While living in Chicago, Herman Poole “Sonny” Blount became Sun Ra—the leader of the Arkestra and a composer and arranger of some of the most avant-garde jazz of the time. He was also the architect of a philosophy that informed his music, his life, and the lives of those around him: a synthesis of Black Nationalism, Egyptology, futurism, occultism and Southern Baptist preaching. This Web exhibit explores Sun Ra’s Chicago years through images and sound recordings of his poetry and music, vinyl records and album artwork, promotional materials, and early controversial broadsheets. Visit the exhibit at http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/webexhibits/sunra/.
Click on the thumbnails below for high resolution jpegs. Credit the Special Collections Research Center, The University of Chicago Library when using these images.
Saturn SR9956-2-B, 33 1/3 rpm, 1965
Saturn LP 5786, 33 1/3 rpm, 1959
1960. Photo by Charles Shabacon
Media contact: Rachel Rosenberg, ra-rosenberg@uchicago.edu, 773-834-1519
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