manutopia
Fresh water that does not stop flowing from that well of beauty that is the work of Abdullah Ibrahim. Each of the pieces on this album could in all fairness be the best because the best of the album is entirely in each piece.
Favorite track: Nisa.
The Official Japanese Edition
12" 33rpm Gatefold Vinyl with Obi strip
Liner notes by Mitsuru Ogawa
Shipping from Japan; limited quantities available from the US and UK
Includes unlimited streaming of The Balance
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
The Official Japanese Edition
Mini LP Replica Gatefold CD
Liner notes by Mitsuru Ogawa
Shipping from Japan; limited quantities available from the US and UK
Includes unlimited streaming of The Balance
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 2 days
Purchasable with gift card
£15GBPor more
Test Pressing
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Limited to 1 per customer
Comes in a generic LP sleeve
Includes unlimited streaming of The Balance
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
“There are few musicians in jazz who can make you feel that essentially all is right in the world.” - The Times
On The Balance:
"Getting the balance just right has always been Ibrahim’s great strength, drawing from a source but keeping it fresh..." - Julian Cowley, The Wire
★★★★★ - The Evening Standard
"A modern master... his graceful playing leans on equal measures of force and restraint, of dense clusters and open space. Mr. Ibrahim’s music is dotted by satisfying, sometimes stunning, passages of repose." - Larry Blumenfeld, Wall Street Journal
Entitled 'The Balance', this project featured his long-time septet Ekaya, a line-up that he's been recording with since 1983. In this case, the album was recorded over the course of one day at London's RAK Studios last November. The lush horn lines, lilting melodies, and uplifting chord progressions are characteristic of Abdullah's own particular brand of Township Jazz. This is contrasted with various solo piano improvisations, which epitomise the nostalgic yet hopeful nature of Abdullah's musical spirit. Hence, The Balance.
In his own words, "We push ourselves out of our comfort zones. So that we can present to the listener our striving for excellence. So that we can engage with our listeners without any barriers of our ego. It's not jazz. For us, it's a process of transcending barriers."
Magic in its purest form. I love Floating Points, I love Pharoah Sanders, I love The London Symphony Orchestra. It's a match made in heaven, and the result is absolutely gorgeous. I have loved this record since its release, and realized I don't own it for some reason. So its time to change that. 9.5/10 honestly could become a 10/10 on an indepth vinyl relisten. angrypizza98
I was brought here after listening to a live performance of Makaya's on you tube. I instantly loved the song Holy Lands so much that I had to see if the album version was the same rendition as the live one. Then I listened to the whole album! Universal Beings is a just a groove... It's a mix of traditional and something new, very nice. pandr1900
A diverse collection culled from the archive of jazz pianist Joe Castro featuring Paul Bley, Leroy Vinnegar, Paul Chambers, and many more. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 9, 2020