Abdullah Ibrahim
Piano

Abdullah Ibrahim

(1934)

South Africa

Abdullah Ibrahim (b. 1934) — Piano.

From Cape Town, South Africa. Born Adolph Johannes Brand. The central figure of Cape Jazz, known for 'Mannenberg' — a piece that became an anti-apartheid anthem. Championed by Duke Ellington, he built his international career from there.

In June 1974, Abdullah Ibrahim recorded Mannenberg in Cape Town. The track became the best-selling jazz record in South Africa in 1974-75 and, in the 1980s, took on a second life as an anthem of the struggle against apartheid played at protest rallies.

Mannenberg, Wikipedia, 2024

fact-checked