3 by Abdullah Ibrahim

“People don’t like Abdullah Ibrahim, they adore him, bestowing on him the devotion normally reserved for Nina Simone. When he plays, melodies tumble out effortlessly, as he slides from theme to theme like a laid-back South African reincarnation of Thelonious Monk.” - The Guardian

Taken from Abdullah Ibrahim’s summer 2023 sold-out headline date at London’s Barbican Centre, the new album “3” follows suit and is spread across two performances – the first is recorded without an audience ahead of the concert straight to analogue on a 1” Scully tape machine, which had previously been used by Elvis at the famous Memphis-based Sun Studios.

The second recording is taken from the evening’s performance itself with Ibrahim performing in a unique trio which includes Cleave Guyton (flute, piccolo, saxophone) who has performed alongside the likes of Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie, and Joe Henderson, as well as lauded bassist and cellist Noah Jackson, both of which are members of EKAYA and featured on Ibrahim’s Top 3 Billboard Jazz album “The Balance”

Tracklist

1.	Barakat	3:28

2.	Tsakwe	1:43

3.	Krotoa - Crystal Clear	3:55

4.	Maraba	2:31

5.	Ishmael	1:43

6.	Mindif	4:22

7.	In a Sentimental Mood	6:24

8.	Giant Steps	3:19

9.	Reprise 1	15:12

10.	Water from an Ancient Well	8:54

11.	Nisa	6:01

12.	The Wedding	5:14

13.	Tuang Guru	7:33

14.	Reprise 2	15:38

15.	Dreamtime	4:23

16.	Skippy	6:29

17.	Blue Bolero	1:06

18.	Mindif	7:00

19.	Trance-mission	3:07

20.	Mindif [Digital Single Edit]	4:17

21.	Water from an Ancient Well [Digital Single Edit]	4:04

Credits

released January 26, 2024

Abdullah Ibrahim; Fazioli F278 concert grand piano
Cleave Guyton Jr.; flute, piccolo
Noah Jackson; double bass, cello

Recorded at the Barbican Hall, July 15th 2023

Volume 1 was recorded directly to reel-to-reel tape without an audience

Volume 2 is a digital recording of the live concert performance later that evening
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Volume 1 - Direct to Tape
Recording engineers: Kristina Rhodes, Charlie Rickard

Microphones: Western Electric RA-1142 (piano); RCA KU3A (flute); Neuman U87 (double bass/cello); 3 x Schoeps Mikrofone Mk2 (Decca Tree)
Microphone Preamplifiers: Telefunken V72 & V76, EAB V65c
Recorded onto a Scully 280B 1-inch 8-track tape machine
Mixed down 1/2-inch stereo tape by Caspar Sutton-Jones and Darrel Sheinman at Studio 13, West London, assisted by Isaac Boehm
Mastered by Caspar Sutton-Jones at Gearbox Records using Studer H37 tape machine, Decca valve equalisation and Telefunken U73B limiters
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Volume 2 - Live at the Barbican
High-resolution digital recording by David Strange using Barbican’s in-house microphones and Digico SD10 recording desk
Digital files mixed onto Studer C37 1/4-inch stereo tape machine
Mastered from tape using Maselec MEA-2 and Decca equalisation, Maselec MLA-2 compressor and Telefunken U73B limiters
Mixed and mastered by Caspar Sutton-Jones at Gearbox Records

Lacquers cut on a Haeco Scully lathe with Westrex RA1700 series amps, Westrex 3DIIA cutting head; monitored on Audio Note equipment

All compositions by Abdullah Ibrahim unless stated otherwise

Produced by Darrel Sheinman
Internal photographs by Fraser Collier
Graphic design by Alan Foulkes

With special thanks to Marina Umari, Ben Lloyd-Evans, Isla van Hout, Jaques Samuel Pianos, The Barbican, Studio 13

℗ & © Gearbox Records, 2024

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