Sun Ra (1914-1993) was either born Herman Blount, in Birmingham, Alabama, or was of the Angel Race, from Saturn.
One very early morning in 1989, I crawled out of a hole in Manhattan, and down to Battery Square Park, where I saw Sun Ra and his Arkestra play a free concert at 5.30 am to honour the Summer Solstice. It was near the end of his long, influential career, and his guest star was Don Cherry, who played a n'goni. Ra performed in a flowing pink, quasi-Egyptian robe - it was a very groovy affair. Afterwards, even though I had no actual photo assignment, I asked this amazing man from Saturn if I could make a portrait of him, and Sun Ra graciously nodded, "Yes." Look at his powerful hands.
“Sun Ra? He’s out to lunch alright—same place I eat at.”
George Clinton
