The Pyramids as they relate to Idris Ackamoor◢◥◢◥◢◥

The single-minded, eternal optimism of the early 1970s seems to undoubtedly be a high-water mark in the pantheon of music culture. Across the board of genres, an experimental and deeply spiritual movement swept across the planet, offering some of the most innovative music since the dawn of recording technology. While some groups adopted the signature sounds, clothes and Aquarian jargon for commercial reasons, a handful took their roles seriously and went far deeper to explore the ancestry of their music. The Pyramids, an Ohio-bred and criminally under-recognized spiritual jazz collective, falls soundly into this latter category. Birthed at the dawn of the 1970s, the band comprised of saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, flautist Margo Simmons, bassist Kimathi Asante, and drummer Donald Robinson delved deep into a world of pan-African rhythms and melodies, combining them in novel ways with the psychedelic modal jazz simmering in America at the time. The group released three private-press records in the US throughout the 70s, highly regarded by collectors, and consistently fetching incredibly large sums of money.Google their sit down for a Fireside Chat as they discuss their defining pilgrimage to Africa, their residencies in Paris, recent reunion, and the reissue of their works on the Locust label subsidiary, Ikef Records.

The Pyramids- Aomawa

The Pyramids- Queen of the Spirits

Music of Idris Ackamoor, 1971-2004 is a generous compilation put out last year by Japan's premier reissue label, EM Records, bringing together a number of fantastic tracks from the Pyramids' three lps Lalibela (1973), Kings of Kings (1974), and Birth/Speed/Merging (1976), as well as scattered selections from other Ackamoor groups. The 2-disc set comes with extensive liner notes by Ackamoor himself (in Japanese and English), detailing the history of The Pyramids and their travels, along with a wealth of photographs documenting their live performances. Amazing!

Idris Ackamoors LIFE FACTS:

1: I am very proud of the fact that I have never had a day job in my life other than being a musician/artist.
2: I have an incredible love and need to swim in my life, swimming contributes so much to my music and physical stamina,
3: I work to live, not live to work -- (Somebody said this)

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The Pyramids, founded 1971 at ohio’s ANTIOCH college. There they not only visited the legendary rock churches in LALIBELA (ethopia), which lend one of their albums the name, but also lived in ghana and kenya for a while. members included the never resting IDRIS ACKAMOOR and his soon-to-become wife, flautist MARGO ACKAMOOR.

The Pyramids | A short Intro

2007 saw a highly energetic reunion of the group in the original line-up, which has performed several shows in the bay area now, boosting their trademark sound of massive afrocentric drumming meets ecstatic group improvisations.

At the dawn of the 1970s, saxophonist Idris Ackamoor, flautist Margo Simmons and bassist Kimathi Asante were embedded in the radical artistic hotbed of Ohio’s Antioch College. Idris Ackamoor had cut his teeth with Albert Ayler’s alto player Charles Tyler in LA & Clifford King in Chicago and had his own free jazz outfit.