Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya (performance)
Rhapsodic melodies from the pioneering Cape Jazz pianist and his seven-person ensemble.
From solo piano ruminations to effervescent group sets, Abdullah Ibrahim is known for his distinctive sound that reflects his multicultural influences. He blends the traditional African songs, gospel of the AME Church and Ragas of his childhood with post-bop and other Western styles of his time in Europe and New York. A cultural icon, Ibrahim pioneered South African jazz at a time when the genre symbolized resistance against the apartheid regime and his Mannenberg became an unofficial national anthem for black South Africans.
At the Hop, he takes to the stage with his groundbreaking ensemble Ekaya (the Zulu word for Homeland) for their signature rich, spiritual sets.
A conversation with the artists follows.
