Co-Produced by Storm King Art Center & Chosen Family Presents. Sun Ra Arkestra was founded in Chicago in the mid-1950s by pioneering composer and bandleader Sun Ra, blending big-band swing, space-age jazz, singing, dancing, chanting, and Afro-pageantry. The ensemble has performed worldwide for more than 60 years. Since 1995, it has been led by alto saxophonist Marshall Allen—now 101—whose leadership continues as the Arkestra tours internationally. Their 2020 album Swirling was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album category.
Ephraim Asili is an African American artist, filmmaker, DJ, and traveler whose work focuses on the African diaspora as a cultural force. Asili is currently the director of the Film and Electronic Arts Program at Bard College, where he is also an associate professor teaching film production and film studies.
