Their spiritual leader may no longer be with us, but Sun Ra Arkestra are determined that the legacy of the ineffable Sun Ra lives on. Sydney Festival placed the iconic Jazz ensemble in the gorgeous State Theatre for a 90 minute performance that ended in a deafening standing ovation, and the perfect feel of what the seminal Sun Ra has achieved.
The cosmic sound of left-field Jazz was felt with an up-beat and down-beat rollercoaster of the genre's greatest compositions, played through by a very comfortable and in-sync group of veteran musicians, who were all cloaked in their famous glittery and colourful loose-fitting robes which turned the stage into the brightest display of multi-coloured pizzazz; the kind you could just not tear your eyes from.
I sat captivated throughout the entire set as classics like 'Space is the Place,' 'Love in Outer Space,' 'Sometimes I'm Happy,' and 'This World is Not My Home,' wrapped around the entire audience with a warm embrace of celestial poetry set against mind-bending free-jazz.
The discipline with which these musicians came together and created this innovative style is evident with the impeccable timing and harmony of the band. Pianist Farid Abdul-Bari Barron kept everything tied together nicely with his light keys, while current leader - the 89 year old free-form Saxophonist Marshall Allen - deftly guided each member with the kind of vibrancy I've never seen from a man of that age.
A surprising version of 'When You Wish Upon A Star' was an early stand-out, Allen and Barron melting their sounds together to give us a lush, mellow sound. Vocalist Tara Middleton used her velvety voice to glide during pieces like the aforementioned 'Sometimes I'm Happy,' relaying the thoughtful song with palpable sadness and the kind of soul-grabbing depth that is all too rare.
Solos were performed as if each member were reaching the peak of their natural talent for the first time, with their fellow band members shouting out in joy each time a musician would 'discover' the peak of their musicianship. It was as if they were all locked into some collective religious experience and we were bearing witness to a private celebration of Jazz.
Some members danced across the stage, in particular Knoel Scott who busted out cartwheels and all before leading a small slice of the band through the stalls, brass in hand. This 13-piece orchestra was putting any younger contemporaries to shame, making for an excellent display of timeless music that has constantly evolved and remained unique since Sun Ra began stamping his vision on the world in the late 1950's.
With Sun Ra compiling one of the biggest discographies in music history, the Arkestra had so much to choose from and could have easily played longer than their 90 minute set; but capping things off with the definitive 'Space is the Place' was a perfect way to end a set that packed in so much energy and joy, spreading the word of one of Jazz's most important innovators.