SUNG RA — maiden voyage, January 2017 — transported everyone in the aptly named Church of the Ascension to another plane — briefly, timelessly — on the words and music of the creative giant Sun Ra.

Firebrand vocalist and improvising conductor Christine Duncan led the Ottawa choir
Tone Cluster through Sun Ra’s transcendent ballad “Love In Outer Space”, with Rakestar Arkestra providing inspired instrumental accompaniment.

Throughout the concert, Christine and the choir delivered a colourful palette of abstract vocal sounds that fully matched the inventiveness of Sun Ra’s compositions, Rakestar’s improvisations, and Tone Cluster’s particularly modest attire.

See for yourself:

SUNG RA: FULL REVIEW AND PHOTO GALLERY > OttawaJazzScene.ca

INTERVIEW WITH PETER HUM > The Ottawa Citizen