Sun Ra: An Obituary

THE SUN SETS ON A LIFE OF INNOVATION AND JAZZ
Sun Ra: 1914-1993
by David S. Rotenstein

TIMES LEADER (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania)
Sunday, June 20, 1993

Frail and suffering the ill effects of several strokes, jazz pianist Sun Ra died May 30 in his home town of Birmingham, Ala.

The self-proclaimed immortal avant-garde musician, who for the past 40 years had claimed stellar origins, returned not to Saturn or the cosmos, but to a hospital bed in the town where he grew up as Herman Blount.

Known for his outlandish costumes and renowned for concocting unheard-of chord progressions, Sun Ra was one of the most prolific African-American composers and artists of the 20th century. His recordings number in the hundreds and there is no way to gauge how much material remains to be discovered in his Philadelphia row home.

"They'd have to hear the music," said Sun Ra. His music, he believed, was the only way to truly appreciate the man.

Sun Ra came into existence in Chicago during the 1950s. Herman Blount, however, was born in Birmingham in 1914.

Sun Ra always maintained that he was never born. Until recently, writers could only suggest that Sun Ra was born sometime between 1910 and 1915. But Sun Ra, if pushed, would admit that he came into existence in 1914. Yale anthropologist John F. Szwed, who is working on a biography of Sun Ra, recently discovered the artist's school records in Birmingham. They indicate Herman Blount was born May 22, 1914.

With an eccentric artist such as Sun Ra it is easy to look beyond the man and focus on the surface expression -- the colorful costumes and robes, the legends of a musical cult in his crowded home, and the wonderfully weird and fresh sounds preserved on vinyl, tape, and CD.

Beneath the surface, however, there was a brilliant artist who pioneered musical style and instrumentation.

As a child, Sun Ra was exposed to the musical riches of the South: Gospel, jazz, blues, and hillbilly music. The music of Fletcher Henderson drew young Herman Blount to Chicago.

"It's always influenced my playing because from a child I was very interested in Fletcher Henderson's orchestra," recalled Sun Ra. After Henderson died in 1952, Herman Blount struck out on his, emerging as Sun Ra.

Why?

"Because Blount wasn't my name, so I had to get a name that was me," said Sun Ra.

In 1990 Sun Ra suffered the first of a series of strokes. Before then, he had claimed to be immortal. When asked if after the strokes he still believed that he was immortal, he replied: "We are not indicating a death."

And the strokes?

"I reckon it's God's way of doing things," said Sun Ra.

Though Sun Ra acknowledged that by 1992 he no longer attended church -- "Sometimes I went," -- he'd say, he cryptically admitted that he worshipped God through the television. Ironically as he spoke a Gospel vocalist sings, "Right here by Jesus..."

Musically, Sun Ra will be remembered from crafting elaborate arrangements of jazz masterpieces by his mentor Fletcher as well as works by Duke Ellington. He escaped the confines of musical tradition by pioneering the use of electronic keyboards in jazz, enabling him to bend notes and unfurl chords like no other pianist.

His music, he said simply, was "about creativity. It comes from sincerity, from the universe."

Creativity surrounded Sun Ra. It was in the streets, in his mind, on the radio and television, and in books. He was as well-read as any Ph.D.; books littered his home and he often referred to the many history and philosophy books which he read.

"I write about whatever I hear," he explained. "Whenever the spirit hits me to write."

Since 1970 Sun Ra lived in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Over the past two decades scores of would-be musicians had shown up on his doorstep looking for inspiration and a place in one of the artist's band, "arkestras" as he called them.

"They are sent to me," said Sun Ra of the people who came to his door. "I have taught so many musicians."

Sun Ra never looked for anything in particular in the people who sought him out. If a person gave him the right feeling, Sun Ra would mold the artist out of the person.

"I have to create a sound for them. It's just like a tailor making a suit, I have to tailor make a sound for the person," he said.

Last year Sun Ra cancelled many of his shows and in October he was again hospitalized in Philadelphia. Perhaps Sun Ra knew more about his mortality than he let on; he returned to Birmingham where he was admitted to Princeton Baptist Medical Center. Over the years, Sun Ra spoke little about his days as Herman Blount in Birmingham. Egypt, maintained Sun Ra, was his favorite place on Earth.

So why did he return to Birmingham to die?

"It was like paradise in a sense," said Sun Ra. "Because that's where I developed myself musically."

He was then asked: "What do you think of people who write about you? Do they portray you accurately."

"No, they never had a chance. There's nothing wrong about (what people write) they just really don't understand, 'cause I don't understand," he replied.

In death, as in life, Sun Ra will remain a mysterious musical legend.