Abdullah

ZA · formed 1934

jazzcape jazzbeboppost-bopfolksouth african jazz

Legendary South African jazz musician (mostly piano and saxophone), born as Adolph Johannes Brand in Cape Town in 1934. He was given the "Dollar" nickname due his regular purchases of jazz LPs from US-American soldiers as a youth, and when he converted to Islam in 1968 he changed his name to Abdullah Ibrahim -- although he continued to perform and record under the Dollar Brand monicker for some years thereafter. His "Mannenberg" composition from 1974 is widely considered to be a seminal piece of South African heritage and, at times, been dubbed an unofficial South African anthem. In 2009 Mr. Ibrahim was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music from the University of the Witwatersrand.