| |
|
| |
|
| |
 |
Big Talk Entertainment is a Cape Town based Entertainments Agency for Corporate Events and have a large database of South African Artists, Singers, Bands, Acts, Comedians, Themed Shows, Motivational Speakers and Celebrities available for functions
|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
ABDULLAH Ibrahim, born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1934, remembers hearing traditional African songs, religious music and jazz as a child - all of which are reflected in his music. He received his first piano lessons in 1941 and became a professional musician in 1949 (Tuxedo Slickers, Willie Max Big Band). In 1959 he met alto saxophone player Kippi Moeketsi who convinced him to devote his life to music. He meets and soon marries South African jazz vocalist Sathima Bea Benjamin in 1965.
An eloquent spokesman and deeply religious, Abdullah Ibrahim's beliefs and experiences are reflected in his music. "The recent changes in South Africa are of course very welcome, it has been so long in coming. We would like a total dismantling of apartheid and the adoption of a democratic non-racist society; it seems to be on the way." In 1990, Ibrahim returned to South Africa to live there but keeps up his New York residence as well. Several tours took him around the globe featuring his groups and also doing much acclaimed solo piano recitals. 1997 saw the beginning of a duet cooperation with the dean of jazz drums, Max Roach.
Later projects (1997 and 1998) are of a large scale nature: Swiss composer Daniel Schnyder arranged Abdullah Ibrahim's compositions for a 22 piece string orchestra (members of the Youth Orchestra of the European Community) for a CD recording and a Swiss Television SF-DRS production and also for the full size Munich Radio Philharmonic Orchestra again for CD production and for concert performances featuring the Abdullah Ibrahim Trio. |
 |
The world premiere of the symphonic piece was at the renowned Herkules Saal, in Munich, Germany on January 18th 1998, under the direction of Barbara Yahr and the Zürcher Kammerorchester premiered the string orchestra version at Zurich's Tonhalle in February 1998.
The string orchestra version was released in September 1998 ("African Suite") and met widest critical acclaim from the worlds of both jazz and classical music. The symphonic version ("African Symphony") will be released in 2001 in a double CD set which also features Abdullah Ibrahim with the NDR Jazz Big Band giving the full scope of his large format music.
Another highlight was the premiere of Cape Town Traveler, a multi-media production at the Leipzig music festival in 1999. A one hour performance featured A.I. & the Ekaya Sextet, a vocal group, filmmaterial from the early days in South Africa and the European years, electronic sounds ranging from impressionism to drum&bass - a great experience.
The newest album is "Cape Town Revisited" , recorded live in Cape Town. The piano of A.I. is featured with Marcus McLaurine (b) and George Gray (dr) and added is the fiery trumpet of South African Feya Faku on several tracks. A great honor has been bestowed on Abdullah Ibrahim when the renowned Gresham College in London invited him to give several lectures and concerts (beginning in October 2000 at Canary Wharf). Among his predecessors at the famed institution which looks back at a history of 500 years are John Cage, Luciano Berio, Xenakis. |
|
|
|
|
