| This ambitious and rather magisterial music is the result of merging Abdullah Ibrahim's unique approach to the piano with a large string orchestra. The string arrangements are by Daniel Schnyder and, in fact, give this CD its primary tone and structure. According to Schnyder, Ibrahim's music is a unique amalgam of jazz harmonies, Liszt (and other Romantic-era pianists), African rhythms, and the idiosyncratic tendencies of Thelonious Monk. African Suite stresses the inherent orchestral colors, providing Ibrahim a more overtly celestial-sounding context in which to play his brand of jazz. Overall, the music has a stately quality, bordering on solemn, but Ibrahim's natural soulfulness still comes through, helping maintain a nice balance between reverence and earthy swing. --Wally Shoup |