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Space Is The Place: The Lives And Times Of Sun Ra Paperback – August 22, 1998

by John F. Szwed (Author)

19 customer reviews

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Sun Ra, a.k.a. Herman Poole "Sonny" Blount (1914–1993), has been hailed as "one of the great big-band leaders, pianists, and surrealists of jazz" (New York Times) and as "the missing link between Duke Ellington and Public Enemy" (Rolling Stone). Composer, keyboardist, bandleader, philosopher, poet, and self-proclaimed extraterrestrial from Saturn, Sun Ra led his "Intergalactic Arkestra" of thirty-plus musicians in a career that ranged from boogie-woogie and swing to be-bop, free jazz, fusion, and New Age music. This definitive biography reveals the life, philosophy, and musical growth of one of the twentieth century's greatest avant-garde musicians.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John F. Szwed is Musser Professor of Anthropology, African-American Studies, Music, and American Studies at Yale University. He has written about music for TheVillage Voice, Vibe,the Boston Phoenix, and other publications. He lives in Connecticut.

Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Da Capo Press; 1st Da Capo Press ed edition (August 22, 1998)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0306808552
ISBN-13: 978-0306808555
Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.1 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
Average Customer Review: 19 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #786,643 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #160 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography & Video > Equipment, Techniques & Reference > Lighting
- #414 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Biographies > Jazz
- #948 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Musical Genres > Jazz

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Anthony J Parks Jr

Undoubtedly space is the place

March 10, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I've not had an easy year. Extreme stress, trauma, working constantly, moving back and forth across the country, and repairing several addictions. It made me put down my guitar, my synthesizer, microphones. I picked up this book out of curiosity, having listened to compilations of the Arkestra's recordings over the years and seeing time and again my favorite musicians cite Sun Ra as a major influence. I started reading through it and fell in love with music itself all over again, reconnecting with that cosmic spiritual power it has over my being. I've started writing and composing feverishly again, putting aside anything that gets in the way of the music. As far as the book goes, it does a great job painting the scene with little details and keeping in mind the historical context. Szwed explicates some of the more mystifying ideas and places them in a social and racial context. It's safe to say I now 'get' Sun Ra's mantra 'Space Is The Place': the vastness of the cosmos, the possibilities for new feelings, new sounds, is where humanity needs to look to in order to grow and exceed the bounds of its manifold limitations. This book in no way proselytizes Sun Ra's ideology but spells it out for the curious in the context of his life story. Highly recommended.

4 people found this helpful5 people found this helpful

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Mark S. Williams

A book as unique as its subject

October 16, 2013

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Space Is The Place is John F. Szwed's remarkably well-researched biography of Sun Ra. Speaking as a professional jazz musician, I appreciated the compelling insights into the creative processes behind Sun Ra's innovations in sound. The book also presents a thorough exposition of Sun Ra's life philosophy, one that was informed by works stretching back thousands of years. Sun Ra was so disciplined and principled, he served time and suffered contempt from the community and his family for being a conscientious objector during the Second World War. Sun Ra was truly a unique individual, and John Szwed's book is as unique as its subject.

5 people found this helpful6 people found this helpful

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Thomas M. Galla

infinite heart centered connection in the music and life of sun ra

September 8, 2012

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The author of this book was most successful in conveying the feeling of inspiration which fuels the artistry in Sun Ra's music. He documented Sun Ra's life in a very multi-dimensional way. I have listened to about 8 of Sun Ra's recordings so far. This has been over about a ten year period. I am not a musician, so I don't relate to Sun Ra's music in that way. I do relate to it in terms of the spiritual inspiration and information by intuiting the sounds that arise when he transmits his vision of the cosmos. This whole book was a very delectable journey for me into the realms of my own past as Sun Ra's journey unfolded during some of those same years. We are all the recipients of his wisdom and the splendid variety of sounds he left as his legacy. This book is a welcome testament to his influence on the planet. After reading this book it was apparent to me that Sun Ra, besides being a genius of a musician and hands down the most creative synthesizer player I've ever heard, was also a spiritual trailblazer who channeled the higher aspects of his being in a most marvelous and inspirational way.

3 people found this helpful4 people found this helpful

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Best Of All

The Sun Shines Brightly

November 5, 2006

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Sun Ra has remained one of the most misunderstood musicians of our time. And in the case of many music geniuses, Sun Ra would keep the critics and fans at arm's length, but welcome musicians into his world of philosophy and art.

Author John F. Szwed does an almost impossible task of peeling of the layers of myth and disinformation to present the real life, struggles and triumphs of Sun Ra. Szwed brilliantly weaves through the situations which shaped his life while growing up in Birmingham, Ala., the highs and exteme lows in the jazz world of Chicago and New York City & how persistence finally yielded an understanding - on various levels - from fans who also wanted to challenge the barriers erected in the music industry.

The philosophy of Sun Ra is explained and Szwed shows how it influenced every facet of his life on and off stage. I strongly believe Szwed ends any debate on how Sun Ra lived his life and what he demanded from those around him.

This must have been a very difficult undertaking for Szwed, but his outstanding research and balanced reporting yields a fantastic biography on a person we can continue to learn from.

3 people found this helpful4 people found this helpful

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Vincent S. Meghrouni

Great book. Very well researched and written

August 4, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Great book. Very well researched and written. And... it's Sun Ra.

One person found this helpful

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Howard Mandel

The best bio of a unique artist

May 9, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

There.'s never been anyone like Sun Ra, a visionary musician, activist and theorist who rose from obscurity and the African-American jazz world of the 1940/ to international recognition, amusement and befuddlement. Ra, born Herman Blount in Alabama, believed he was not of this earth, and who would dispute him? For almost 50 years, he led an ensemble of individualistic instrumentalists, singer June Tyson, dancers, costumers and filmmakers in explorations of an alternative to conventions about human circumstances. John Szwed details his life with warmth and insight into Ra, his music and his collaborations. He does not so much demystify his subject as depict him clearly as a rare actor on a stage that the rest of us take for grant d as "reality." Well-written and an entertaining biography.

One person found this helpful2 people found this helpful

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A. Sykora

We learn of Ra's life & of Birmingham & Chicago ...

January 4, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

We learn of Ra's life & of Birmingham & Chicago. I haven't finished it yet but I believe we might read all books about Ra. He seemed to read every book he could find.

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