Ra Arkestra1992Compil.
We Travel The Spaceways / Bad & BeautifulThe Sun Ra Arkestra1992Compil.
Cosmic Tones For Mental Therapy / Art Forms Of Dimensions TomorrowThe Sun Ra Arkestra1992Compil.
Mystery, Mr, RaThe Sun Ra Arkestra1990Album
Mayan TemplesThe Sun Ra Arkestra1990Album
Live London 1990The Sun Ra Arkestra1990Album
Out There A MinuteThe Sun Ra Arkestra1989Compil.
Hours AfterThe Sun Ra Arkestra1989Album
Live At Pit-Inn Tokyo, Japan, 8, 8, 1988The Sun Ra Arkestra1988Album
Love In Outer SpaceThe Sun Ra Arkestra1988Album
Ep Collection Vol. 1-3The Sun Ra Arkestra1988Single
Reflections In BlueThe Sun Ra Arkestra1987Album
Cosmo Sun ConnectionThe Sun Ra Arkestra1985Album
Live At "Praxis ´84" Vol.IThe Sun Ra Arkestra1984Album
Live At "Praxis ´84" Vol.IIIThe Sun Ra Arkestra1984Album
Celestial LoveThe Sun Ra Arkestra1984Album
Live At "Praxis ´84" Vol.IIThe Sun Ra Arkestra1984Album
Nuclear WarThe Sun Ra Arkestra1984Album
Daddy's Gonna Tell You No Lie / A Foggy DayThe Cosmic Rays With The Sun Ra Arkestra / The Nu Sounds1983Single
A Fireside Chat With LuciferThe Sun Ra Arkestra1983Album
In EgyptThe Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab Plus The Cairo Jazz Band1983Album
Quest / Outer Space PlateauThe Sun Ra Arkestra1982Single
The Bridge / Rocket #9The Sun Ra Arkestra1982Single
Beyond The Purple Star ZoneThe Sun Ra Arkestra1981Album
Sunrise In Different DimensionsThe Sun Ra Arkestra1981Album
Dance Of Innocent PassionThe Sun Ra Arkestra1981Album
Voice Of The Eternal TomorrowThe Sun Ra Arkestra1980Album
On JupiterThe Sun Ra Arkestra1979Album
Song Of The StargazersThe Sun Ra Arkestra1979Album
Sleeping BeautyThe Sun Ra Arkestra1979Album
The Other Side Of The SunThe Sun Ra Arkestra1979Album
Omniverse / Disco 3000The Sun Ra Arkestra1979Compil.
I, PharaohThe Sun Ra Arkestra1979Album
Sound MirrorThe Sun Ra Arkestra1978Album
UnityThe Sun Ra Arkestra1978Album
Disco 3000The Sun Ra Arkestra1978Album
Media DreamsThe Sun Ra Arkestra1978Album
Some Blues But Not The Kind That's BlueThe Sun Ra Arkestra1977Album
Somewhere Over The RainbowThe Sun Ra Arkestra1977Album
Taking A Chance On ChancesThe Sun Ra Arkestra1977Album
A Blue One/Orbitration in BlueThe Sun Ra Arkestra Featuring Pat Patrick1977Single
Sun Ra And His Arkestra Featuring Pharoah SandersThe Sun Ra Arkestra Featuring Pharoah Sanders1976Album
Live At MontreuxThe Sun Ra Arkestra1976Album
What's New? (Sub Undergound Series) / The Invisible ShieldThe Sun Ra Arkestra1975Album
Love In Outer SpaceThe Sun Ra Arkestra1975Single
What's New? (Sub Undergound Series)The Sun Ra Arkestra1975Album
Pathways To Unknown WorldsThe Sun Ra Arkestra1975Album
The Invisible ShieldThe Sun Ra Arkestra1974Album
A Tonal View Of Times TomorrowThe Sun Ra Arkestra1974Album
Out Beyond The Kingdom OfThe Sun Ra Arkestra1974Album
Temple U (Sub Underground) (Cosmo Earth Fantasy)The Sun Ra Arkestra1974Album
Sleeping Beauty / The Invisible ShieldSun Ra, The Sun Ra Arkestra1974Album
The Outerspaceways Inc. (A Tonal View Of Times Tomorrow, Vol.3)The Sun Ra Arkestra1974Album
HorizonThe Sun Ra Arkestra1973Album
Space Probe / The Invisible ShieldThe Sun Ra Arkestra1973Album
Discipline 27-IIThe Sun Ra Arkestra1973Album
Universe In BlueThe Sun Ra Arkestra1972Album
The Solar-myth Approach, Vol. 2The Sun Ra Arkestra1972Album
Bad And BeautifulThe Sun Ra Arkestra1972Album
The Solar-Myth Approach Vol. 1The Sun Ra Arkestra1972Album
Nidhamu (Live In Egypt Vol. II)The Sun Ra Arkestra1972Album
Live In Egypt Vol. I (Nature's God) (Dark Myth Equation Visitation)The Sun Ra Arkestra1972Album
It's After The End Of The World - Live At The Donaueschingen And Berlin FestivalsThe Sun Ra Arkestra1971Album
The Solar-Myth Approach Vol. 1 & 2The Sun Ra Arkestra1971Compil.
