★★★★★
The music of South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim is a world unto itself. Although Ibrahim has followers and intersects with a "Cape jazz" scene that has identifiable characteristics, he long ago became a figure like his hero Duke Ellington: a man whose sound as a composer and player is unmistakable. Ibrahim's latest, Mukashi (Once Upon a Time), is as unique as anything he has recorded...
- www.popmatters.com
2014-06-03
★★★★★
Track Listing: Mukashi; Dream Time; The Stars Will Remember; Serenity; Mississippi;
Peace; Matzikama; Cara Mia; Root; Trace Elements for Monk; Krotoa;
Crystal Clear; Devotion; Endurance; In the Evening; Essence; The
Balance Personnel: Abdullah Ibrahim: piano, flute, vocals; Cleave Guyton: saxophone,
flute, clarinet; Eugen Bazijan: cello; Scott Roller: cello Record Label: Sunnyside Records Style: African Jazz
- www.allaboutjazz.com
2014-04-17
★★★★★
Track Listing: bra joe from Kilimanjaro; selby that THE ETERNAL SPIRIT IS THE ONLY REALITY; THE MOON; xaba; sunset in blue; kippy; jabulani - easter joy; tintiyana. Personnel: Abdullah Ibrahim: piano. Record Label: Japo Records Style: African Jazz
- www.allaboutjazz.com
2014-03-03
★★★★★
Matthias Winckelmann of Enja records "had always been sensing chamber musical and orchestral colours in Abdullah Ibrahim's music", according to Daniel Schnyder's intriguing notes to this CD. I confess I really hadn't, or didn't, and that I still don't to any special extent. While the present CD could be said to represent an attempt by Daniel Schnyder to realise these European orchestral colours, I'm bound to suggest the investigation had to be a Hellishly difficult one...
- www.popmatters.com
2011-01-19
★★★★★
Now entering his eighth decade, Abdullah Ibrahim has long ago established himself as a true master of jazz?whether in New York, London, Cape Town, or beyond. The pianist has accomplished two very important things in the last fifty years. First, he has brought South African jazz to the world, recruiting new fans to its characteristically warm, reverent vibe?still taking regular risks to tap into outer realms of spiritual energy, but never far from his roots in bop, classical, and gospel music...
- www.allaboutjazz.com
2010-08-20
★★★★★
Much is made of jazz as the music of African-American experience, one that is sadly pockmarked with racism, prejudice and struggle. These labors give jazz legitimacy and relevance as well as an opportunity for many to say that only jazz' black practitioners are bona fide. The 10th Anniversary of free elections in South Africa is a perfect time to consider the plight of musicians outside of the American experience...
- www.allaboutjazz.com
2010-08-20
★★★★★
The solemnity that has sometimes quietened the defiantly jubilant music of South African pianist and composer Abdullah Ibrahim hardly touches this terrific big-band album at all. Ibrahim, now 75, is teamed here with Cologne's fine WDR orchestra, and the session is in part a dedication to British arranger Steve Gray - who died last year, but whose Ellingtonesque reworkings of the South African's classic themes are modest masterpieces...
- www.guardian.co.uk
2010-04-02
★★★★★
Track Listing: Green Kalahari; Song for Sathima; Mandela; District Six (Trance Circle Dance); Bombella; Meditation--Joan Capetown Flower (Emerald Bay); I Mean You/For Monk; For Lawrence Brown (Remembrance); Excursions (Masters and Muses); African River...
- www.allaboutjazz.com
2010-03-04
★★★★★
Annotator Peter Pannke goes to some lengths to try and convey the magical, nonrational and non-Western nature of the spell that Abdullah Ibrahim casts on this delicious live recording of his trio. Pannke's attempt may seem a dangerous exercise, but it is certainly more sensible than trying to elucidate the music in technical terms. For anyone who has seen Ibrahim recently, this disc captures the feel of his current presentation very well...
- www.jazztimes.com
2010-02-19
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