Flotation Device 2025-07-27 - Sun Ra, Allen, Chacon

Sun Ra returns to our spotlight with a new batch of archival releases that highlight his solo playing on both piano and synthesizer. We’ll use the opportunity to check in with his indestructible alto saxophonist and posthumous Arkestra leader Marshall Allen, who has his own new releases to sample. We’ll look for traces of the Sun Ra legacy in selections by John Zorn, Bill Laswell and Mako Sica, while on the cross-cultural front, Raven Chacon uses modern compositional tools to contemplate Native associations with owls and singing, as Hildegard Westerkamp combines electronic music and radio documentary techniques in her portrait of artist Roy Kiyooka. A new quartet album featuring Sylvie Courviosier and Joe Morris, and works for solo strings by Andrew Poppy and Missy Mazzoli round out the program. Creative and improvised music with host Michael Schell from KBCS-FM Bellevue/Seattle/Tacoma.