Monday 26 July 2021

Monday Long Song

Oh man this is so great. Abdullah Ibrahim (then still trading as Dollar Brand) leading a South African band back in 1976. They are all great players to a man, but listen in particular to the work of drummer Gilbert Matthews at the absolute core of this tune, in much the same way as Jaki Liebezeit often was in Can, Clyde Stubblefield was with James Brown, Benny Benjamin was at Motown and Roger Hawkins was at Muscle Shoals. It's Gilbert's relentless rhythm, intertwined with Ibrahim's rumbling bottom end keyboard, that sets Black Lightning swinging so heroically.

Abdullah Ibrahim - Black Lightning

2 comments:

John Medd said...

Love it, love it, love it! Have you heard this version - no Vincent Price lightning, no horns, just piano…
https://open.spotify.com/track/1NiNgtaUcIZtazrhr8OjHj?si=b82-bT00S9GMwmXVQhiYQA&dl_branch=1

The Swede said...

Glad you enjoyed it John. I don't have Spotify, but will investigate further - thanks for the tip!

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