adler planetarium sun ra tribute concert
adler planetarium sun ra tribute concert
The Chicago Adler Planetarium concert was fantastic, far exceeding expectations. The Sun Ra Tribure Arkestra presented a three hour program of music and dance, many personal reminiscences, and astronomical insights on black holes by scientist Hunter Adams. The band, ascending the stage from a rear corridor and stairwell, chanting "space is the place", played under 15 foot diameter 3-D models of Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus while wearing yellow and purple-striped egyptian headresses. The complete songlist included the national anthem soulfully sung by Rick Murray, followed by "Lift Every Voice and Sing", "Fate in a Pleasant Mood"(Sun Ra), "Negative Sound"(Sun Ra), "Apsara"(Cohran), "Ode to Sun Ra"(Cohran), "Ra Son"(Cohran), and the highlight finale "Prophsey"(Cohran); an uplifting and ethereal orchestral piece featuring Cohran's harp and recorded samples of the Hubble Space telescope encountering the Earth's magnetic field. Among the many other stand out moments were Cohran's amplified african thumb piano sounding somewhat like Ra's popping synthesizer, the expressive dancing of Althea Teamer Frazier wearing costumes unique to each song(including one as an insect with flashing red light third eye and antennae, set to insect lyrics) and Robert Barry's personal reminiscence which included the revelation that Sonny Rollins, while kicking heroin in Chicago, accepted only one gig during his stay, exclusively on alto with Sun Ra, and was inspired by Ra to play an extraordinary evening of music.
At the planetarium,I entered the new addition, a glass and steel structure surrounding the old planetarium dome, which looks as if the "Lost in Space" flying saucer has just landed on Lake Michigan. By some pleasant fate a planetarium gentleman escorted me to a table that sat tribute leader Phil Cohran and the Adler Publicity Director in charge of their web announcement of the concert. Unfortunately, no notice had been placed with the local media for the show, although WDCB had an announcement the day of the concert. (thank you, Joe Moudry, I would have missed it otherwise if not for your saturn post) As a result, at the outset of the workshop presented by Phil only about five people were in attendance, although it swelled to about forty by hour's end, ten of whom were grammar school children beginning their journey as future saturnians. After the workshop, there was an intermission with a planetarium star and planet show including a trip to Mars. The concert also started slowly in attendance but finished with about two hundred very, very happy people (and a few startled ones), with a wonderful intermission where guests and musicians traded stories, and ventured outside on the "spaceship" deck to look at the clear night sky honoring Sun Ra with a presentation of the crescent moon, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. I brought a micro-cassette tape recorder and taped the half-hour conversation I had with Phil, and his workshop, the concert and commentaries. I hope to transcribe some of it to the saturn list piecemeal over the next few weeks, alot of great stuff.
Phil Cohran plays every Saturday night at the Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant on 6120 N. Broadway in Chicago from 7-10pm. Phil asked me for a copy of the workshop taping; I hope to trade it for a videotape of the concert.
One last thing. That night there were many stories of Sun Ra's mysterious powers. The temperature gauge display light in my car burnt out over a year ago. After the concert, the gauge light started shining again, and has been working ever since. Just another sign? To be continued...
Dean DelBene
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