My Brother The Wind, Vol IIThe Sun Ra Arkestra1971Album
Pictures Of InfinityThe Sun Ra Arkestra1971Album
The Outerspaceways Inc. (A Tonal View Of Times Tomorrow, Vol.3) / My Brother The Wind, Vol IIThe Sun Ra Arkestra1971Album
The Night Of The Purple MoonThe Sun Ra Arkestra1970Album
Holiday For Soul DanceThe Sun Ra Arkestra1970Album
ContinuationThe Sun Ra Arkestra1970Album
Sound Sun Pleasure!!The Sun Ra Arkestra1970Album
My Brother The WindThe Sun Ra Arkestra1970Album
The Nubians Of PlutoniaThe Sun Ra Arkestra1969Album
AtlantisThe Sun Ra Arkestra1969Album
Sound Of JoyThe Sun Ra Arkestra1968Album
October / Adventur In SpaceThe Sun Ra Arkestra1967Single
Strange StringsThe Sun Ra Arkestra1967Album
We Travel The Space WaysThe Sun Ra Arkestra1967Album
Saturn/Call for All DemonsThe Sun Ra Arkestra1967Single
Angels And Demons At PlayThe Sun Ra Arkestra1967Album
Cosmic Tones For Mental TherapyThe Sun Ra Arkestra1967Album
Interstellar Low WaysThe Sun Ra Arkestra1967Album
The Magic CityThe Sun Ra Arkestra1966Album
Other Planes Of ThereThe Sun Ra Arkestra1966Album
Visits Planet EarthThe Sun Ra Arkestra Featuring John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, Charles Davis1966Album
When Angels Speak Of LoveThe Sun Ra Arkestra1966Album
Art Forms Of Dimensions TomorrowThe Sun Ra Arkestra1965Album
Fate In A Pleasant MoodThe Sun Ra Arkestra1965Album
Secrets Of The SunThe Sun Ra Arkestra1965Album
When Sun Comes OutThe Sun Ra Arkestra1963Album
The Blue Set / Big City BluesThe Sun Ra Arkestra1960Single
Space Loneliness / State StreetThe Sun Ra Arkestra1960Single
Jazz In SilhouetteThe Sun Ra Arkestra1959Album
Hours After / Great Balls Of FireThe Sun Ra Arkestra1958Single
Super-Sonic JazzThe Sun Ra Arkestra1957Album
Super Blonde / Soft TalkThe Sun Ra Arkestra1956Single
Medicine For A Nightmare/UrnackThe Sun Ra Arkestra1956Single
I'm Coming Home / Last Call For LoveBillie Hawkins, The Sun Ra Arkestra1956Single
Dreaming / Daddy's Gonna Tell You No LieThe Cosmic Rays With The Sun Ra Arkestra1955Single
Journey To Saturn / EnlightenmentThe Sun Ra ArkestraSingle
The Sun Man SpeaksYochanan With The Sun Ra ArkestraSingle
PrimitoneThe Sun Ra ArkestraAlbum
Other ThoughtsThe Sun Ra ArkestraAlbum
Dreaming / Daddy's Gonna Tell You No LieThe Cosmic Rays With The Sun Ra ArkestraSingle
Music For The 21st Century (Live At Uncool 2003 Poschiavo Swiss Alps)The Sun Ra Arkestra Under The Direction Of Marshall AllenAlbum
A Fireside Chat With Lucifer / Temple UThe Sun Ra ArkestraAlbum
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Acknowledgements
To all the music fans that are contributing on Discogs, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Thanks to Franz Flückiger for providing Storygram used to visualize band membership.
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