Celebrate Sun Ra's Legacy in Birmingham

My name is Lee Shook. I'm a local music writer, DJ, archivist and documentarian from Birmingham, AL.

I'm launching this cosmic GoFundMe campaign in hopes of bringing a once-in-a-lifetime cultural event to the Magic City this coming May to honor the life, music and legacy of one of Birmingham's favorite sons and sonic exports, the one and only Herman "Sonny" Poole Blount. Better known around the universe as Sun Ra.

As a pioneering figure in the world of jazz, whose cultural influence has transcended several generations of players and fans around the globe, Ra has long stood at the vanguard of modern sound, casting a long and colorful shadow over all that have come before and after him. A revolutionary musical explorer who proudly erased the lines between deep-rooted traditionalism and more radical sonic experimentation-- and often in the breadth of the same song-- his futuristic attitude towards art, sound and philosophy have proven to be profoundly influential on 20th and 21st century artists from across the creative spectrum.

Yet despite his worldwide acclaim, and several generations of local enthusiasts keeping his spirit alive here in his hometown over the years, Ra has never been given an official celebration in honor of his myriad contributions to the world of music by the city itself, which we are hoping to change this year by creating— with the help of the Magic City— an official Sun Ra Day here in Birmingham on his intergalactic "arrival day" of May 22nd.

To help rally people to the cause, and honor the occasion of his 111th birthday, I am hoping to— with your help— raise enough money to bring the Arkestra back to Birmingham for a four day cultural event from May 21st-24th, that will feature movies, art shows, food, roundtable discussions, and educational events, as well as two performances by the band at two of the city’s most venerated musical institutions, in the form of The Nick (home of one of Sun Ra and the Arkestra’s most legendary local shows in 1988) and the Carver Theater.

To that end, I’ve partnered with several arts, music and film organizations— all of whom have contributed in their own way to honoring Sun Ra’s legacy over the years— to help pull the celebration off and host unique events around the city, including the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, Sidewalk Cinema, Saturn, Seasick Records, Southern Music Research Center and East Village Arts.

Doubling as a fundraiser for those same institutions, many of whom have struggled financially since Covid, and are facing even more economic stress given our current cultural climate, I wanted to figure out a way to give back to all of them in some way while simultaneously hosting the ultimate birthday bash for Ra here in the Magic City.

Having spent the past few months getting everyone on board, including the Arkestra themselves, all of whom are incredibly excited about the prospect of making it happen, I am going to try everything in my power to pull it off and make it a reality for our great city.

That being said, it’s not cheap to bring a thirteen piece band anywhere for a one-off show, especially one as legendary as the Arkestra.

Which is where you come in.

Even though it’s relatively short notice, I am hoping to raise enough money to not only pay for the Arkestra to come and play here for two distinct concerts, but also stay in the city as honorary guests for four days as we celebrate their inimitable bandleader, and them as well, so that they can participate in all of the events and not feel rushed getting home.

With that aim in mind, I am hoping to raise $31,000 to pay for all of their expenses, as well as the expenses of the events themselves, so that all proceeds from each occasion can go straight into the pockets of the venues that host them, with the main Sun Ra Day celebration at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame on May 22nd going to help fund their Saturday Jazz Greats education program for Birmingham’s youth. That price tag will also include all band fees, flights, hotel rooms, backline, food, transportation and incidentals we might encounter along the way.

It seems like a tall order, and a crazy thing to try and pull off on such a tight schedule, but I know in my heart we can do it if we all put our minds to it.

So much so that I am donating $1000 of my own money right off the bat to try and make it happen.

And although I wish there were a tier component to honor individual small donations in some way, given the limited schedule to get this done, and the fact that the events themselves are in-kind contributions to each participating venue for their ongoing financial well-being, we will not be offering a rewards system. Instead, we hope that civic-minded members of our community, both here and around the country— alongside Sun Ra fans from around the world— will see this as an opportunity to do something great to honor the memory and impact of Ra and carry his music and message forward well into the future, both here in Birmingham, as well as around the globe.

Will you help make this cosmic dream a reality???

Here is the current proposed schedule, which may be updated or changed slightly as we move forward:

Wednesday, May 21

- Sidewalk Cinema Presents: Space Is The Place + Surprise Film

Thursday, May 22

- Seasick Records Record Signing at 12 pm

- Educational Program TBA

- Sun Ra Day Celebration feat. Sun Ra’s Arkestra Live at the Carver Theatre

- Saturn After Party feat. Vishnu, Davis & Haleigh + Kirkos at 10:30 pm

Friday, May 23

- The Nick Presents: An Evening with The Arkestra at 6:30 pm

Saturday, May 24

- East Village Arts Presents: Craig Legg’s “Ark In Town: Paintings of Sun Ra Arkestra Past and Present” Exhibit + Moon Stew Pot Luck Lunch + The Shure Shot DJs (DJ Rahdu and DJ Suaze) and The Audiovore 11 am-2 pm

Official times and ticket sales for all events will be announced in the coming weeks!