Abdullah Ibrahim (aka Dollar Brand) is a South African master pianist and a world-renowned musician from Cape Town. He was a pioneer of bebop with a Cape Town flavour during the mid-50’s, and a member of two short-lived yet influential trios, Dollar Brand Trio and The Jazz Epistles, before he moved to New York City after the Sharpeville massacre.

Ibrahim briefly returned to South Africa during the late 60’s and began working on new music; collaborating with producer Rashid Vally and the local band Oswietie that resulted in sound that fused jazz and rock. He also recorded the anti-apartheid song “Mannenberg” that was hailed as an unofficial anthem for black South Africans.

Over the decades, Ibrahim toured the world extensively, appearing at major venues either as a solo artist or playing with other renowned musicians.

Abdullah has been commissioned to work on a new piece of music based on the theme of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial, Rights of Future Generations, that will be debuted at the closing of the exhibition in February 2020.