Soweto

This obscure and long out of print Chiaroscuro LP does not have any recording date listed but was recorded in Europe in the mid-'70s. Pianist Dollar Brand (aka Abdullah Ibrahim) is heard leading two groups comprised mostly of fellow expatriate South Africans -- a quartet with tenor saxophonist Basil Mannenberg and a septet. The three originals ("Soweto," "African Herbs," and "Sathima") are very much in Ibrahim's mature style, full of rich melodies, expert use of repetition, and percussive piano. On "African Herbs," he doubles effectively on soprano and electric piano.