Trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah has made some great music of his own, but over the years he was also a key player in the legendary Arkestra of Sun Ra – and
this unique volume
is maybe one of the first books ever to really get at what life was like as a member of that legendary ensemble! The book
is incredible – very open and honest about many issues, not just music – and
it's also huge, too – over 500 pages, originally written by Abdullah in the 90s, with help from poet Louis Reyes Rivera, and finally published after all these many years! The book
is very narrative, and gets at some of the lifestyles and theories behind the Arkestra – which have never been recounted in such great detail, and with such a focus on the way their fame and music intersected with everyday life. The book also features a huge section of photos and images – over 50 pages in all – and the whole thing
is a long-overdue, much-needed look at Sun Ra, his legacy, and the career of Ahmed Abdullah too!