The Sun Ra Arkestra @ Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY 8/24/25
Bill: The Sun Ra Arkestra
Venue: Union Pool, 484 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY
Date: 8/24/25
Door: Free
Active: 1956 (Philadelphia, PA)
Latest Release: Lights On A Satellite (In + Out Records, 2024)
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Led by 101-year-old Marshall Allen, The Sun Ra Arkestra has kept on going since the passing of Sun Ra in 1993. This is currently, at least by what the website says, 17 active members of the group. Marshall Allen has been with it since 1958 primarily on Saxophone, but he also brought out an EWI toward the end. Those electronic wind instruments are crazy looking. I never saw one before yesterday and while there were 70's prototypes, Akai officially introduced them in 1987.
From the website, there are six other members that joined in Sun Ra's lifetime. They are Vincent Chancey on French Horn since 1976, Michael Ray on Trumpet since 1978, Knoel Scott on Baritone and Alto Sax since 1979, Fred Adams on Trumpet since 1982, Tyler Mitchell on Bass since 1985, Elson Nascimento on Percussion since 1988, Jorge Silva on Percussion since 1989 and Kash Killion on Cello since 1989.
The newer members are Dave Davis on Trombone since 1997, D. Hotep on Guitar since 2000, Farid Abdul-Bari Barron on Piano since 2009, James Steward on Tenor Sax and Flute since 2011, Tara Middleton on Vocals since 2012 and some members where I can't find any start year including Cecil Brooks on Trumpet, George Gray on Drums, Chris Hemingway on Alto and Soprano Sax, Anthony Nelson on Baritone Sax and Professor Robert Stringer on Trombone.
The place was so full it was impossible to get a head count of who was playing and who wasn't, but they had a sizable procession of people filing out through the audience at the end of each set. Obviously the Arkestra is presented as a timely tribute to its leader, but Marshall Allen has got to be the oldest practitioner in Jazz and looks incredibly vibrant for 101 and has earned feature status in the group. He's probably the only person alive that can make Ron Carter look like a spring chicken at 88.
As usual with the Union Pool free Summer Thunder series, the show was outdoors at capacity. I went over after my own practice and waited about 10 minutes. I lucked out a bit because I was behind a group of six and one person left so I got waved in. I'd say I caught half of the first set but fortunately there was another full set to go. Since I saw the group in Central Park last year and knew what it was going to be like before going, I rolled with the space in the place and enjoyed the show. Space IS the place after all.
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