TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
Few artists pushed the boundaries of jazz like Sun Ra. Composer, bandleader, and visionary, Sun Ra believed music could reshape consciousness. Long before “Afrofuturism” had a name, he blended swing, free jazz, electronic keyboards, poetry, and cosmic philosophy into a singular artistic universe.
With his Arkestra, Sun Ra rejected convention—embracing collective improvisation, space-age costumes, and mythic storytelling. He insisted on total artistic independence, recording prolifically and releasing music on his own label when mainstream outlets wouldn’t take the risk.
Sun Ra’s work was about freedom, identity, and possibility. His influence extends across jazz, experimental music, hip hop, and visual art.
This has been Rapp On Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and SC Public Radio, made possible by Layman Publishing Partners, celebrating 50 years of expert content creation, authoritative information management, and standards-driven print and digital production.