For this excellent date, pianist Abdullah Ibrahim performs eight of his compositions with a particularly strong group of players: trombonist Robin Eubanks, John Stubblefield on tenor and flute, Horace Alexander Young switching between soprano, alto and piccolo, Howard Johnson on tuba, baritone and trumpet, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Brian Abrahams. But more important than the individual players are the colorful ensembles and the frequently memorable compositions. Highlights include "African River," "Sweet Samba," "Duke 88" and a beautiful version of "The Wedding".

Abdullah Ibrahim revisits seven of his old compositions on this release, recorded live in Germany with the 17-piece NDR Big Band under the direction of Dieter Glawischnig. The new arrangements by Steve Gray and Fritz Pauer give Ibrahim's infectious melodies and rolling vamps added power. Even Ibrahim seems excited: between tunes he verbally invites the audience to "come with us" (e.g., "Now come with us to an African Market," "Now come with us, a beautiful African sunset, and soft rain, soft rain, Pule."). "African Market," "Kramat," and "Black and Brown Cherries" are nothing if not danceable, while "Mindif" and the relatively brief "Whoza Mtwana" introduce a more contemplative mood. The charts leave plenty of room for resourceful solos, chiefly by trombonist Joe Gallardo, saxophonist/flutist Fiete Felsch, trumpeters Claus Stötter and Ingold Burkhardt, and of course Ibrahim himself…

Each year on October 9th, Abdullah Ibrahim performs a solo piano concert at the Hirzinger Hall in South Germany in order to celebrate his birthday. Due to lockdown restrictions last year, this traditional birthday concert was replaced with the opportunity to record a solo piano performance. Hirzinger Hall, in Riedering, South East Germany, is famous for its incredible acoustics, and Ibrahim's solitary performance lends itself perfectly to the space, The recording crew was sparse, the audience non-existent, yet Ibrahim’s communion with the piano remains warm and timeless.

Taken from his summer 2023 sold-out headline date at London's Barbican Centre, the new album "3" follows suit and is spread across two performances - the first is recorded without an audience recorded ahead of the concert straight to analogue on a 1" Scully tape machine, which had previously been used by Elvis at the famous Memphis-based Sun Studios. The second recording is taken from the evening's performance itself with Ibrahim performing in a unique trio which includes Cleave Guyton (flute, piccolo, saxophone) who has performed alongside the likes of Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie, and Joe Henderson, as well as lauded bassist and cellist Noah Jackson, both of which are members of Ekaya and featured on Ibrahim's top 3 Billboard Jazz album "The Balance".

Sometimes a musical message is so urgent that questions of recording quality are almost beside the point. Informally recorded in 1969 in a noisy club – Copenhagen’s famous Jazzhus Montmartre – the flavour of this album is ‘documentary’ rather than luxuriantly hi-fidelity, yet the essence of Abdullah Ibrahim’s communication comes through loud and clear. The listener is drawn into the robust rhythms of his solo piano style, as he re-examines the history of jazz from a South African perspective, with echoes of songs of the townships, and vamps that hint of Monk and Duke and much more. African Piano was a highly influential album, and it has lost none of its power.As part of the Re:solutions series this historical title has been mastered from original analog sources and reissued in January 2014.

What an odyssee. From West Africa to America to South Africa. The jazz spirit here is so close to the joyful hurly-burly of the pre-bop ensembles, but with a distinctive local tinge of South Africa. The man himself gives plenty of space to his band, so fans of his piano need to look elsewhere if they want undiluted Abdullah Ibrahim.
There's enough sweet lyricism in this album to appeal to romantics, enough feel-good bounce to create a great ambience, and more than enough rootsy friction to ensure that things never get gloopy. No drum solos, overtone blowing, a-tonal excursions or other tricky stuff. Equally at home in a serious jazz collection or a musical magpie's cache.

"Tintinyana", Camden's fourth collection of Abdullah Ibrahim's African recordings (with these taken from 1971-75), is another sublime reminder of this South African heritage, endlessly linking the townships with the outside world existing beyond apartheid. Apart from featuring South African jazz's three finest horn players still working within the country - namely Basil Coetzee, Barney Rachabane and Duku Makasi - the record highlights the direct American influence on township music. On "Bra Joe From Kilimanjaro" Basil Coetzee combines with Blue Mitchell, Buster Cooper and Harold Land in a four man Afro-American horn section which reworks this earlier Ibrahim/Moeketsi classic into a fluid cultural crossover of different jazz styles…

This is one of the best of the 'Africa' sessions recordings by Abdullah Ibrahim/Dollar Brand. Eaily on a par with the fabulous Blues for a Hip King this album features some truly wonderful compositions that have the Mannenberg feel that was at the heart of Ibrahim's playing (the title track, and 'Rollin' stand out) and some inspired playing from his sidemen. The real gem on this is Kippie Moeketsi, one of South Africa's lost treasures, who plays a glorious burning solo on the title track.

