Idris Ackamoor, The Pyramids Land of Ra (2018)
Ra, in ancient Egyptian mythology, is the sun god and one of the most important deities. He was believed to travel across the sky by day in a solar boat and through the underworld by night, bringing light, order and life to the world. Because of his powers—and perhaps his striking appearance, with a falcon’s head crowned by a solar disk—he has inspired artists for centuries and continues to do so today.
One prominent example is avant-garde jazz composer, bandleader, pianist and cosmic philosopher Sun Ra. Born Herman Poole Blount in 1914, he claimed to be from Saturn and drew directly from ancient Egyptian imagery and mythology, fusing jazz, electronic sounds and theatrical performance into a unique cosmic philosophy that challenged conventional ideas about identity, music and reality.
Sun Ra’s influence continues to echo through jazz, electronic music and Afrofuturism. Among those inspired by him is American saxophonist, composer and artistic director Idris Ackamoor. In his 2018 dub-wise track titled “Land of Ra”, Ackamoor pays tribute both to the Egyptian god and to the jazz visionary. In an interview with Superfly Records, he explained:
“The original name of the composition was ‘Land of Jah’ as a tribute to the beautiful Island of Jamaica. I changed it when I updated the composition adding lyrics and a new reference to ‘Land of Ra’ referencing a double meaning to the Egyptian Ra, god of the sun, as well as a tribute to Sun Ra. I did not know Sun Ra personally but I always was inspired by his music and theatrical stage performances. He is still one of my favorite composers and performers.”
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