Hartmut Geerken’s Sun Ra Archive Finds A Home in Germany
Sun Ra, aka Le Sony'r Ra with his signature head-piece, Photo by Val Wilmer
On Halloween 2020, amidst the height and dread of the COVID-19 pandemic, I received a telephone call from Munich, Germany. The caller was Hartmut Geerken. After a mile-long thread of emails and missed phone calls between us, our question-and-answer interview about his close relationship with Sun Ra — the late African American musician-poet-philosopher-composer-cosmic cult figurehead — was finally about to take place. That interview quickly evolved into a colorful and engaging discourse of some of Geerken’s fondest memories of Sun Ra and His Arkestra. He held me spellbound for nearly 90 glorious minutes. As for this audience of one, Hartmut Geerken was indeed a wonderful Halloween treat.
Born in Stuttgart, Germany on January 15, 1939, Geerken was an artist and arts organizer. He was also an author-playwright-musician-filmmaker-actor-composer-journalist-deejay, and Sun Ra archivist. He worked in a variety of disciplines, and considered himself a citizen of the world, having lived in France, Afghanistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Greece. He spent a great part of his life collecting and organizing the most comprehensive collection of music, poetry, prose, photographs, interviews, and recorded concerts of Sun Ra and His Arkestra. On October 21, 2021, Hartmut Geerken transitioned. He was 82 years old.
An iconic percussionist who had collaborated with Sun Ra and a long list of established free jazz musicians, he had an impressive repertoire of songs, films, and stage performances to his credit. Geerken authored more than 40 books, including the acclaimed “Omniverse Sun Ra”, a comprehensive pictorial and annotated discography of Sun Ra and His Arkestra. He collaborated with Sun Ra and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. He created the compilation with Christopher Trent in 1994.
Dr. Wolfram Knauer, the Director of Jazzinstitut Darmstadt
I recently spoke with Dr. Wolfram Knauer, the Director of Jazzinstitut Darmstadt, where Geerken’s Sun Ra Archives are now being housed. A sought after speaker for numerous international conferences, Dr. Knauer shared with me, that during his conversation with Geerken, the two of them had agreed there was enough time to discuss Geerken’s extensive collection on all things Sun Ra. Sadly, that was not to be — Geerken died one week later. As it turns out, Geerken’s Sun Ra Archive has found a home at Jazzinstitut Darmstadt. When I asked him to comment on Geerken’s Sun Ra Archive, Dr. Knauer offered the following:
I call the collection Geerken’s ‘research archive’. It includes video and audio material, all of them unreleased, books and periodicals, research notes, correspondence with other Ra experts, photos of variant quality. . .. A good overview can be found in Geerken’s own listing from 2006. I cannot guarantee for all of the listed material to be in the boxes which we have partially gone through by now, however it looks like Geerken’s 2006 list pretty much covers what he left with us.
Additionally, Dr. Knauer forwarded to me, a copy of Geerken’s 37-page long list of Sun Ra entries. It was compiled by Geerken on the occasion of the 13th international Waitawhile Sun Ra Convention, May 26-29, 2006. Knauer admits that in order to do a thorough job, and to see exactly what the entire collection comprises, that would require a considerable amount of time and effort.
Sun Ra and Hartmut Geerken’s paths cross in Egypt
So, just how did Sun Ra and Hartmut Geerken’s paths cross? During my telephone engagement with him, Geerken fondly recalled how, in December of 1971, while he was employed by the Goethe Institute in Cairo, he made arrangements to bring Sun Ra and his 20-member Arkestra to Egypt. It was Sun Ra’s first visit to his spiritual Motherland. Sun Ra had performed earlier that year in Germany, and had, unfortunately gotten bad reviews from the German press. Geerken, already a Sun Ra specialist, scheduled a performance at his home in Heliopolis, the worship place of the pharaonic god of the sun: RA. The Arkestra also performed at the Balloon Theater in Cairo, Cairo TV, The American University in Cairo, and a popular nightclub. All recorded material from Egypt in 1971 was released in October 2020, in a 5 LP box by Strut Records London.
It should be mentioned that Amiri Baraka, noted African American poet-writer-dramatist-music critic, also contributed an essay to the 304-page, full color catalog. As well, Geerken edited a 530-page volume with Sun Ra’s Collected Poetry and Prose, together with James L. Wolf under the title “The Immeasurable Equation” (2005). Geerken’s awards include: Munich Literature Year (1984), Schubart Literary Prize (1986), Karl Suzuka Prize For Works of Radio Art (1989 and 1994).
Contents of Sun Ra’s Archive
At the time of his death, Geerken was the proud and official owner of Sun Ra’s archive, having meticulously collected, organized, and stored more than 60 years of the cosmic bandleader’s music and literature. His vast collection includes 43 boxes of Sun Ra material, and more than 400 Sun Ra LP’s (long playing records). To understand and appreciate Geerken’s devotion to Sun Ra, one must first be enlightened as to whom this gifted and extraordinary extra-terrestial being was, and the imprint he and his innovative music left on this world.
Sun Ra was born Herman Poole Blount on May 22, 1914 in Birmingham, Alabama. He was a musical prodigy who could sight read music from an early age. He was a straight A student who devoured books. A graduate of Alabama A&M, he moved to Chicago in the 1940s and began writing musical scores for various nightclub floor shows. By 1950, he had created his own Arkestra, playing original and other-worldly music. He distinguished himself with his “Afrofuturistic” sounds, having effectively pioneered the synthesizer in jazz music, thus earning the rightful title: The Father of Afrofuturism.
Sun Ra’s music in psychedelia and the Beat Generation
Sun Ra’s highly theatrical performances featured a 20-30 member Arkestra, which included musicians, singers, dancers, and fire-eaters. He used elaborate stage lighting, and cosmic sounding synthesized music. The ensemble wore futuristic helmets and fantastical costumes inspired by ancient Egyptians. His music was first embraced by psychedelia and the Beat Generation, but his growing influence seems to have only broadened and intensified.
Although contrary to what others claim, according to Geerken, Sun Ra lived a quiet drug-free life, and was adamantly opposed to drug use. Sun Ra left earth on May 30, 1993, but his unique musical legacy and his artistic gifts to the universe have only increased, as a cultural force to be reckoned with. Wholly embraced by loyal cult-like followers from the past, present, and Afrofuturistic generations, Sun Ra’s cosmic music, has no doubt stood the test of time — here on earth, and intergalactically.
Wonderful post of Sun Ra archives Hartmut Geerken Love of the Music . Wonderful
That is great news! – Side note: The third picture from the top does not show Sun Ra playing with Hartmut Geerken, but Famoudou Don Moye.
You beat me to it! Perhaps an intersection with the Art Ensemble?
Darmstadt is the perfect place to handle the repository, they have the resources and expertise to store and organize it properly. I can’t think of a record label that would be capable of doing what’s needed but here’s hoping that Darmstadt can partner with the estate and a record label (Strut?) to make elements of the archive available to Sun Ra fans around the world.
Thanks for the correction.