Search - Abdullah Ibrahim, Ekaya :: Mountain

Beautiful ensemble jazz with an African lilt

Mr. Stuart Robert Harris | Bradford-on-Avon, UK | 02/01/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"What an odyssee. From West Africa to America to South Africa. The jazz spirit here is so close to the joyful hurly-burly of the pre-bop ensembles, but with a distinctive local tinge of South Africa.The man himself gives plenty of space to his band, so fans of his piano need to look elsewhere if they want undiluted AI.There's enough sweet lyricism in this album to appeal to romantics, enough feel-good bounce to create a great ambience, and more than enough rootsy friction to ensure that things never get gloopy. No drum solos, overtone blowing, a-tonal excursions or other tricky stuff.Equally at home in a serious jazz collection or a musical magpie's cache."