We can celebrate several anniversaries at the same time with this recording. First, there is the 80th birthday of one of the most significant musicians in this world. We are also reminded of the time 40 years ago when he composed "Mannenberg", which soon became the hymn of the slums and townships of South Africa. Finally, there is also the end of apartheid 20 years ago.

He was born as Adolphe Johannes Brand in this country of unequal rights and already called himself Dollar Brand as an adolescent. He started playing piano when he was seven and already became a "professional musician" at 15. He emigrated to Europe–still as Dollar Brand–in 1962, where Duke Ellington discovered him shortly afterward. He then moved to the USA. That marked the beginning of his international career, which has lasted until today. He has converted to Islam in the meantime and returned to Europe long ago. Then he changed his name again and has been known as Abdullah Ibrahim worldwide for decades. His style is difficult to describe, even when you repeatedly come up against clichés of African melodies and harmonies. In addition, you can't miss the influence of great co-musicians such as Thelonious Monk. He said in an interview with the magazine "Zeit" in 2013:
"I have always sought for a specific sound my whole life. At the end of the 60s—I lived in New York in the meantime—this search became worse and worse. I walked the streets day and night, a restless African in America, who did not understand what was driving him. It wasn't the sound, but the silence, the silent moments in music."

Perhaps it is that which fascinates millions of people: Abdullah Ibrahim's treatment of time, space and silence. Three dimensions of music, which he—and probably only he—celebrates like a prayer put to music. It is not without reason that he writes on the CD cover: "Improvisation is mediation in motion".

Ibrahim said in the s.......
więcej