Steve Douglas - The Music of Cheops (1976)

So, I found another LP where the music was also recorded in the Great Pyramid! I had been totally under the impression the Paul Horn - Inside the Great Pyramid was the only album of its kind. Now I wonder if there were more albums recorded in the Great Pyramid and if so, how many. Hmmmm.....

Throughout most of his career, Steve Douglas (1938-1993) has been a session musician playing sax on recordings of some of the biggest names and notables in pop and rock music including The Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Duane Eddy, The Righteous Brothers, The Ramones, etc. Douglas was a part of hit maker Phil Spector's "Wrecking Crew", a group of session musicians Spector used for his sessions. Douglas was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 in the Sideman category.

Douglas also plays the flute which he does on this album in addition to the sax. The Music of Cheops was recorded on February 10, 14, and 15, 1976, all during at night. Douglas composed and played all the music in the King's Chamber, a room that is 34 feet long, 17 feet wide, and 19 feet high. From listening to the record, the room sounds like an awe-inspiring acoustic space where the echoes give the music an otherworldly sound, a sound that probably could only be achieved in such as space as the King's Chamber.

His Rock & Roll Hall of Fame bio actually mentions this album. According to the notes in his bio, Douglas wanted to keep a low profile because of health problems in the early 1970s. Apparently, he didn't record many sessions during that time. He recorded his own music. Curiously, his bio does not mention what other albums he released. The Music of Cheops sounds like something that Douglas made just for himself, the kind of music he wanted to play. It seems like he wanted to get away or needed to get away from the intense environment of the music industry. It's meditative serene music similar to Paul Horn's, but Douglas is more free flowing. His music goes in different directions and he does more to take advantage of the space by exploring and producing more sounds from his instruments. He also was there before Horn by a few months!

Tracklist:

The Pyramid [side 1]

1. Pharoah's Piper {4:34}
2. Impressions from the IVth Dynasty: A. Pyramid Power {1:44}
3. Impressions from the IVth Dynasty: B. Nubian Lament {1:32}
4. Impressions from the IVth Dynasty: C. Flight of Horus {0:57}
5. Impressions from the IVth Dynasty: D. Reflections Along the Nile {4:00}
6. Impressions from the IVth Dynasty: E. Procession {2:18}

The Sphinx [side 2]

1. Time Capsule - 1976 A.D. - 2860 B.C. {1:54}
2. Meditations at Luxor {5:47}
3. Journey from Atlantis {8:09}
4. Ascent {0:54}

Download Link - Mediafire

Disclaimer: There is a lot of crackle and surface noise on side 1. I am seeking a better copy. If I ever find one or able to get a hold of one, I'll re-upload side 1. At least, you'll know what the music is like. I think side 2 sound fine.

Paul Horn - Inside The Great Pyramid (1976)

In 1968, Flute player Paul Horn recorded his playing from inside the Taj Mahal. Beginning a series of "Inside" recordings that Horn would release over subsequent years. This "Inside" series of albums including Inside the Cathedral, Inside Canyon de Chelly and Inside Monument Valley, and perhaps most significant, this album Inside the Great Pyramid. 

This album was recorded in three rooms of the Great Pyramid of Gizeh (Cheops). Sides one and two were recorded in the King's Chamber and side three was recorded in the Queen's Chamber. Side four was actually recorded in the Burial Chamber of another pyramid (Kephren). Horn was attempting to obtain a spiritual experience from playing in the pyramids as well as record his playing including the unique echoes, in the pyramids' rooms, generated by his playing.

Horn started out as a jazz musician playing mainly what is described as "cool jazz" then went to India in 1967 to study trancendental meditation. This experience would mark a new direction in his career as he started to create more new age or meditative style of music starting with his Inside album from Taj Mahal.

In the first week of May 1976, Horn went to Cairo with his recording engineer. Horn and his recording engineer accompanied a group touring the pyramids and other Egyptian ancient structures and monuments. Horn only had a few days available to get permission to play in the Great Pyramid after closing hours. Horn eventually was granted permission to go in the Great Pyramid on the evening of May 6th, 1976 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Horn's recording engineer had one tape recorder and a microphone which were used to record Horn's playing. The music Horn created that evening was totally improvised. He interacted with the echoes as if he was playing with another musician. The next evening Horn and his recording engineer were granted permission to go after closing hours in the pyrmaids Kephren and Mycerinus and Horn's playing was recorded in these pyramids.

Inside the Great Pyramid was originally released as a 2-LP album with a booklet that was used as a source to provide some of the information in this post. This booklet is contained in scans in a folder in the first .rar file and provides some interesting reading material. Enjoy.

Tracklist:

Side One - Initiation

1. Invocation {0:41}
2. Psalm 1 {4:06}
3. Psalm 2 {2:10}
4. Psalm 3 {2:18}
5. Psalm 4 {2:49}
6. Psalm 5 {3:18}
7. Psalm 6 {2:20}
8. Psalm 7 {4:04}

Side Two - Meditation

1. Psalm 1 {3:45}
2. Psalm 2 {1:17}
3. Psalm 3 {4:55}
4. Psalm 4 {2:57}
5. Psalm 5 {2:59}
6. Psalm 6 {5:08}

Side Three - Enlightenment

1. Psalm 1 {4:01}
2. Psalm 2 {4:07}
3. Psalm 3 {2:28}
4. Psalm 4 {3:04}
5. Psalm 5 {4:26}
6. Psalm 6 {0:53}

Side Four - Fulfillment

1. Psalm 1 {5:07}
2. Psalm 2 {3:21}
3. Psalm 3 {1:52}
4. Psalm 4 {3:43}
5. Psalm 5 {2:11}
6. Psalm 6 {1:24}
7. Psalm 7 {2:15}
8. Psalm 8 {1:21}

Download Link - Mediafire (Pt. 1)                 Download Link - Mediafire (Pt. 2)