Abdullah Ibrahim – The Mozart of South Africa (1934)
Tonight’s focus is on the “Mozart of South Africa”, according to Nelson Mandela. Abdullah Ibrahim, born Adolph Johannes Brand in 1934, is one of the leading figures in African jazz. He fled South Africa in the early 1960s when apartheid took hold there. Via Europe, he eventually ended up in New York. Over the years, he occasionally returned to his homeland, where he converted to Islam in 1968. His former stage name, Dollar Brand, was exchanged for Abdullah Ibrahim. His composition Mannenberg grew over the years into a battle song against apartheid.
Dollar Brand – Reflections (1965)
Abdullah Ibrahim – African Piano (1973)
Abdullah Ibrahim – African Space Program (1973)
Abdullah Ibrahim – The Journey (1977)
Abdullah Ibrahim – Water From An Ancient Wall (1986)
Abdullah Ibrahim – African River (1989)
Abdullah Ibrahim – Solotude (2021)