Abdullah Ibrahim

CAPE JAZZ MAESTRO

What music are you currently grooving to?

I really enjoy the music of the natural world. I live in the countryside, so for me it’s the sound of springtime in the mountains; the birds singing to each other, the gentle flow of the river. There’s a special rhythm that’s very calming and inspiring. It was a big influence on my new album.

What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album?

Duke Ellington once said to me something like, “My favourite album is the next one.” I’m inclined to agree.

What was the first record you ever bought?

And where did you buy it? It was of Sotho Traditional Music, which comes from Lesotho, a small kingdom within South Africa, which has its own individual musical style as well as its own traditional instruments. It’s also the land of my father.

Which musician, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?

In another lifetime, I would like to have been a shakuhachi player. It’s a type of traditional Japanese flute – the sound is something akin to wind blowing through bamboo trees. The instrument came to Japan from China in the 7th century. I’d imagine myself to be a master of the Ko-ryu¯ [old school] tradition of playing.

What do you sing in the shower?

I do not.

What is your favourite Saturday night record?

It has to be Diminuendo And Crescendo In Blue by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra.

And your Sunday morning record?

When I Rose This Morning by the Mississippi Mass Choir is great. They’ve got over 230 members. It’s very uplifting.

Abdullah Ibrahim’s new album The Balance is out on June 28 via Gearbox Records.