This marvellous album from Abdullah Ibrahim (aka Dollar Brand) is as good way as any to start listening to this great South African Jazz Pianist. Listen to 'Sweet Basil Blues', its instantly catchy and it sounds very simple (probably fiendishly difficult actually!), and it certainly has a blues influence. All of Abdullah's self-penned tracks are like this. The musicians playing with him are of all of the highest quality, amongst the better known are Blue Mitchell and Basil Coetzee.
Abdullah actually stood in for Duke Ellington in the early 60's, and his influence and Monk's can certainly be heard in his Piano playing. On a few tracks here Abdullah gives a nod to that American influence, playing covers of two Monk tunes, and some of his own compositions are clearly Monk/Ellington inspired.

Abdullah Ibrahim sings and plays soprano on "Ishmael" but otherwise sticks to piano on this trio set with bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Roy Brooks. As usual Ibrahim's folkish melodies (this CD has six of his originals plus a previously alternate take of "Ishmael") pay tribute to his South African heritage and Islam religion without becoming esoteric or inaccessible. Some of the unpredictable music gets a bit intense (Ibrahim is in consistently adventurous form) but his flights always return back to earth and have an air of optimism. An above average effort from a true individualist.

African Magic is a sweeping 24-part suite recorded live at the 11th and final Jazz Across the Border Festival in Germany in 2001 by the Abdullah Ibrahim Trio. Ibrahim's trio features acoustic bassist Belden Bullock and drummer Sipho Kunene distilling the melodic sounds of South Africa into a personal improvisation of jazz, religious, and traditional world music coupled with European classical and chamber music influences. Recurring cubistic style fragments of Ibrahim's multi-themed tone poem "Blue Bolero" are sequenced throughout this enchanting program and encourage listeners to participate in the invigorating rhythms that are abstract yet romantic…

Abdullah Ibrahim's followers likely have preferences for his big-band, large-ensemble, trio, or solo works, but any of his fans will agree that all of his projects display a unique melodic touch that is immediately recognizable and pleasant. Well into his golden years, Ibrahim still proves he has the Midas touch on this collection of 22 solo acoustic piano pieces. It's a mix of familiar songs and new material, all referencing the elements of life, nature, hearth, and homeland that have always been central themes in what he calls storytelling, not mere music-making. On this triptych through memorable experiences, the pianist weaves his way through many short snippets of phrases that have served him well, and a few extended discourses that define his career and its struggles to come out triumphant…

Cape Town Flowers is an enchanting effort from Abdullah Ibrahim, finding the pianist in a trio setting performing 11 original compositions. With the exception of the nine-minute title track and "Monk In Harlem," most of the album's songs clock in at under five minutes, many under four. Each of the pieces is understated, lovely, and nearly dreamlike. The length of the tracks may make Cape Town Flowers seem like a slight record, but the truth is, that very brevity and the way the songs form a sonic tapestry is exactly what makes the record a modest gem.

Two jazz giants of the 70s come together on this rare Italian recording from the late 60s - South African pianist Dollar Brand (Abdulla Ibrahim) and Argentine tenorist Gato Barbieri - both working here in spare duo formation, with edges that are a fair bit sharper than most of their later work! The format is incredibly spare - just tenor and piano, plus some occasional cello work by Brand - dark and angular, but also filled with small flowers of hope, flowering in the spontaneous presence of these two great minds - a tremendous spirit that makes the record very different than freer jazz outings, and which maybe points the way towards some of the classic European tenor/piano recordings to come.

Recorded at Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, on 10.12.1973, except (4), (5) which were recorded on 7.9.1979.
South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim's effervescent sound is immediately recognizable. It is steeped in the folk traditions of his homeland - from township folk and A.M.E. gospel to Indian raga - and is wed to the elegant compositional flair of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk's canny notions of harmony and rhythm, improvisation, and classical technical proficiency. He is the most distinguished - and prolific - jazzman in South Africa's history.