African Space Program, by Abdullah Ibrahim

African Space Program

by Abdullah Ibrahim

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1.	Tintiyana, Pt. 1 06:58	buy track
2.	Tintiyana, Pt. 2 12:44	buy track
3.	Jabulani-Easter Joy 23:25	buy track

about

This is unique, pancultural music. Brand, as his followers know, is a native-bom South African who is well-versed both in modern conservatory music and in the music of his native Africa. He's skilled both as a pianist, flutist, and composer, and now with this release of his first recording with a large group, he has revealed his talents as an arranger.
Not surprisingly, Brand has done an excellent job here. Tintiyana, First Part is enough to establish Brand's credentials as an orchestrator of the first order. He writes in colors, not sections, piling layer upon layer of muted dissonance, worthy of one of his mentors, Duke Ellington.
Tintiyana Second Part is mainly a series of remarkably coherent solos by all hands except, unfortunately, Brand himself. (He modestly stays in the background throughout.) His orchestral backgrounds encourage and reinforce the soloists. What's most impressive about the solos themselves is there collective musical unity. Although 10 men solo here, the effect is unlike that of a string of isolated, arbitrarily connected solos. They instead flow into one another, each player advancing the Strands of musical thought until the knot is tied in a buming coda of collective improvisation, worthy of the best of Mingus' group efforts.
Brand's spirituality is seen in Jabulani - EasterJoy. Opening with a moaning, typically simple hypnotic melody, it quickly moves into an almost free up-tempo section. Again, all soloists are individually and collectively impressive. Note Fortune's fluid alto blowing, Sullivan's high register trumpet screams, and Zawadi's almost elephantine shouts. Cecil McBee's driving bass work is worthy of Special praise.
This passionate, at times violent, music is uncompromisingly personal, deeply feit, and marked by complete musical integrity Balleras, Down Beat

credits

released August 1, 2022

Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand)– piano & composition
Enrico Rava, Cecil Bridgewater; Charles Sullivan - trumpets
Sonny Fortune, Carlos Ward, Roland Alexander, John Subblefield, Hamiet Bluiett - saxes&flutes Kiani Zawadi – trombone; Cecil McBee – bass; Roy Brooks - drums

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