Ramadan in Space

Salah Ragab & the Cairo Jazz Band - Egypt Strut (from "Egyptian Jazz: Ramadan in Space", Art Yard)


I'm a long time fan of eastern influenced jazz, an interest that probably started with the discovery of flutist and hornplayer Yusef Lateef, that drew inspiration from Islamic traditional music already back in the early 1960's. Drummer and multi-instrumentalist Salah Ragab was head of the Egyptian Military Music Department and produced some seriously banging stuff in the late 1960's and early 1970's that now have been delicately re-issued by UK's Art-Yard label.

The Cairo Jazz Band was Egypt's first big band, mixing American jazz with North African music, combining jazz instrumentation and musical style with indigenous melodies and instruments, like the nay (bamboo flute) and the baza (ramadan drum). Their swinging hit 'Egypt Strut' is apparently loosely based on Herbie Hancock's 'Watermelon Man', with the addition of a nasal snake-charming flute.

Ragab and his band also collaboratad with cosmic music maestro extraordinary, Sun Ra - recordings that have been re-released to some extent. Here is some corny footage from one of Ra's visits at the pyramids:



There have been a lot of activity in the blog-o-sphere surrounding the ever present Sun Ra during the last couple of years and many bloggers have throwned together awesome comp's and mixes of Ra material. As so many times before, Dr Auratheft appears among the leading connoisseurs on the subject and have so far put together no less than eight long radio mixes of assorted Ra crazyness, which makes an excellent starting point for new listeners to Ra. For an amazingly extensive collective Ra discography I recommend you to check out Blaxploitation Jive who offers download links to the many rare gems that now are to be found out in cyberspace.