U.S. free-jazz ensemble that emerged during the mid-'50s. Initially centered around Sun Ra for almost 40 years, the Arkestra went through various incarnations and is still active currently under the leadership of Marshall Allen.
Note: Please use The Sun Ra Arkestra as PAN for only the releases that are a variation of Arkestra.
These few exceptions are not ANVs of the Arkestra and are PANs in their own right: The Sun Ra All Stars, Sun Ra Sextet, Sun Ra Quartet, Sun Ra Trio.
Note: Many Sun Ra Arkestra albums were published as Sun Ra albums, despite being full Arkestra recordings. See Sun Ra for more releases in the Sun Ra Arkestra discography.
Current lineup:
Marshall Allen - alto saxophone, flute, EVI - joined in 1958
Michael Ray - trumpet, vocals - joined in 1978
Fred Adams - trumpet - joined in 1982
Knoel Scott - alto saxophone - joined in 1979
Vincent Chancey - french horn - joined in 1976
Cecil Brooks - trumpet
Danny Ray Thompson - flute, baritone sax, alto sax, bassoon - joined in 1967
Abshalom Ben Shlomo - alto sax, clarinet - joined in 1970
Rey Scott - baritone saxophone - joined in 1988
[url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Dave+Davis+%288%29]Dave Davis - trombone - joined in 1997
Elson Nascimento - percussion - joined in 1988
Craig Holiday Haynes - drums - joined in 1980
D. Hotep - guitar - joined in 2000
[url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Yahya+Abdul-Majid]Yahya Abdul-Majid - tenor saxophone - joined in 1980
Kash Killion - cello - joined in 1989
[url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Bill+Davis+%285%29]Bill Davis - bass - joined in 1962
Tyler Mitchell - bass - joined in 1985
Juini Booth - bass - joined in 1967
Farid Abdul-Bari Barron - piano
James Stewart - tenor - joined in 2011
[url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Craig+Harris+%283%29]Craig Harris - trombone
[url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Wayne+Anthony+Smith%2C+Jr.]Wayne Anthony Smith Jr. - drums
Tara Middleton - voice, percussion, violin
Atakatune (Stanley Morgan) - conga, timbal - joined in 1972
George Burton - piano - joined in 2015
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December 27, 2025
TV Eye
Queens, New York, United StatesDecember 14, 2025
Bowery Ballroom
New York, New York, United States1. Calling Planet Earth
October 29, 2025
Keystone Korner Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland, United States1. Stranger in Paradise(George Forrest & Robert Wright cover)
2. Angels and Demons at Play(Sun Ra cover)
3. Fate in a Pleasant Mood
October 25, 2025
Explanada de la Alhóndiga de Granaditas
Guanajuato, Guanajuato, MexicoSeptember 13, 2025
Modern Sky Lab
Shanghai, Shanghai, ChinaSeptember 3, 2025
Grande Halle de la Villette
Paris, Île-de-France, FranceAugust 30, 2025
The Wharf DC
Washington, Washington, D.C., United States1. Rocket Number Nine(Sun Ra cover)
2. Space Is the Place(Sun Ra cover)
August 24, 2025
Union Pool
Brooklyn, New York, United StatesAugust 4, 2025
Lodge Room
Los Angeles, California, United StatesLate show - "Outer Space Jazz Set"
View on Setlist.fm →August 4, 2025
Lodge Room
Los Angeles, California, United StatesEarly show - "Big Band Swing Show"
1. Make Another Mistake(Sun Ra cover)
2. Night of the Living Sky
3. Walking on the Moon(Sun Ra cover)
4. Images(Sun Ra cover)
5.
6. Saturn(Sun Ra cover)
7.
8. Tapestry From an Asteroid
9. Rocket Number Nine(Sun Ra cover)
10. Angels and Demons at Play(Sun Ra cover)
July 31, 2025
SFJAZZ Festival Tent
San Francisco, California, United StatesJuly 5, 2025
Scène Rogers
Montreal, Quebec, CanadaJuly 1, 2025
The Annie W. and Elizabeth M. Anderson Theater
Cincinnati, Ohio, United StatesJune 30, 2025
SPACE
Evanston, Illinois, United States1. Seductive Fantasy(Sun Ra cover)
2. Swirling
3. Hocus Pocus(Will Hudson cover)
4. Angels and Demons at Play(Sun Ra cover)
5. Springtime in Chicago
6. Holiday for Strings(David Rose and His Orchestra cover)
7. Lights on a Satellite
8. Tapestry From an Asteroid
9.
10. Rocket No. 9
11. Unmask the Batman
12. Big John's Special(Horace Henderson cover)
13. Enlightenment(Sun Ra cover)
14. We Travel the Spaceways(Sun Ra cover)
June 29, 2025
The Promontory
Chicago, Illinois, United StatesJune 27, 2025
Playhouse Square
Cleveland, Ohio, United StatesJune 12, 2025
The Music Hall at World Cafe Live
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United StatesMay 23, 2025
The Nick
Birmingham, Alabama, United StatesMay 22, 2025
Carver Theatre for the Performing Arts
Birmingham, Alabama, United StatesSetlist incomplete and out of order
1. Somebody Else's World(Sun Ra cover)
2. Holiday for Strings(David Rose and His Orchestra cover)
3. Angels and Demons at Play(Sun Ra cover)
4. I Am Gonna Unmask the Batman(Sun Ra cover)
5. Baby Won't You Please Be Mine(Sun Ra cover)
May 18, 2025
Academy of Music Theatre
Northampton, Massachusetts, United StatesThe Sun Ra Arkestra has released 3+ albums. Some of their notable releases include Nothing Is ... Completed & Revisited, Live In Nickelsdorf 1984, Black Utopia: Sun Ra Lectures & Rehearsals. Explore their complete discography on this page.
Some of The Sun Ra Arkestra's most popular tracks include Egypt Strut, Springtime Again, Door of the Cosmos, Enlightenment, Watusa. Listen to these songs and discover more from their extensive catalog.
U.S. free-jazz ensemble that emerged during the mid-'50s. Initially centered around Sun Ra for almost 40 years, the Arkestra went through various incarnations and is still active currently under the l... Read the full biography on this page.
You can find The Sun Ra Arkestra vinyl records and merchandise on eBay. We feature a curated selection of vinyl releases and collectibles available for purchase.
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