May 22 was the official centennial of the birth of the brilliant bandleader, composer, and keyboardist Sun Ra, but I'm thankful that the entire year is being used to celebrate his memory and particular brand of visionary genius. Chicago, where Herman Poole Blount (a native of Birmingham, Alabama) assembled the earliest versions of his Arkestra in 1953, has gotten in on the act in numerous ways, but some of the most exciting events are happening this week.…
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