Lindsay Johns

The song that fought apartheid

A seminal album by South African jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim celebrates its 40th anniversary

[sefton samuels/rex] 
issue 21 June 2014

This month marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Mannenberg, the seminal album by the Cape Townian jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim (formerly known as Dollar Brand).

Recorded against a backdrop of forced removals as the apartheid government evicted Coloured families from District Six, the title track was inspired by and named after the township of Manenberg, where many of those who had been displaced were resettled.

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