DOLLAR BRAND (Abdullah Ibrahim) "Black Lightning" LP NM/VG OOP 1976 Chiaroscuro
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March 5, 2021
Start Date:
February 21, 2021
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AllMusic Review by Brian Olewnick [-]
A rare LP, still unreleased on disc as of 2001, Black Lightning finds the great pianist Abdullah Ibrahim (still generally known as Dollar Brand at this point) in the company of a number of fellow South African musicians for a very fine session that focuses on his township roots. The title track is a joyous, bouncing affair with the three-reed frontline strutting their stuff over a rolling rhythm that never loses its impetus. The melody is infectious and danceable, certainly relating to the local bands with whom Ibrahim grew up and played. The legendary tenor saxophonist Basil Manenberg plays with utter authority and is quite willing to extend into relatively free playing given the context. "Little Boy" has a decidedly funky feel and points the way toward a style that Ibrahim would dip into occasionally in the ensuing decades: a more relaxed, less ecstatically driven music than that which he practiced in the '60s and early '70s. "Black & Brown Cherries" finds him switching somewhat uncomfortably to electric piano with a quartet (though the song itself is enjoyable enough) and he takes things out with a homage to one of his heroes, Monk's "Blue Monk." Black Lightning, though not of the caliber of his incredible solo performances, covers several facets of Ibrahim's art and is well worth picking up if you're lucky enough to come across it.
Dollar Brand – Black Lightning
Label:
Chiaroscuro Records – CR 2005
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album
Country:
US
Released:
1976
Genre:
Jazz, Folk, World, & Country
Style:
Tracklist
ABlack Lightning14:20
B1Little Boy8:25
B2Black & Brown Cherries7:20
B3Blue Monk6:01
Credits
Alto Saxophone – Kippie Moketsi* (tracks: A, B1, B3)
Bass – Basil Moses (tracks: B2), Sipho Gumede (tracks: A, B1, B3)
Composed By – Abdullah Ibrahim
Design – Ron Warwell
Drums – Gilbert Mathews (tracks: A, B1, B3), Monty Weber (tracks: B2)
Engineer – Peter Ceronio
Photography By – Alf Kumalo
Piano – Dollar Brand
Producer – Rashid Vally
Tenor Saxophone – Duku Makasi (tracks: A, B1, B3)
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Basil Manenberg*
GOLDMINE GRADING
MINT ---- It should appear to be perfect. No scuffs or scratches, blotches or stains, labels or writing, tears or splits. Mint means perfect.
NEAR MINT ---- Otherwise mint but has one or two tiny inconsequential flaws that do not affect play. Covers should be close to perfect with minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident: slight ring-wear, minor denting to a corner, or writing on the cover should all be noted properly.
VERY GOOD PLUS ---- The record has been handled and played infrequently or very carefully. Not too far from perfect. On a disc, there may be light paper scuffs from sliding in and out of a sleeve or the vinyl or some of the original luster may be lost. A slight scratch that did not affect play would be acceptably VG+ for most collectors.
VERY GOOD ---- Record displays visible signs of handling and playing, such as loss of vinyl luster, light surface scratches, groove wear and spindle trails. Some audible surface noise, but should not overwhelm the musical experience. Usually a cover is VG when one or two of these problems are evident: ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains, etc.
GOOD ---- Well played with little luster and significant surface noise. Despite defects, record should still play all the way through without skipping. Several cover flaws will be apparent, but should not obliterate the artwork.
POOR ---- Any record or cover that does not qualify for the above "Good" grading should be seen as Poor. Several cover flaws.
