Herman Blount left segregated Alabama, renamed himself Sun Ra and self-released more than 200 records on his own label; Christine Turner's 84-minute film tracks how the costumes and space mythology worked as liberation technology. Then saxophonist James Stewart, a longtime Arkestra member who came up through the Duke Ellington Orchestra, plays it live with his quartet. If the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival is your weekend, this is the deep end.
What to expect
The feature runs first, with rare archival footage, concert clips and interviews with current Arkestra members, followed by a conversation with special guest Craig Harris hosted by Stay For The Credits and then the James Stewart Quartet. The whole block spans about four and a half hours, and coming for one half of it is perfectly reasonable.
Good to know
- 2 or 3 to 125th Street puts you a block from the museum's West 125th Street entrance.
- Free but RSVP-gated — reserve through the City Parks Foundation listing rather than turning up cold.
- Seating is indoors and air-conditioned, which makes it the easiest festival program to sit through in the heat.
- Good for jazz obsessives and film people equally; the documentary assumes no prior Sun Ra knowledge.
- It sits early enough in the day to pair with the free SummerStage concert in Central Park later.
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Common questions
Is it free?
Yes, free with RSVP. It is an ancillary program of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, which City Parks Foundation runs free every August.
Can I come for just the music?
The James Stewart Quartet plays after the screening and the panel conversation, so arriving later gets you the set, subject to room capacity.
How long is the film?
Eighty-four minutes, directed and produced by Christine Turner, with a conversation afterward hosted by Stay For The Credits.
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