Abdullah Ibrahim
Photo: Tore Sætre, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pianists · 1934–2026

Abdullah Ibrahim

South African pianist and composer (1934–2026)

Born
9 October 1934
Cape Town
Died
15 June 2026
Prien am Chiemsee
Country
South Africa
Record labels
Enja Records
Discography
77 albums

Biography

Abdullah Ibrahim was a jazz musician who played piano, saxophone, soprano saxophone and voice. Abdullah Ibrahim was born on 9 October 1934 in Cape Town and died on 15 June 2026 in Prien am Chiemsee. The music is usually filed under jazz, post-bop and bebop. Record labels: Enja Records. The discography here lists 77 albums, from “Anatomy of a South African Village” (1965) to “3” (2024). Honours include Order of Ikhamanga in Silver (2009) and NEA Jazz Masters.

Abdullah Ibrahim (born Adolph Johannes Brand; 9 October 1934 – 15 June 2026), previously known as Dollar Brand, was a South African pianist and composer. His music reflects many of the musical influences of his childhood in the multicultural port areas of Cape Town, ranging from traditional African songs to the gospel of the AME Church and Ragas, to more modern jazz and other Western styles. Ibrahim is considered the leading figure in the subgenre of Cape jazz. Within jazz, his music particularly reflects the influence of Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington. He is known especially for "Mannenberg", a jazz piece that became an anti-apartheid anthem. During the apartheid era in the 1960s, Ibrahim moved to New York City and, apart from a brief return to South Africa in the 1970s, remained in exile until the early 1990s.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Anatomy of a South African Village 1965 · Live
African Piano 1970 · Live
Peace 1971
Dollar Brand + 3 1973
Sangoma 1973
This Is Dollar Brand 1973
African Breeze 1974
African Sketchbook 1974
African Space Program 1974
Ancient Africa 1974 · Live
Good News From Africa 1974
Mannenberg ‘Is Where It’s Happening’ 1974
Ode to Duke Ellington 1974
The Third World-Underground 1974 · Live
Underground in Africa 1974
“Memories” 1974
African Herbs 1975
African Portraits 1976
Banyana: Children of Africa 1976
Black Lightning 1976
Blues for a Hip King 1976
Natural Rhythm 1977
The Journey 1977
Anthem for the New Nations 1978
Nisa 1978
Bra Joe From Kilimanjaro 1979
Echoes From Africa 1979
African Marketplace 1980
Dollar Brand at Montreux 1980 · Live
The Dream 1980 · Live
Duet 1981
Matsidiso: Piano Solo Live 1981
South African Sunshine 1982 · Live
African Dawn 1983
Autobiography 1983 · Live
Ekaya 1983
Live at Sweet Basil, Vol. 1. 1983 · Live
Zimbabwe 1983
Duke's Memories 1986 · Live
South Africa 1986 · Live
Water From an Ancient Well 1986
Mindif 1988
Round Midnight at the Montmartre 1988 · Live
African River 1989
Live (Jazzbühne Berlin) 1990 · Live
Mantra Mode 1991
Desert Flowers 1992
Knysna Blue 1993
Cape Town Flowers 1997
African Suite - For Trio and String Orchestra 1998
Township One More Time 1998
African Symphony 2001
Ekapa Lodumo 2001 · Live
African Magic 2002 · Live
No Fear, No Die (S'en fout la mort)) 2002
Senzo ~先祖 2008
Bombella: Gold Train - South Africa 2009
1987-05-18: Gardner Arts Centre, University of Sussex, Brighton, England 2010 · Live
Sotho Blue 2010
1988-07-01: Lugano, Switzerland 2012 · Live
Mukashi: Once Upon a Time 2013
The Song Is My Story 2014
2003: NDR Studio, Hamburg, Germany (FM) 2018 · Live
Dream Time 2019
The Balance 2019
1985-03-23: 11th Street Theatre, Chicago, IL 2021 · Live
Solotude 2021
Trio 2022 · Live
3 2024
1978-11-10: Pre-Estival Jazz, Lugano, Trevano Aula Magna · Live
1982-02-14: Festival des politischen Liedes · Live
2015-03-09: Adelaide, Australia · Live
2015-03-10: Adelaide Town Hall, Adelaide, Australia · Live
2015-10-21: Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI · Live
2017-07-30: Glatt & Verkehrt Festival, Krems, Austria · Live
2017-11-04: Zürich, Switzerland
Jazz Festival Willisau 1995 · Live

Awards

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Abdullah Ibrahim play?

Abdullah Ibrahim is known for playing piano, saxophone, soprano saxophone and voice.

When and where was Abdullah Ibrahim born?

Abdullah Ibrahim was born 9 October 1934 in Cape Town.

What are Abdullah Ibrahim's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Anatomy of a South African Village (1965), African Piano (1970), Peace (1971), Dollar Brand + 3 (1973) and Sangoma (1973).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.