Happy Halloween and welcome to our new Shake the Field blog! While there are many challenges living in a state like Alabama, there’s also a lot of beauty, creativity, and imagination that shows up in interesting and unexpected ways. From artists, musicians, and other creators to the community organizers and changemakers on the ground, there are so many ways for people to come together and create opportunities for joy and hope and change.
And that’s what we’ll be focusing on on this blog – real, everyday folks who are finding their own ways to engage, inspire, and uplift their community. We hope you’ll keep checking back to stay plugged in to what’s shakin’ in Alabama!
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Since today is Halloween, we’ll kick things off with a look back at NPR’s 2014 Halloween Tiny Desk episode, featuring the one-and-only Sun Ra Arkestra. Listen to this spacey, psychedelic jazz ensemble and get in the mood for the evening’s festivities!
While the man known as Sun Ra was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1914 and died in 1993, his music has continued to be performed by other members of the ensemble. But Sun Ra’s legacy extends far beyond his talents as an experimental jazz composer and musician. He was also an early pioneer of Afrofuturism, incorporating cosmic themes and ancient Egyptian regalia on stage, and exploring distant worlds in space, which was the only place he envisioned Black people could truly be free.
Learn more about the unique life of Sun Ra at the Sun Ra Arkestra website and at the Encyclopedia of Alabama.
What are your favorite songs for Halloween? Share in the comments!