SMARTBOMB x The Lab: Fatboi Sharif / Icky Reels, Mars Kumari, Squadda B

Fatboi Sharif, the Garden State Gargoyle of elaborate literature, is joined by upstate New York producer Icky Reels in a night of subterranean, surrealist hip hop in this SMARTBOMB x The Lab collaboration. Fatboi’s recent Bay Area collaborators Mars Kumari (live set), and Squadda B (DJ) open the night.
✚gCal  ✚iCal  More...

Idris Ackamoor and The Pyramids: Artistic Being

dris Ackamoor and the Pyramids return to The Lab to celebrate the release of their double album Artistic Being (Strut Records 2025), recorded live at The Lab in February 2024, with The Pyramids joined by Danny Glover and Rhodessa Jones. Saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer Idris Ackamoor has been active for over 50 years, since founding The Pyramids with Margaux Simmons and Kimanthi Asante in 1972 on a trip to Ghana in the midst of their studies with Cecil Taylor at Antioch College. The trip took in a musical spiritual journey up into Northern Ghana, the land of the Fra Fra of Bolgatanga and the Islam-influenced Dagomba in Tamale, where Ackamoor also made field recordings. The Pyramids brought together all of the knowledge from their journey and released two independently produced albums including Lalibela (1973), and King Of Kings (1974), before relocating to Oakland to record Birth/Speed/Merging (1976) and disbanding in 1977.

For this special release performance, Ackamoor is joined by original members Dr. Margaux Simmons, flute; Bradie Speller, congas/percussion and Heshima Mark Williams, bass. Longtime members will also include Sandra Poindexter, violins; Bobby Cobb, guitar and Randall Merritt, drums; and featured narration by actress and performance artist Rhodessa Jones.
✚gCal  ✚iCal  More...