* En anglais uniquement
The world music collective
Suns of Arqa was led by founder and mentor
Michael Wadada; since the release of the group's 1979 debut LP
Revenge of the Mozabites, some 200 members from across the globe passed through its ranks, many of them met by
Wadada during his extensive travels and sharing his interest in indigenous, tribal, folk and classical music traditions. In addition to subsequent LPs including 1980's Wadada Magic, 1982's India?, and 1984's Ark of the Arqans,
the Suns of Arqa regularly backed dub legend
Prince Far I, even performing at his final concert (captured on the
Live with Prince Far-I LP). With the masterful
Land of a Thousand Churches,
Wadada began issuing the group's material on his own Arka Sound label; a flurry of releases followed, among them Alap-Joe-Jhala,
Jaggernaut (Whirling Dub), and
Shabda. The advent of the internet brought a major new dimension to
the Suns of Arqa aesthetic, with the collective's website actively soliciting music, lyrics, remixes, and other creative contributions for future projects, further expanding their global network of participants. ~ Jason Ankeny