Sun Ra Arkive: Sun Ra Arkive Trudy Morse Interview 04/01/2002

In 2002-2003 we tried to contact and interview as many people as possible for the eZine version of Sun Ra Arkive who were also on a mission to tell the world about Sun Ra and help preserve his legacy in history's consciousness.

The wish list of subjects was long (including Campbell, Trent, Szwed, Gordon, Anderson and many others), and the list of returned emails was short. However, we were fortunate to have 3 enlightening conversations with John and Peter Hinds, Hartmut Geerken, and the interview featured here with Trudy Morse.

I've always intended to do the definitive interview with my Sun Ra Mentor - disk jockey Richard Segan. He's the man responsible for the weekly broadcast of "Sun Ra's Cosmic Corner" (where I first heard Ra's music), booking several Arkestra concerts at UCONN (including my first time seeing the band), telling me which albums to buy first (I started with the Evidence "Angels & Demons At Play/Nubians Of Plutonia" twofer), hosting my first screening of "Space Is The Place" and "Mystery MR. Ra," piloting trips and spots on the list for innumerable shows, participating together in several WKCR FM Arrival Day Marathon broadcasts (including one at the House of Ra in Germantown, PA where I got to sleep in Sun Ra's old bedroom), and introducing me to the members of the band and many cherished friends. Someday I hope we get around doing it when I can make it to Hawaii.

Of course, the focus of Sun Ra Arkive is the music and the musicians, and I'd be honored to interview any of them. But, I've always had a special fondness and interest in my fellow travelers that use their individual talents to support the band's art - the grass roots culture of DJ's, promoters, independent label owners, artists, field recordists, researchers and academics that make up our own little sub-culture, like the Grateful Dead had with the Deadheads. The passion and dedications the fans have for the band and it's message always reminded me of the Dead thing.

So, if there's anyone that wants to go "on record" and talk about their personal journey with all things Sun Ra and The Arkestra, please get in touch.

Trudy Morse is a special spirit, as you'll read in this interview. She loved the band, and brought a special focus to the Poetic aspect of the alter-destiny ritual, and the power of word play and its equational magick. I'm thankful we got to document her words about herself and her relationship to the Ra Omniverse. Fly high and free Trudy...Thank you.