Abdullah Ibrahim
Trio
Live - Royal Festival Hall
8/125:03, reviewer: Stef Coetzee
I was lucky enough to find tickets for my 16 year old son and myself four rows from the front, directly in line with the keyboard so we could follow the maestro's hands on the keyboard.
By seven thirty our excitement was building strongly - neither of us had ever attended a live performance by AI. The stage lighting was simple, with a black backdrop to the Steinway concert grand flanked by a double bass and an impressive drum-kit set-up. Then he was there - following his bassist (Belden Bullock I believe) and drummer (I think it was Sipho Kunene) on to the stage. He had an air reminiscent of the grace, dignity and humility that surrounds Nelson Mandela, for those lucky enough to have met him. With a characteristic bow to the audience with hands folded, he placed his towel on the Steinway and launched straight into the first set, which lasted an hour.
As I said in my intro to the new list last week, my introduction to AI came with an old vinyl album bought in Cape Town titled 'Behind the Blue Door' or some such - I do not have the album any more - loaned it out some 10 years ago.
At that stage, still using the name Dollar Brand. AI played with the same force and gusto that my 16 year old interprets his music with today. The artist in front of us last night played with the gentleness and sensitivity of a 'kehla' (in Zulu (where I grew up) an old man revered for his wisdom and life experience). His hands hardly seemed to touch the keys (remember we were some 10 to 15 meters away) and yet the soft notes flowed like liquid gold, with a power that astonished. There was more measured meditation, and majesty, evident last night compared to the recordings I know.
Is it always like this? No programme, no anticipation of what he would play, just a free form flow that makes you one with his sounds, hardly betraying the immense discipline behind the precision with which the bassist and drummer supported him.
His first few numbers were mostly from our western world, with hardly a hint of Africa or the Orient. Even to someone who had never heard the trio (or any of the members) play, the performance was most impressive, without a hint of trying to impress or 'be flash'. Their skill was balanced by humour, intensity and humility. The bassist did a wonderful job of supporting AI with lots of breaks to demonstrate his own virtuosity. The drummer was a wonder to watch - his range and senility matched by precision and discipline, never overshadowing but very innovative.
Towards the end of the first hour there were thematic hints to reflect AI's roots and influences - hints which were manifest grandly after the interval. In a spectacular 90 minute set he spun out all the themes that make him a part of our household - Mannenberg, Anthem for the new Nations, a very poignant Mamma, Blues for a hip king [just for those old Swazi ex-pats ], African Sun and many more. The trio seemed to have fed on the energy of the first set and played as if a breath of heaven had entered. Apologies to those of a more British constitution, but I cannot convey what it was like to be there with understatement; vocabulary and superlatives are a poor substitute to a wonderful evening.
I will be in Cape Town next Easter - I wonder if we will be lucky enough to be able to see him play there? Oh, how my 16 year old would love to meet him and shake his hand.
I felt his music
deeply for the 20 years before last night, and now, having seen his trio,
wish him and his trio Salaam/Peace/Hamba Kahle from a glad and grateful
heart.
Stef Coetzee: all rights reserved
