As the final notes of our Sun Ra project echo through the cosmos, it’s time to reflect on an extraordinary creative journey which spanned community outreach, learning, and performance.
Our collaboration with Cleveland Watkiss brought together a 15-piece ensemble of young NYJO musicians, to reimagine the work of Sun Ra and his Arkestra, bringing Afrofuturism to the fore, and pushing the boundaries of jazz. Alongside electrifying performances at We Out Here 2024 and more recently, the EFG London Jazz Festival at Milton Court Concert Hall, the project unfolded across a variety of community-focused learning opportunities.
From Margate, where young creators explored lyric writing inspired by Afrofuturism, to our Woolwich Works home, where our young musicians and members of the public engaged in costume-making workshops, the theme of ‘Space is the Place’ ran throughout our summer programming. At We Out Here Festival, family-friendly tuba workshops led by Andy Grappy and vocal workshop led by Sunshine the Afrooist brought Sun Ra’s cosmic vision to life for participants of all ages in the Family Field.
Photo by Taylor Hylton
A Summer in Margate… Taking the music to The People
The thread of Sun Ra’s philosophy extended into a rich summer of learning opportunities in Margate. In collaboration with Arts Education Exchange and People Dem Collective, NYJO worked with local young people to create lyrics, rap, and spoken word content inspired by Sun Ra’s legacy. These workshops delved into the themes of cosmic identity, freedom, and imagination, empowering participants to bring their voices into the larger narrative of Afrofuturism.
This Margate initiative exemplified NYJO’s commitment to bringing high-quality arts experiences to areas of low cultural engagement and we were so proud of the brilliant music these young musicians produced.
Getting ready for Take-Off…
Preparation is key. One of the things that excites us most at NYJO is creating learning opportunities for our young musicians. Reimagining Sun Ra with Cleveland Watkiss has been a transformative learning opportunity for our Emerging Professionals and our team. The project challenged us to step beyond our traditional approaches, stepping away from sheet music and encouraging our Emerging Professionals to learn and perform by ear—a practice that sharpened their listening skills and deepened their connection to the music and its meaning. With ample room for improvisation, the ensemble embraced the unpredictability of live creation, finding freedom in the uncharted spaces between notes.
This process not only honoured Sun Ra’s ethos of boundary-pushing innovation but also created space for the expansion of jazz as a genre. By blending Afrofuturist themes with UK influences like Jungle/DnB and Electronica, Cleveland and the Emerging Professionals reimagined jazz as a living, evolving art form that remains as relevant and daring as ever, in true NYJO spirit. In the words of one of our young participants:
‘I thoroughly enjoyed Cleveland’s easy-going and inclusive leadership, focusing less on the musical technicalities perhaps (e.g. tuning, articulation), and more on the bigger picture, the collective sound world and the energy of the performance. I definitely took a lot from his direction, as I am currently thinking a lot about how to apply free improvisation, conduction, listening, decision making, and collective real time orchestration to music making – most obviously in an atonal free improvisation context, but also in more conventional concepts, where a lot of these ideas are overlooked in favour of reading the music correctly or adhering to a strict stylistic framework.’ Alex Wardill, NYJO Emerging Professional
From Woolwich Works to We Out Here…
At our home in Woolwich Works, we worked with our Emerging Professionals (and members of the public), channelling Sun Ra’s ethos into costume-making workshops. We combined artistry with integrity, crafting designs that honoured Afrofuturism and created space for self-expression while maintaining a contemporary aesthetic.
At We Out Here Festival, we delivered tuba and vocal workshops in the Family Field, continuing a tradition of intimate, inclusive engagement. Led by Andy Grappy and Sunshine, with support from NYJO Emerging Professional musicians, these sessions welcomed participants of all experience levels. Together, they learned basslines, melodies, and lyrics inspired by ‘Space is the Place’ in an environment designed to celebrate creativity for all ages.
Photo by Taylor Hylton
Then we took to the stage…
First stop, We Out Here, then on to Milton Court for the EFG London Jazz Festival…
With personalised costumes ready and a explosive live set prepared, we rocketed off to We Out Here Festival where the ensemble brought Sun Ra’s legacy to life on the (big) Lush Life stage, pulling in a huge lunch time crowd who were on their feet dancing and cheering us on. The energy was electric on and off stage, an unforgettable one-off experience for everyone involved and anyone who was lucky enough to witness it.
Photo by Kieran Irvine
News of the spectacle got out and we were invited by Guildhall School of Music & Drama to be part of their EFG London Jazz Festival programme at Milton Court, in a headline slot on one of the most popular nights of the festival. Again, with Cleveland Watkiss (Guildhall fellow) at the helm and the iconic Sunshine The Afrooist leading vocals, the ensemble captured the spirit of exploration and innovation that defined Sun Ra’s artistry and made us proud.
‘Sun Ra was among the most innovative and exciting musical minds of the 20th century. Sun Ra subscribed to Afro-Futurism, a cultural phenomenon that both imagined and in many ways manifested a future for the African diaspora that was not confined by present political and economic realities and power structures. Listening to and playing Sun Ra’s music and learning more about his life has reinforced my conviction that there’s more to music than just sound.’ Benjy Sandler, NYJO Emerging Professional
Photo by David Biddlecombe
We wanted to share Vikki Maudave, our Head of Programmes’ thoughts on the project:
‘We were thrilled to welcome Cleveland Watkiss to NYJO, infusing his unparalleled creative energy into our Emerging Professionals’ vision for a vibrant celebration of Sun Ra. This wasn’t merely a tribute—it was an journey into the creative vision of one of jazz’s most groundbreaking innovators. We were equally excited to collaborate with Sunshine (The Afrooist), whose role as guest vocalist and costume advisor brought the spirit and intention of Sun Ra’s cosmic message vividly to life.
Cleveland, Sunshine and our incredible musicians dove deep into Sun Ra’s cosmic world of sound, performance, and Afro-futurist philosophy. Together, they explored how to create music that was free and expansive, yet rooted in structure—giving each musician the freedom to express themselves fully and powerfully – creating a truly joyful and musically exciting performance.’ – Vikki Maudave, NYJO Head of Programmes
Reflections on Afrofuturism and Sun Ra’s Legacy
Sun Ra’s artistry was never just about music—it was a cosmic philosophy, a call to reimagine the boundaries of identity, space, and freedom. Afrofuturism, as envisioned through his work, offers a bridge between a fractured past and limitless futures for Black identity. This project explored these themes deeply, from the innovative use of synths and movement to the poetic expansion of Sun Ra’s vocal traditions. Costumes became more than stage attire; they embodied integrity and celebrated the Afrofuturist vision. The ensemble paid tribute to Sun Ra’s ethos of living artistry, with their 21st Century reimagining of this already iconic work.
Discover More on Our Podcast
The journey doesn’t end here. Delve deeper into the ideas and stories behind ‘Sun Ra Meets Cleveland Watkiss with NYJO’, tune into our podcast. From behind-the-scenes insights to interviews with key collaborators, it’s the perfect way to explore the philosophy that fuelled this project.
Listen to our podcast here.
As Sun Ra himself said, “There’s no limit to the things that you can do. There’s no limit to the things that you can be.”
Through this project, we have glimpsed a future shaped by creativity, community, and imagination, a transformative process for everyone involved and we are grateful to our partners, funders and supporters, without whom, this wouldn’t be possible!
Photo by Kieran Irvine