Sun Ra: Joyful Noise

For nearly 60 years, jazz composer, keyboardist, and galactic envoy Herman Blount─a/k/a Sun Ra─carved his own niche in recording and performance with his eclectic, cosmic-inspired offerings. Robert Mugge's entertaining profile of a true original includes a recital among Egyptian museum pieces, a visit to the Philadelphia artistic commune he shared with his "Arkestra" band members, and a broad sampling of his mainstream and avant-garde work. 60 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; audio performances.