Crucial Track for June 18, 2025

"Anatomy of a South African Village" by Dollar Brand

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Dollar Brand (real name Abdullah Ibrahim, born Adolph Johannes Brand), Anatomy of a South African Village is a live recording from 1965, recorded in Copenhagen. It features some of Ibrahim’s earliest work, including the title track. Anatomy was originally written for a full orchestra, but we are given a more compact, cut down piano version of the work with this record.

Just a shade under 15 minutes, the title track starts off with a single piano playing traditional jazz style over the thrumb of mingling voices in the audience. You can almost smell the cigarette smoke.