Abdullah Ibrahim

Abdullah Ibrahim met Beatrice "Sathima Bea" Benjamin, a South African vocalist and composer, in 1959, and the two got married six years later. The couple has two children – rapper Jean Grae, and pianist Tsakwe.

Born Adolph Johannes Brand, Abdullah Ibrahim began taking piano lessons at seven. He grew up hearing African Khoi-san songs and the Christian hymns. His grandmother was a church pianist, and his mother, a choir-singer.

After passing matriculation, he became a school-teacher. He quit his job to study music at the Cape Town University, but quit midway as the music taught there did not match his taste.

When he was 15, Abdullah Ibrahim turned professional backed by local bands; he became popular as Dollar Brand. In 1958, he formed the Dollar Brand Trio which included Johnny Gertze and Makaya Ntshok.

In 1959, he formed the band, Jazz Epistles, with saxophonist Kippie Moeketsi, trumpeter Hugh Masekela, trombonist Jonas Gwanga, bassist Johnny Gertze and drummer Makaya Ntshoko), and recorded their first album, 'Jazz Epistle, Verse 1'.

In 1962, with apartheid at its peak, Dollar Brand Trio members, along with vocalist Sathima Bea Benjamin, left South Africa, and accepted a three-year contract at the Club Africana in Zurich.

In 1963, Sathima Benjamin persuaded the legendary Duke Ellington to listen to them play at Club Africana. The result was ‘Duke Ellington presents The Dollar Brand Trio’ released by Reprise Records.

He performed at the Newport Jazz Festival and Carnegie Hall, and in 1966, substituted as the leader of the Ellington Orchestra in five concerts. He toured with the Elvin Jones Quartet for six months.

Ibrahim composed the 1974 album, ‘Mannenberg - "Is Where It's Happening"’ consisting of two long cuts "Mannenberg" and "The Pilgrim" became a great hit. Mannenburg became the anthem of those fighting against apartheid.

His 1999 album, ‘African Suite’ backed by the Youth Orchestra arranged by Daniel Schnyder was a reworking of Ibrahim’s compositions, and reflective of his South African origin, Islamic faith, European residence, and jazz passion.