The October Revolution of Jazz & Contemporary Music

The Sun Ra Arkestra is a singular phenomenon in the history of jazz, a cosmically-oriented big band whose repertoire mingles avant-garde jazz, classic swing, Walt Disney soundtracks and radically transformed standards. The Arkestra was founded by Saturn (by way of Alabama) native Sun Ra in the mid-1950s, ahead of their time then as they are now, finally settling in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood in 1968. While their namesake left the planet in 1993, the Arkestra has forged ahead with a raucous spirit, sequined splendor and interstellar inspiration under the leadership of alto sax legend Marshall Allen, who turned 93 this year. They’ll be performing their seminal 1973 Impulse Records album “Space is the Place” in its entirety.