Witnessing the Sun Ra Arkestra in concert is to be taken to a higher plane, to places both familiar and unknown. The mere thought of the unknown can make us nervous, the feeling of uncertainty, of not controlling every move we make. But there is no sense of nervousness when surrounding oneself with the sonic tones of the Arkestra. They are friendly guides, as if they have spent their lives awaiting you for this journey. The only decision you have left to make is if you are willing to climb aboard. Whatever you decide, no judgment will be cast your way.
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the Arkestra perform numerous times, and the level of wonder and joy they fill me with never diminishes; rather, it is the opposite, for you are never watching the same show twice. Their musical catalog spans the wide history of jazz in all its past, present, and future forms. As an ensemble, they can veer from a ragtime tune to a modal composition, from an uptempo groove to a slow ballad, and it never feels discordant or schizophrenic. Collectively, they are a living, breathing example of the sum being far mightier than its parts, yet without those parts, we wouldn’t have the sum as we know it.
Taking in the Arkestra perform, I cannot help but feel creatively encouraged; they make one want to contribute ideas and art to the world. In that regard, I’m not alone, as my father, photographer Michael O’Brien, has been inspired by the Arkestra whenever we’ve seen them together. It’s always a delight to see the Arkestra with my father, a true bonding experience; it’s a rare treat to witness them perform twice in one week, as was the case in August. Both shows were held outdoors, and time and time again the ensemble shows that the greatest venue for them is the openness of nature, whether in a sunny Brooklyn neighborhood or in the wide, sculpture-filled slopes of the Storm King Art Center in the Hudson Valley. Without the shackles of a concert hall, they can roam free, spiritually and physically, their music enveloping the daytime and nighttime sky and casting its powerful, friendly rhythms to the heavens and earth alike.
When the Arkestra are taking off on rocket number nine, you can feel the launch. Before you recognize it, you are off into space, orbiting a galaxy that may be distant, beyond the stars, or maybe right in front of you.
The Arkestra cannot be confined by walls; their music exists to fill space with beauty and break down barriers between performer and audience.
Action is powerful, and the Arkestra twist and turn, expressing joy with all the movement available in the universe. In place of longtime leader Marshall Allen, who was unable to make these shows, Knoel Scott served as bandleader, giving the members musical cues.
When you see the Sun Ra Arkestra play, music is central but not the sole inhabitant. Colors delight the sky, dancers twirl toward the heavens, and even fire becomes part of the show.
(L) Sun Ra Arkestra at Storm King Art Center. (R) Sun Ra Arkestra at Union Pool. Photos by Michael O'Brien.
There’s a soothing comfort in hearing the Arkestra perform, knowing that the music Sun Ra wrote and recorded decades ago continues to be played, and will keep spreading around the world for years to come. Amid all our rushing and busyness, it’s important to take a breath, step back, and envelop oneself in the beauty that surrounds us. The beauty of nature; the beauty of art; the beauty of music. When you purchase a ticket to see the Sun Ra Arkestra, you are buying a ticket to, to borrow from one of their album titles, Other Planes of There. As the sun sets and the night sky arrives, the only sound in the distance is the Arkestra playing to an audience of nature.
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