Traveling the Spaceways: Sun Ra, the Astro Black and other Solar Myths

Sun Ra (1914-1993) - self-proclaimed visionary extraterrestrial of the "Angel Race," prophetic jazz band leader and composer, and lyrical proponent of Afro-futurism - was one of the most influential figures of twentieth-century music. Though many of his fans are familiar with the philosophical and spiritual dimensions of Sun Ra's work, most remain blissfully unaware of how artists have continued to explore time and (outer) space through the invention and composition of his legacy. John Corbett, co-editor of the WhiteWalls Sun Ra titles The Wisdom of Sun Ra, Pathways to Unknown Worlds, and Traveling the Spaceways, recently wrote an article on Sun Ra for Design Observer. Corbett provides an eloquent introduction to Sun Ra and his Arkestra, mapping the Chicago spaces inhabited by Ra and his collaborators as they developed the El Saturn label and launched the Arkestra.