American Masters dives into the groundbreaking work of the visionary jazz musician and Godfather of Afrofuturism.
“Sun Ra: Do The Impossible” premieres Friday, February 20 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming on the WXXI app.
From swing to bebop to free jazz, Sun Ra bridged myriad musical styles to form his own avant-garde sound. With his ever-evolving collective, the Sun Ra Arkestra, he stretched the boundaries of jazz and self-produced more than 200 albums, in addition to being one of the first Black artists to have his own record label. Remembered today as the “Godfather of Afrofuturism,” Sun Ra weaved ancient Egyptian and interstellar metaphors into a definitive musical and spiritual vision that resonates across generations. Discover the extraordinary life of this poet, philosopher, and musical visionary in American Masters “Sun Ra: Do The Impossible.”
Featuring archival footage and stills, performance clips, and original interviews, “Sun Ra: Do The Impossible” is a kaleidoscopic view of the artist’s legacy, from his early days growing up in Alabama to his musical journey around the country through cities such as Chicago, New York, Berkeley, and Philadelphia as bandleader of the Sun Ra Arkestra. Interviews with notable Arkestra members, including Marshall Allen, Ahmed Abdullah, Cheryl Banks-Smith, and Michael Ray, provide profound insight into his artistry, while conversations with scholars and music experts like Fred Moten, King Britt, Harmony Holiday, Fred Moten, and Thomas Stanley highlight Sun Ra’s influence on today’s music.