Abdullah Ibrahim: Perpetual Change

Ian Patterson

Senior Contributor since 2006

Ian is dedicated to the promotion of jazz and all creative music all over the world, and to catching just a little piece of it for himself.

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Published: March 21, 2011

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AI: There is an urgency that there needs to be an all-embracing, holistic approach to our lives. We try to put it all under one roof; music, movement, martial arts, meditation, medicine. We have great help from government. We are looking at how we can service the communities. Many people are very poor and destitute and it's almost impossible to get to a hospital. The whole idea of M7 is how, through music, we can provide a health service base. We've started this project already; we've started with bush people in the heart of the Kalahari [desert.] We've been working with them for several years. It's very important that we do that because they are one of the last remaining entities of traditional wisdom and knowledge. We're trying to preserve their language by teaching it to the young people who teach it to us. There is so much we can learn from them, especially the code of conduct.

AAJ: Is there anything you would like to say?

AI: I'd just like to commend this new wave of young musicians, especially in our genre, who are emerging in the tradition and who are so totally dedicated; it's fantastic to experience them.

Selected Discography

Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya, Sotho Blue (Intuition 2010)
Abdullah Ibrahim, Senso (Sunnyside Records, 2008) Abdullah Ibrahim, A Celebration (Enja/Justin Time, 2005)
Abdullah Ibrahim Trio, Cape Town Revisited (Enja Records, 2004)
Abdullah Ibrahim, African Magic (Enja Records, 2003)
Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand), Anatomy of a South African Village/Ekapa Lodumo (Black Lion, 2002)
Abdullah Ibrahim & NDR Big Band, Ekapa Lodumo (Enja records, 2000) Abdullah Ibrahim, Best of Abdullah Ibrahim (EMI Music, 1999)
Abdullah Ibrahim, Cape Town Fowers (Tip Toe, 1997)
Abdullah Ibrahim, Yarona (Tip Toe, 1995)
Abdullah Ibrahim, Mantra Mode (Enja Records, 1993)
Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya, African River (Enja Records, 1989)
Abdullah Ibrahim, Water from an Ancient Well (Tip Toe, 1985)
Abdullah Ibrahim/Max Roach, Streams of Conciousness (Piadrum, 1977)
Abdullah Ibrahim, Banyana—The Children of Africa (Enja Records, 1976)
Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand), African Space Program (Enja Records, 1973)