Sun Ra is part of the pride of Alabama. A lot of the esoteric and mystical aspects of his music come from the time he spent growing up and studying at the local

Sun Ra is part of the pride of Alabama. A lot of the esoteric and mystical aspects of his music come from the time he spent growing up and studying at the local masonic library in Birmingam. At the time, masonic libraries were one of the only places where black folks had full access to literature. In fact, some of the most famous jazz musicians were masons. I reject the author's notion that he was a god. The writer seems devoutly obsessed, almost worshipful to his cult of personality. However, I can agree that he was undoubtedly a legendary musician with an informed talent for creating myth and interpreting mystical concepts into his music. His music is challenging and experimentally mind-expanding. He lies buried next to Bear Bryant in a cemetery that holds a dear friend of mine, so the name always catches the eye.