Abdaullah Ibrahim Dollar Brand Trio/France 09.02.2011 Complete Soundboard Edition

A definitive performance by Abdullah Ibrahim’s trio—featuring his long-time regular rhythm section of Bullock and Gray, whom he has trusted more than ever in recent years—evokes the later years of Bill Evans and the Esbjörn Svensson Trio, creating a breathtaking tension and evoking the beautiful landscapes of South Africa. This performance is now available for the first time in a superb, high-fidelity soundboard complete edition! The recently deceased jazz piano maestro Abdullah Ibrahim’s highly acclaimed regular trio in recent years, consisting of Ibrahim, bassist Belden Bullock, and drummer George Gray, has been captured in its entirety in this supreme 2-disc set, featuring over an hour and a half of a magnificent live performance from the world-renowned “Jazz à la Villette” festival held at the Cité de la Musique in Paris, over 1.5 hours long, with the label’s meticulous mastering to produce the superb, high-fidelity soundboard recording! The stage performance unfolds in three parts, with multiple pieces presented as a medley (suite) through Ibrahim’s improvisation, without any breaks between songs. “Suite 1” features a beautiful and fantastical solo piano piece by Ibrahim lasting just over 10 minutes. In the quietness, beautiful melodies reminiscent of classical music, Eastern philosophy, and traditional South African hymns appear and disappear improvisationally. In “Suite 2,” the trio joins in, and the main part begins with the performance of traditional South African gospel and Cape jazz rhythms, as well as motifs from his representative masterpieces. At the signal of a brief “trigger phrase” played by Ibrahim, the rhythm section instantly changes the groove. The setlist includes representative tracks such as “Banyana,” the heartbreakingly beautiful hymn-like “The Wedding,” which is a defining song of his career, “Ishmael,” and “Manenburgh,” an anthem from the apartheid struggle in South Africa. Ibrahim’s unique technique of repeating his minimalist and beautiful themes and gradually increasing the intensity of the music is simply magnificent. The set concludes with “Suite 3,” which leads from a quiet, prayer-like final section into an encore. From a beautiful Cape jazz beat, it returns to a silent, prayer-like part, featuring bass and drum solos that unfold at Ibrahim’s cues, and finally, as if to conclude the long and magnificent journey, it ends with the gentle and warm sound of piano. Reminiscent of Bill Evans in his later years, this performance showcases his refined, lyrical, and emotionally charged style, woven with fewer notes than in his early career. It allows you to appreciate the spirituality, nostalgia for his homeland, and the coexistence of stillness and power that characterized his long career. As Ibrahim himself states, “I don’t decide what to play until the moment I put my fingers down on the piano,” so instead of following a setlist, enjoy this magnificent piano trio performance, a culmination of a unique, nonstop medley born from the bond between the three musicians! Recorded Live at Jazz a La Villette, Cite de La Musique, Paris, France, September 02, 2011 DISC 1 1. Suite I (Piano Solo) 2. Suite II DISC 2 1. Suite III Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) – piano Belden Bullock – bass George Gray – drums SOUNDBOARD Recording EX *** 94 min