Search - Abdullah Ibrahim :: Capetown Revisited

African Jazz For All Nations

L. Wiviott | CA United States | 11/03/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Abdullah Ibrahim's "Cape Town Revisited" captures the pianist's trio perfroming live at the Spier Estate in Capetown, South Africa, joined on three tracks by trumpeter Feya Faku. Pertinent background is that Mr. Ibrahim, born in South Africa but in self-imposed exile during apartheid, began performing in his homeland again during the 1990's. It is in this context that the CD is aptly titled "Cape Town Revisited". The joy of his homecoming is admixed throughout this CD with Mr. Ibrahim's influences from living abroad, notably that of his early mentor, Duke Ellington. There are classic, sweet jazz melodies, such as "Someday Soon Sweet Samba" pulsing with township rhythms below the melody. The three-part suite "Cape Town To Congo Square", strangely interrupted between the second and third movenmment by another track, nevertheless evokes the African cultural landscape within an easily recognizable jazz idiom that knows no boundaries. Mr. Faku's contributions add variety to the trio sound, and by the time we reach the stunning gracenotes of the last three trio only tracks, culminating with "Barakaat (The Blessing) we know that we have been blessed indeed to glimpse the musical and cultural wisdom of this stellar artist.While I overall prefer Mr. Ibrahim's larger ensemble work (see my review of his "Voices of Africa" CD) and thus have given this CD 4 stars only, it is a wonderful, intimate listening experience that allows one to travel musically to other lands yet still feel the immediacy and familiarity of timeless, cross-cultural art. "Cape Town Revisitied" is music that people of all nations can cherish."

A welcome change

S. Hawkins | New York, NY | 10/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love Abdullah Ibrahim's music - however, I must note that the trend in recent years has been towards his amazing, though highly understated trio sound (African Magic, Cape Town Flowers, and so on). The sound of this trio is absolutely magical, and Abdullah and his usual crew of Beldon Bullock and George Gray operate together as though they are communicating via telepathy.



And yet, I can't help but miss some of the older music - his work with Ekaya, or, even better, his 1970s work with Kippie Moeketsi, Basil Moses, Basil Coetzee, and so on.



Cape Town Revisited partially answers these prayers. Abdullah is here with his trio (substitute Marcus McLaurine in for Beldon Bullock though), and is performing in his now signature understated style. The rhythmic pulse is always there, always strong (if not pounding in your ears), yet they play around the beats. His sense of lyrical beauty is as strong as ever - his harmonies as subtle as ever. In other words, it sounds like a standard Abdullah Ibrahim release of late.



However, the addition of Feya Faku on three tracks is where the magic lies. It creates an immediate problem, given that whoever recorded it forget to mix Feya's trumpet level - consequently, the trumpet is nearly overpowering.



However, the result of the four of them has an energy I haven't heard in his music in quite a while. Feya Faku is of a younger generation of South African artists, and has clearly studied Ibrahim's music extensively (he even has a tribute track to the pianist on his own, highly worthy solo album). As a result, his three solo spots, especially "Soweto," are an absolute joy to hear. Faku's bright, versatile trumpet breathes new life into the group (without resorting to pyrotechnics and the like), while Ibrahim, McLaurine, and Gray provide the most wonderfully gorgeous cushion for Faku to play on.



This album is a must for Ibrahim fans. Also, if you can, do track down Feya Faku's own album "Hommage" - he truly is one of the great new musicians of South Africa."

Breathtaking!.

Prabhu | Petaling Jaya, Selangor Malaysia | 08/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ibrahim Caresses the piano with such nuance - blessed with his midas touch."