Sun Ra: The Immeasurable Equation. The collected Poetry and Prose

By Hartmut Geerken and Sun Ra

A talented pianist and composer in his own right, Sun Ra (1914 - 1993) founded and conducted one of jazz's last great big bands from the 1950s until he left planet Earth. Few only know that he also was a gifted thinker and poet. Sun Ra's poetry leaves everything behind what's called contemporary, and flings out pictures of infinity into the outer space. These poems are for tomorrow. This is the only edition of Sun Ra's complete poetry and prose in one volume. The Contributors James L. Wolf Earned a music degree from Carleton College, and studied ethnomusicology at the University of Washington, Seattle. Now works at the Library of Congress in the Music Division. Active musician in various bands in the DC area. Many contributions to Sun Ra scholarship. Hartmut Geerken Oriental studies, philosophy and comparative religion at the universities of T bingen and Istanbul. Writer, filmmaker, musician, composer. Since the 1970s, close relationships to Sun Ra and his works, setting up the world's most comprehensive Waitawhile Sun Ra Archive Sigrid Hauff Studied oriental languages and arts, philosophy, and romance studies at the universities of T bingen and Istanbul. Free lance writer on literary and philosophical subjects. Klaus Detlef Thiel Studied philosophy and history at Trier University, Ph.D. Philosophical author, focussing on theory and history of writing. Brent Hayes Edwards Teaches in the English Department at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. Author and Co-Editor of works on jazz and literature.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 3833426594
• ISBN13: 9783833426599
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Bod - Books on Demand
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 2.22 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A DEEP LOOK INTO SUN RA'S PROSE AND POETRY

477 pages of prose (which comprises a total of 30 pages) and poetry,including the preface.This book is laid out very well. Both the prose and poetry are listed according to the alphabetical order of the titles. The late (1914-1993) Sun Ra's writings are presented with the seriousness and importance they deserve. Many people take Sun Ra for a clown,or someone possibly mentally ill,certainly not a "real" musician. Usually these are people who have never heard his wonderful,exciting,big band or small group music (some of which is very straight forward),let alone read any of his writings. This book will certainly set the record straight,for it is full of Ra's writings (he started writing poetry at age nine),collecting previously published works,usually printed in very small press runs,along with much that has not been seen by the public. The first fifty or so pages are given over to explaining and placing Ra's writings in the context of the times. The five editors/scholars go into some detail concerning the influences on Sun Ra and,in turn,how his writing influenced others. There are several black and white photographs of Sun Ra/Herman Blount (his real name). Ra is shown in informal portraits wearing street clothes,wearing headphones with a cassette deck around his neck. Of interest is a list of books in Ra's personal library,which is just a small amount of his wide reading habit. They deal with subjects such as black history,folklore,politics,occultism,Egyptology,philosophy,astrology,magic,etc. This wonderful collection should be read alongside John Szwed's "Space Is The Place",which gives a good look into the life of Sun Ra. Sun Ra's writings not only stand alone as prose and poetry,but in some cases were used as lyrical ideas for his music. A number of his poems (included) were used as chants in a number of songs used by his Intergalactic Arkestra. Beyond that,reading his writings is like listening to his music-sometimes recognizable,sometimes impenetrable,but always interesting if not exciting. After reading his work,you come away with the same feeling as if you had listened to his music-that you have just witnessed something unique. You might not understand all of it,but you want to have that experience that maybe something new will reveal itself by going over it again. His writings,like his music,is a challenge. But its worthwhile because it brings up a new,different viewpoint,a different way of seeing the world. Sun Ra (who liked to say he was from another planet) was a unique,gifted musician. He could arrange anything from traditional big band music and straight ahead jazz for smaller groups,to percussion workouts,to piano/synthesizer (and other unique keyboards) jams which would challenge any music listener. His collected writings will do the same thing. This book is for hardcore Sun Ra listeners who want a deeper look into just who Herman Blount really was. Below is a sample of Ra's poetry,which to my eyes/ears