Idris Ackamoor
Idris Ackamoor (born Bruce Baker circa 1950, hometown Chicago) is a multi-instrumentalist (saxophone), composer, actor, tap dancer, director, and producer. He is the Founder and Executive/Co-Artistic Director of the San Francisco performance company, Cultural Odyssey
Idris Ackamoor (born Bruce Baker circa 1950, hometown Chicago) is a multi-instrumentalist (saxophone), composer, actor, tap dancer, director, and producer. He is the Founder and Executive/Co-Artistic Director of the San Francisco performance company, Cultural Odyssey
Free, Dancing...
Free, Dancing . . . is the first release by a new trio with percussionist and producer Carlos Niño, luminary multi-instrumentalist Idris Ackamoor (of The Pyramids) and wizard guitarist, producer Nate Mercereau. They have been playing concerts together in California since June 2022, sharing a unique vibrant sound, findings and energetics. A remarkable environment for the ethereal reed artistry of the revered Idris Ackamoor, reinforced by the contemplative sounds of Carlos Nino, who utilize drummi…
Birth / Speed / Merging
Tip! Birth/Speed/Merging was recorded in 1976 after the band's move to San Francisco. The album closes The Pyramids' 70s trilogy and makes more use of studio technology: adding overdubs and other effects, a marked departure from the previous two releases, though at no cost to the urgent message and energy of their earlier works.
King Of Kings
Tip! King Of Kings was recorded in 1974 and features a wider array of instruments including Ugandan Harp and Balafon. Perhaps best known for the expansive "Nsorama (The Stars)" a seminal work of Spiritual Jazz.
Lalibela
Tip! The debut album by The Pyramids was inspired by the group's visit to the Lalibela monastery in Egypt, and was recorded in Yellow Springs Ohio in early 1973. Drawing on the teachings of Cecil Taylor and the influence of John Coltrane, combined with a barrage of intense percussion, the album evolves over several long-form pieces.
Idrissa's Dream
Strut continues their work from the archives of Idris Ackamoor and The Pyramids with a first ever vinyl release of Ackamoor’s debut avant-garde / Afro-jazz recordings from 1971 with The Collective, based out of Yellow Springs, Ohio. The group was formed after Ackamoor had returned to Antioch from a spell in L.A. under the wing of influential saxophonist Charles Tyler. Pianist Lester Knibbs had been appointed to the Antioch college music department as an assistant professor and had followed a sim…
Aomawa: The 1970s Recordings (4LP Box)
4x CD Box set in printed fold-over CD case release from Strut Records. With a 32-page b&W info booklet featuring extended interviews with The Pyramids by Francis Gooding and a host of unseen photos. A brand new 4CD box set bringing together the incredible 1970s recordings of Afrofuturism pioneers The Pyramids, led by saxophonist Idris Ackamoor. The set features the remastered LPs Lalibela, King Of Kings and Birth / Speed / Merging alongside the first ever vinyl issue of their live session for K…
An Angel Fell
Strut presents the brand new album from cosmic jazz travellers The Pyramids, led by saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, ’An Angel Fell’. “I wanted
to use folklore, fantasy and drama as a warning bell,” explains
Idris Ackamoor.
“The songs explore global themes that are important to me and to us all:
the rise of catastrophic climate change and our lack of concern for our
planet, loss of innocence and separation... but positive themes too,
the healing power of music, collective action and the simple…
Ascent Of The Nether Creatures
Previously unreleased material from the quartet of trumpeter Earl Cross, saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, bassist Rashied Al Akbar, and drummer Muhammad Ali, performing live in The Netherlands in 1980, for five smoking examples of free jazz. The recordings are on the rough side, but the playing is spectacular, with impressive soloing from all 4 players. Clearly the room was transfixed by their playing, all all 4 respond with concentrative solos and great exuberance. The tune's heads sometim…
The Periphery Of The Periphery
About a week after September 11, 2001 I flew into New York City to be a grant panelist for the Rockefeller Foundation's arts program. Flying into New York the aftermath of the destruction of the Twin Towers could still be seen as an eerie cloud and haze that embraced the site of the attacks. Walking through the streets there were flyers posted everywhere that detailed the names and descriptions of the missing and dead. I sat in a room for the arts panel that gave me a birds eye view of the…
Zebra box
A special 26 only copies box,- front cover with Idris in Zebra atttire - SAS #43 with different front cover theen regular ed (paste-on; high quality photo paper) + color postcard - SAS #44 with different front cover theen regular ed (paste-on; high quality photo paper) + color postcard and insert - SAS #45 with different front cover theen regular ed (paste-on) + insert with notes
The beginning of the Second Earth
"After the successful and exciting adventure with The Pyramids (3 fantastic albums issued in the 70's), Idris (who founded the aforementioned group) in 1979 formed Cultural Odyssey (which is still running), fresh from touring Africa and observing the interdisciplinary nature of African artistic culture. the music presented on this rocket is from the very 1st performance by this exciting new group, which took place in San Francisco (1980). strange enough it's also the very 1st LP under Idris Acka…
Music of Idris Akamoor 1971-2004
RESTOCKED: 2-CD collection of the ex-leader of legendary Afro-spiritual/deep funk/free jazz group from 1970s Ohio (later in SF), The Pyramids. Their music is one of the most deep attempts by African-Americans, deep sounds like Strata-East, aggressive performances like Tribe or Black Jazz, every free jazz/funk collectors should agree on it. Featuring 10 pieces of The Pyramids taken from their 3 albums and unreleased (!) recordings (included first live recording in Holland!). Notably The Pyramids …