Herman Poole Blount · 1914 – 1993

The Spaceways of Sun Ra

An archival and research site exploring the music, poetry, film, and cosmic philosophy of Sun Ra and the Arkestra.

Explore the Spaceways

Discography

200+ albums · El Saturn · Saturn Research

Modern Harmonic · Strut · ESP · Impulse

Filter by era, label or year · Cover art · Audio links

Browse Albums →
1914 · Born in Birmingham, Alabama
1956 · El Saturn Records founded
1971 · Egypt tour · Space Is the Place

Timeline

Chronological life & music events

Filter by type · Expandable event cards

Links to albums, films, IIIF archives

Explore →

Videos

Live performances · Concerts · Rare footage

Chicago · NYC · Egypt · Montreux · Rome

Filter by era · Modal player · YouTube embeds

Watch →

Musicians

Arkestra members · Soloists · Collaborators

Photo · Bio · Era · Related albums & videos

Marshall Allen · John Gilmore · Pat Patrick…

Meet →

"I come from a dream the black man dreamed long ago…"

Poetry

Published works · Cosmic texts · Manifestos

Immerman Galleries · Saturn pamphlets

Searchable · Publisher info · PDF links

Read →

Films

Space Is the Place · Cry of Jazz · Docs

Year · Director · Availability

"Screening room" with modal player

Screen →

Books

Published books · Essays · Academic works

Cover art · Author · Publisher · Year

Histories · Biographies · Discographies

Browse →

Magazines

Jazz press · Articles · Features

Downbeat · Metronome · Jazz publications

Year · Issue · Coverage

Browse →
IIIF Manifests
High-res scans
Mirador viewer

Archives

IIIF digital archives · Manuscripts · Scores

Archival documents · Handwritten scores

Zoomable high-resolution · Mirador viewer

Browse Archives →
"Sometimes when I’m playing for a band, playing space music… I’m using ordinary instruments, but actually I’m using them in a manner… transforming certain ideas over into a language which the world can understand."

— Sun Ra

Interview excerpt quoted in John F. Szwed, “Space Is the Place: The Lives and Times of Sun Ra”

spoken interview · Interview c. 1960s–1970s; published 1997