Sun Ra

Sun Ra — jazz & standards artist from US.

Sun Ra was a controversial figure in jazz, known for his eclectic music, elaborate costumes, and erratic documentation of his recordings. Despite this, he was…

Genres

jazz & standardsjazzavant-garde jazzfree jazzspiritual jazzrockart rockothersexperimentalfourth worldafricanafrofuturism

Influential: 56.49% Fanbase: 36.32% Trending: 66.57%

As of: 2025-09-07

Top Brand Affinity

Highest overlapping lifestyle brand

Not available

As of 2025-09-07

0

Social Media Followers

As of 2025-09-07

00:00:00

Hours Airplay

Scores

Score: DMDB 56.49% | Fanbase 36.32% | Trending 66.57% | CAREER STAGE: MID_LEVEL

Biography

Sun Ra was a controversial figure in jazz, known for his eclectic music, elaborate costumes, and erratic documentation of his recordings. Despite this, he was a major innovator, leading his own band and experimenting with diverse influences and avant-garde styles. Ra's work gained recognition in New York in the 1960s, particularly with albums like The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, earning praise from jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk.

Moving to Philadelphia in 1968, Sun Ra and his Arkestra gained popularity through tours and performances in the U.S. and Europe, blending free improvisation with mystical chants and eccentric swing tunes. Their groundbreaking album Space Is the Place, released in 1973, and the accompanying experimental film solidified Ra's influence in Afrofuturism. Despite Ra's death in 1993, his legacy lives on through reissues and posthumous releases, showcasing his unique blend of music and mythology.