Abdullah Ibrahim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abdullah Ibrahim
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Ibrahim performing at the 2011 Moers Festival
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Adolph Johannes Brand |
| Also known as | Dollar Brand |
| Born | 9 October 1934 Cape Town, South Africa |
| Genres | South African jazz, bebop, post-bop, folk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, bandleader |
| Instruments | Piano, saxophone, cello |
| Years active | 1955–present |
| Associated acts | Sathima Bea Benjamin, Jean Grae |
Abdullah Ibrahim (born Adolph Johannes Brand on 9 October 1934), also known as Dollar Brand, is a famous South African pianist and composer. His music mixes many styles he heard growing up in Cape Town, like traditional African songs, gospel music, and different kinds of jazz.
Ibrahim is known as a top artist in a music style called Cape jazz. His music also shows the influence of jazz legends like Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington. He is especially famous for his song "Mannenberg", which became a powerful song against apartheid (a system of racial segregation in South Africa).
During the apartheid era in the 1960s, Ibrahim moved to New York City. He stayed away from South Africa until the early 1990s, except for a short visit in the 1970s. He has travelled the world, performing alone or with other great musicians like Max Roach and Carlos Ward. He also played with classical orchestras in Europe.
Abdullah Ibrahim is married to jazz singer Sathima Bea Benjamin. They have two children, including the rapper Jean Grae.
Contents
Early Life and Music
Ibrahim was born in Cape Town, South Africa, on 9 October 1934. His birth name was Adolph Johannes Brand. He started piano lessons at age seven and began playing professionally at 15.
His mother played piano in church, and this church music greatly influenced him. He learned many music styles in Cape Town, including marabi, mbaqanga, and American jazz. He became well-known in jazz music circles in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
In 1959 and 1960, Ibrahim played with a group called the Jazz Epistles in Sophiatown. This group included other talented musicians like Hugh Masekela. In 1960, they recorded Jazz Epistle Verse One, which was the first jazz album by Black South African musicians. The government was suspicious of jazz groups during apartheid, and the Jazz Epistles eventually broke up.
Starting an International Career
Ibrahim moved to Europe in 1962. In 1963, his future wife, Sathima Bea Benjamin, helped him meet the famous jazz musician Duke Ellington in Switzerland. Ellington was so impressed that he helped Ibrahim record his first album, Duke Ellington presents The Dollar Brand Trio.
After this, The Dollar Brand Trio played at many European music festivals. In 1965, Ibrahim and Benjamin moved to New York. He played at the Newport Jazz Festival and even filled in for Duke Ellington, leading his orchestra for some shows.
In New York, Ibrahim met many other jazz musicians. As the Black Power movement grew, it inspired him to add more African sounds and ideas into his jazz music.
Returning to South Africa
In 1968, Ibrahim briefly returned to Cape Town. That year, he converted to Islam and changed his name from Dollar Brand to Abdullah Ibrahim. In 1970, he made a special trip to Mecca.
In the early 1970s, he met Rashid Vally, who helped him produce several albums. In 1974, they made Underground in Africa, which mixed jazz, rock, and South African popular music. This album was very successful.
The Story of "Mannenberg"
The famous song "Mannenberg" was recorded in June 1974 during one of Ibrahim's visits to Cape Town. It was created during a group improvisation session. The song was inspired by the Cape Flats township, where many people from District Six were forced to move during apartheid.
"Mannenberg" became a very important song, often called the "unofficial national anthem" of South Africa. It was a symbol of the movement against apartheid. After the Soweto Uprising in 1976, when police shot at protesting children, Ibrahim and Benjamin openly supported the African National Congress, which was banned at the time.
Soon after, Ibrahim and Sathima returned to New York. In 1981, they started their own record company called Ekapa, which means "Cape Town" in the Xhosa language. From 1983, Ibrahim led a group called Ekaya, meaning "home".
Music in Films and TV
Abdullah Ibrahim has also composed music for several films. These include Chocolat (1988) and No Fear, No Die (1990).
He appeared in the British TV show After Dark in 1989. He was also part of the 2002 documentary Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony, where he spoke about the apartheid era. Two other documentaries, A Brother with Perfect Timing (1987) and A Struggle for Love (2005), are about his life.
After Apartheid Ended
After apartheid ended, Abdullah Ibrahim returned to South Africa in the early 1990s. He performed with symphony orchestras, including one concert for Nelson Mandela's inauguration as president in 1994. Mandela reportedly called him "our Mozart".
Ibrahim continues to perform around the world, especially in Europe and North America. In 1999, he started the "M7" academy in Cape Town to help young South African musicians. He also helped create the Cape Town Jazz Orchestra, a big band that started in 2006.
In 2016, Ibrahim and Hugh Masekela performed together for the first time in 60 years. They reunited the Jazz Epistles to remember the 40th anniversary of the 1976 youth demonstrations.
Awards and Recognition
Abdullah Ibrahim has received many awards for his amazing contributions to music:
- In 2007, he received the South African Music Lifetime Achievement Award.
- In 2009, his solo piano album Senzo won the "Best Male Artist" award at the 15th Annual MTN South African Music Awards.
- Also in 2009, the University of the Witwatersrand gave him an Honorary Doctorate of Music.
- He was awarded South Africa's national honour, the Order of Ikhamanga (Silver), for his excellent music and his fight against racism and apartheid.
- In July 2017, he received the German Jazz Trophy.
- In July 2018, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in the US named him one of the NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships recipients. This award celebrates people who have made huge contributions to jazz music.
Key Albums
Abdullah Ibrahim has released many albums throughout his career. Some of his notable works include:
- Jazz Epistle Verse 1 (1960) with The Jazz Epistles
- Duke Ellington Presents the Dollar Brand Trio (1963)
- African Piano (1969)
- Mannenberg – "Is Where It's Happening" (1974), which includes his famous anti-apartheid anthem.
- Water from an Ancient Well (1985)
- Senzo (2008)
- The Balance (2019)
See also
In Spanish: Dollar Brand para niños
