The Sun Ra Arkestra

The Sun Ra Arkestra is an American avant-garde jazz and Afrofuturist big band led by the late composer, pianist, bandleader, and poet Sun Ra. Founded in the mid-1950s, the group blended spiritual, cosmic, and experimental elements of jazz with theatrical stage shows, making them one of the most influential and enduring jazz acts of all time.

The Arkestra’s standout albums include The Nubians of Plutonia (1966), Atlantis (1969), Sun Ra & His Arkestra: Live at Montreux (1977), and Strange Strings (1969). Notable songs include “Space is the Place”, “Nuclear War”, “Rocket Number Nine”, and “Interplanetary Music”.

An interesting fact about The Sun Ra Arkestra is that they are the only jazz band to have performed in outer space, as they beamed a performance to an audience of extraterrestrials in 1978.