ABDULLAH IBRAHIM AND EKAYA
Royal Festival Hall; Tuesday 14 November 2017
Royal Festival Hall; Tuesday 14 November 2017
Abdullah Ibrahim - Piano; Lance Bryant - Tenor sax; Andrae Murchison - Trombone; Marshall McDonald - Baritone sax; Will Terrill - Drums; Noah Jackson - Bass / cello; Cleave E. Guyton - Alto sax / flute / clarinet
There was a sincere welcome from the audience at a jam-packed Festival Hall for Abdullah Ibrahim. It was a prelude to probably the strangest and most unsatisfactory concert of the whole festival.
In the early part of his career Abdullah Ibrahim was a frequent visitor to the UK and evenings when his unique rhythms were embedded in the consciousness of many are well remembered. Many savoured being reacquainted with the almost religious fervour that Abdullah Ibrahim can create.
His walk to the piano was slow and deliberate. The opening piece was reflective, almost meditative, but nothing like the music of Abdullah Ibrahim. Gradually, there was an awareness that others had arrived on stage. The musicians: drummer, bass player, alto, tenor, baritone and trombone stood silently at the side until Ibrahim signalled them to enter.
The music that followed was mainstream. The South African influence that people had come to hear was largely absent. There were no announcements, no name checks for the soloists. Abdullah exhibited a proprietorial attitude to the musicians. He was treating them as though they had never stood on a stage before. They all moved obediently to do his bidding. At the end of the concert they were all brought to the front of the stage and Ibrahim tapped the sleeve of each musician to encourage them to bow. It did look very controlled, over controlled
The band played well. Cleave Guyton blew fluently on alto piccolo and flute. Andrae Murchison had a full rich tone with depth and fluidity. The baritone player Marshall McDonald had a deep dark tone. They were all professional but the music had an anonymous feel: South Africa felt very remote.
Remote was how Abdullah Ibrahim appeared. He sat for long periods just listening and not playing. Obviously, the non-appearance of Hugh Masekela caused real problems.
Unfortunately, by the end of the evening, it seemed as though the absence of Masekela had torn the heart out of the concert, leaving Abdullah Ibrahim looking and playing like a shadow of his former self.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
There was a sincere welcome from the audience at a jam-packed Festival Hall for Abdullah Ibrahim. It was a prelude to probably the strangest and most unsatisfactory concert of the whole festival.
In the early part of his career Abdullah Ibrahim was a frequent visitor to the UK and evenings when his unique rhythms were embedded in the consciousness of many are well remembered. Many savoured being reacquainted with the almost religious fervour that Abdullah Ibrahim can create.
His walk to the piano was slow and deliberate. The opening piece was reflective, almost meditative, but nothing like the music of Abdullah Ibrahim. Gradually, there was an awareness that others had arrived on stage. The musicians: drummer, bass player, alto, tenor, baritone and trombone stood silently at the side until Ibrahim signalled them to enter.
The music that followed was mainstream. The South African influence that people had come to hear was largely absent. There were no announcements, no name checks for the soloists. Abdullah exhibited a proprietorial attitude to the musicians. He was treating them as though they had never stood on a stage before. They all moved obediently to do his bidding. At the end of the concert they were all brought to the front of the stage and Ibrahim tapped the sleeve of each musician to encourage them to bow. It did look very controlled, over controlled
The band played well. Cleave Guyton blew fluently on alto piccolo and flute. Andrae Murchison had a full rich tone with depth and fluidity. The baritone player Marshall McDonald had a deep dark tone. They were all professional but the music had an anonymous feel: South Africa felt very remote.
Remote was how Abdullah Ibrahim appeared. He sat for long periods just listening and not playing. Obviously, the non-appearance of Hugh Masekela caused real problems.
Unfortunately, by the end of the evening, it seemed as though the absence of Masekela had torn the heart out of the concert, leaving Abdullah Ibrahim looking and playing like a shadow of his former self.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
