Superstar pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, a revered figure in jazz for over six decades, comes to BAM for two nights only to commemorate the short-lived, near-mythical South African group the Jazz Epistles. Context is everything, so get even closer to the production with this curated selection of related articles and videos. After you've attended the show, let us know what you thought by posting in the comments below and on social media using #JazzEpistles.
Program Notes
Coming soon!
Read
Apartheid Swing: The Jazz Epistles’ Short-Lived Success (BAM blog)
Learn more about the history of the legendary group in the context of apartheid–and why the racist government elected to shut it down.
Article
Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Jazz Epistles (The Village Voice)"The story of the Epistles is, among other things, a testament to the sheer energy of jazz in the late 1950s, the way it sparked new thinking in the United States and South Africa alike."
Article
Best of The Beat on Afropop: The Jazz Epistles--Abdullah Ibrahim and Hugh Masekela (Afropop)
Peruse Afropop's comprehensive overview of the Jazz Epistles through text, video, and song.
Watch & Listen
Audio
The Jazz Epistles (Spotify)
Enjoy a curated selection of the group's most melodic moments.
VideoAbdullah Ibrahim: How Improvisation Saved My Life (NPR)
"More than perhaps any other improvising artist, [Ibrahim] knows how to turn the solitary act of introspection into a communal experience that's both transporting and immersive."
Video
Abdullah Ibrahim A Brother With Perfect Timing (The New York Times)
How did you enjoy the show? Likes? Dislikes? Surprises? Tell us what's on your mind in the comments below and on social media using #JazzEpistles.
Peruse Afropop's comprehensive overview of the Jazz Epistles through text, video, and song.
Watch & Listen
The Jazz Epistles (Spotify)
Enjoy a curated selection of the group's most melodic moments.
Video
"More than perhaps any other improvising artist, [Ibrahim] knows how to turn the solitary act of introspection into a communal experience that's both transporting and immersive."
Video
Abdullah Ibrahim A Brother With Perfect Timing (The New York Times)
Archival footage of Ibrahim from a 1987, apartheid-era documentary.
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