I was inspired to write about Abdullah Ibrahim (formerly Dollar Brand) for two reasons. One, the 90 year old South African pianist and composer is performing in New Haven tonight and I’m excited and moved that I will get to soak in his inimitable vibes. Two, his role as a voice against the oppression of Apartheid (mostly while in exile) feels especially relevant and inspiring right now. Musically, his capacity to mix sounds that are pretty and gnarly in an organic way is quite distinctive and I just love his sound.  

Here are ten favorites in chronological order. Note that I will refer to him throughout by his current name regardless of which name appeared on a given recording.

1 ) “Vary-oo-Vum” from Jazz Epistle Verse 1 by The Jazz Epistles (1960)

This collective ensemble of young South African jazz musicians helped incubate the growth of some major musicians, including Jonas Gwangwa, Kippie Moeketsi, and most famously (at least internationally) trumpeter Hugh Masekela, whose thematically-developed solo bridges the gap perfectly with Ibrahim’s bebop-inspired composition. The whole band has a serious vibe, which (aside from their importance) is why I chose this one rather than “Gafsa,” his other compositional contribution and an early example of his solo piano work. Sadly, this session took place only 2 months prior to the Sharpeville Massacre, the ripple effects of which led to the demise of the group.

2 ) “Jumping Rope” from Duke Ellington Presents The Dollar Brand Trio (1963)

This Parisian recording session presents a mature and distinctive pianist and composer (of all tracks on the session except Monk’s “Brilliant Corners”) at the height of his early powers. The way the trio (including fellow Jazz Epistles alumni Johnny Gertze and Makaya Ntshoko) navigates this fun, shapeshifting composition is delightful.   

4 ) “Anatomy of a South African Village” from Anatomy of a South African Village (1965)

This epic performance (the first of three entries on this list that clock in at 15 minutes or more) starts off seeming like a contemplative piano composition, and it is that but then it is a lot more once Gertze and Ntshoko enter and the trio goes in hard through a variety of stylistic and energetic permutations.

4 ) “Tintiyana” from Midnight Walk by Elvin Jones (1966)

This is one of the staples of Abdullah’s repertoire (by my count he recorded it ten times over a 30+ year stretch), and it is both illuminating and fun to hear him playing it with an all-star group of American musicians including Hank Mobley and Thad Jones, as Thad’s brother Elvin stirs up a driving rhythmic undercurrent.

5 ) “Africa” from African Songbird by Samitha Bea Benjamin (1976)

I’m not sure what to call this – stanky 1970s African jazz funk, maybe? In any case this 21 minute performance by the wonderfully soulful yet subtle vocalist, Ibrahim’s wife at that time, includes a rare instance of his work on electric piano. Frequent collaborator Basil Coetzee also shines throughout on tenor saxophone.

6 ) “Namhanje” from Echoes From Africa by Abdullah Ibrahim and Johnny Dyani (1979)

Bassist Johnny Mbizo Dyani is best known to American jazz audiences for his work with progressive musicians such as Don Cherry and David Murray and his own politically-charged records for Steeplechase and other labels. Here, the two modern jazz giants groove for nearly 17 minutes on an infectious two-chord vamp that also features their warm vocal duet on a traditional song.  

7 ) “Mannenberg Revisited” from Water From An Ancient Well (1985)

The original version of this song from the mid-1970s became a liberation anthem for anti-Apartheid activists. Meanwhile, in the 1980s, he began recording with Ekaya, an assemblage of great American musicians such as Ben Riley, Dick Griffin, Charles Davis, Ricky Ford, and Carlos Ward, all of whom appear on the group’s first record and this landmark follow-up album. While there are plenty of solos elsewhere on the album, the horns spend this meditative performance engaging in an elaboration on Ibrahim’s iconic melody.   

8 ) “Water From An Ancient Well” from Cape Town Revisited (1997)

This live recording in Cape Town is the second of three to feature the highly sympathetic rhythm section of Marcus McLaurine and George Gray. Their funky and joyous performance of this important composition is further supported by the guest trumpet work of the great Feya Faku.  

9 ) “African Marketplace” from African Symphony (1998)

The same trio, meanwhile, anchors and provides the groove for this important orchestral recording of some of Ibrahim’s best-loved compositions. The more contemplative compositions on the record certainly benefit from the lush treatment, but it’s striking how buoyant and joyful they collectively sound on this upbeat performance.

10 ) “The Wedding” from Solotude (2020)

Speaking of contemplative compositions, this is one of the most frequently-revisited songs in his repertoire, with recordings spanning more than four decades. I have not heard a version that I don’t find moving, but hearing the hymn-like nature of his solo piano rendition is like a direct line to the soul.