What you need to know, first, is that, while “Space is the Place” looks into a Black future with space as the setting, it offered Black people a vision for ourselves in a future, a sometimes difficult concept for many as daily Black life in America is tough. The second thing you need to know is that all futuristic, wild clothes and language riddles aside, Sun Ra is a master musician, and has a solid grasp on the composition, as well as the vision for how it is presented. Seeing “Space is the Place” is essential for jazz fans, for Black people and for giving yourself license to imagine what might come next for humanity. —Erica Rucker