Strut reissues Sun Ra Arkestra’s 1983 Egyptian sessions with Salah Ragab and the Cairo Jazz Band
London’s Strut Records concludes it’s exploration into Sun Ra Arkestra’s historic recordings in Egypt with a reissue of the 1983 collaborative album with great Egyptian percussionist and drummer Salah Ragab and his large ensemble, The Cairo Jazz Band.
The incredible five-track recording came together while the Arkestra when the band returned for their second stint of performances in Egypt in 1983. During this time Sun Ra and Ragab met and the Arkestra ended up recorded two Ragab compositions, in “Egypt Strut” and “Dawn”, at El Nahar Studios in Heliopolis, featuring Ragab on congas. Kostas Yiannoulopoulos, who was the organizer of the Praxis festival in Greece, decided to release the collaborative recordings as the A-side of this album. The flip side of the record featured three previously released tracks by Salah Ragab and the Cairo Jazz Orchestra, including “Ramadan” and “Oriental Mood” from the band’s 1973 album Egypt Strut. This also marked the first-ever release of the large ensemble’s spiritual gem “A Farewell Theme”, written following the death of Egypt President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1970. The piece was played at the his funeral.
Even though the make-up of the recording includes two completely different bands from different sides of the world, their is a strong cohesive connection and sound throughout the entire album, blending together cosmic jazz, hypnotic percussive grooves, and spiritual melodies. It’s very apparent in the recordings that the Egyptian surroundings, as well as Ragab, played a strong influence on the Arkestra, and vice versa.
This first ever official reissue of the album features previously unseen photos and memorabilia alongside brand new liner notes by Hartmut Geerken and Paul Griffiths. Easily one of the best reissues of the year, documenting an important chapter for both legendary groups.
Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab Plus The Cairo Jazz Band — ‘In Egypt’
(Originally released: 1983 / Praxis)
(Reissued: 2022 / Strut)
- Egypt Strut
- Dawn
- Ramadan
- Oriental Mood
- A Farewell Theme
