Sun Ra

Lately, I have been inspired by the music of Sun Ra, mainly because of its absractness. I’m not trying to sound deep, I just find it timeless. Sun Ra is one of the few people of his generation who remained true to the spirit and attitude of jazz music. To me that means saying ’Fuck the rules !’ You start at ground zero and you remain totally open-minded about what you create. Music is about expressing an emotion, not restating a series of stale phrases.

Some of Sun Ra’s best tunes are very simple, so simple a child could understand them and a person from another culture could get it. The best music is simple and direct. Music doesn’t need complexity to hide dishonesty, it should stare you straight in the face and speak to you. Music shouldn’t be made for an elite crowd who have learned how to appreciate it. It should have the ability to affect anyone, anywhere.

NOW, november 1993