Sons Of Ra
"Sons of Ra makes music that skillfully straddles the lines between progressive rock, metal, and jazz. Calling their music mere 'Fusion' seems remarkably limiting, once the listener goes beneath the surface."
- CirdecSongs.com
Hailing from the underground scene of Chicago, this eclectic ensemble draws inspiration from avant garde music, classic jazz fusion with post-progressive sensibilities, infusing their music with cosmic vibrations and experimental fervor. Drummer Michael Rataj lays an energetic and ever-shifting rhythmic framework for tenor saxophonist/bassist Keith Wakefield and guitarist Erik Oldman to weave angular, contrapuntal melodies with ethereal textures augmented by loops and synthesizer explorations.
SONS OF RA are not merely a band; they are sonic sorcerers, weaving spells of experimental brilliance that transcend the boundaries of traditional genres. Known for their high-energy live shows blending improvisation and composition, they’ve shared the stage with such artists as Stu Hamm, Sonar, Chester Thompson & Alphonso Johnson, and Consider the Source.
Earlier in 2024, SONS OF RA unveiled the EP Tropic Of Cancer, a six part suite and their first new music to appear since the pandemic. They will be following up soon with the release of their first full-length album, Standard Deviation.
On The Web:
• Sons Of Ra on Linktree
• Sons Of Ra on Facebook
Videos To Check Out:
Music To Check Out:
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ERIK OLDMAN
(Guitar)
MICHAEL RATAJ
(Drums)
KEITH WAKEFIELD
(Bass)
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"Tropic of Cancer has, in slightly over twenty minutes, managed to shatter my preconceptions, enthrall my ears and mind, and give a blatant middle finger the the ChatGPT/AI generation"
- Rebel Extravaganza
"Sons of Ra draws from both progressive metal and jazz fusion, essentially picking up all the weird and heavy stuff from both sides and creating a sound that’s heavy, weird, and unmistakably theirs."
- INVISIBLE ORANGE
"…these are some quite talented musicians who want to show what they can do on their instruments. But without it going away and becoming an endless and unimportant time scale-masturbation. There are lots of cool melodies... Something is happening all the time..."
- METALIZED MAGAZINE DENMARK
"The band plays progressive and fusion rock where non-linear rhythms are filled with guitar solos and a floating and crazy sax which certainly gives an air of freedom and unpredictability to this music which draws as much from rock as from the improvisation of hottest jazz. "
- ROCK HARD MAGAZINE ITALY
"As the trio Sons of Ra fuse prog, metal, jazz, and rock. The six-part suite on Tropic of Cancer has avant-garde leanings but remains warm and accessible-its lush instrumental soundscapes are a great place to let your imagination run wild."
- CHICAGO READER
"Tropic of Cancer is the name of the new EP… Complexity, melody, elements of jazz, metal, all this finds its way in one fantastic musical release. The result is a complex and multifaceted piece of music which demonstrates that the band has an uncommon level of technical ability. Musically, this variety is represented by the various contaminations that see the band citing both the prog rock and a jazz fusion approach that intelligently inserts heavy parts, which sometimes border on metal."
- NEW DAWN OF PROG