David Dalle
Thursday April 28th, 2022 with David Dalle
Sun Ra in Egypt; celebrating 100 years of Mingus; guitar music from West Africa

UK based Strut records has released their final reissue of rare Sun Ra recordings of his two visits to his spiritual homeland, Egypt. "The Sun Ra Arkestra meets Salah Ragab in Egypt" documents his second trip, in 1983. Salah Ragab was an Egyptian drummer who served in the military and was in charge of all military musicians. He used his position to create the Cairo Jazz Band in 1968. He was also a good friend of German drummer Hartmut Geerken, who lived in Cairo from 1966 to 1972. Geerken hosted Sun Ra for a concert in his home, in the neighbourhood of Heliopolis, in Cairo in 1971 (that concert was featured on an earlier show, listen here: https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/105/52834.html). Salah Ragab attended that concert but did not get a chance to meet Sun Ra until the latter's second Egyptian visit. In 1983, Salah Ragab not only got that chance, but recorded two of his compositions with Sun Ra and his Arkestra. This release also features two pieces by Salah Ragab with his Cairo Jazz Band and a third piece with a quintet led by Salah Ragab. We will hear all five pieces today.