The Balance (LP)
Abdullah Ibrahim , Ekaya
Amoeba Review
08/06/2020
At 84, Cape Town jazz legend Abdullah Ibrahim (formerly Dollar Brand) has concocted a jazz record that, without sounding vintage, stirs up feelings of another time, when the notes of a piano and gentle walk of an upright bass could speak more than any words or electrified instruments could. On "Dreamtime," pianist Ibrahim and Co. build a world of inviting mystery, like a welcome lucid dream, while the title track, with its harmonica and flute, is elegantly straight forward. "Jabula" is the standout track, with its exciting rhythm and syncopated horn melodies; one is instantly transported to a bustling port town, a melting pot of cultures and ideas.