Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis says legendary Jazz musician Abdullah Ibrahim counts among the Citys greatest cultural ambassadors, exposing international audiences to the Mother Citys sounds and stories. The internationally celebrated pianist and composer died on Monday at his home in Germany at the age of 91 following a short illness. Ibrahims final public performance was at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival earlier this year. Hill-Lewis says Ibrahims iconic composition Manenberg was one of the most recognisable pieces of South African music and a powerful symbol of the countrys struggle for freedom.
Meanwhile, Capetonians are also paying tribute to Ibrahim, these jazz lovers have fond memories of Ibrahim.
It is a loss to the music world in a sense that his contribution has been phenomenal. We happened to be walking through Trafalgar Square in London and we heard music in 1989 and looking through the shop window, my word there was Abdullah Ibrahim playing a grand piano and the melodies and the notes that came out of this struck home - wonderful contribution to the world. I think the theme song of my you is Manenberg not just my youth I think its a theme song for many of the people who grew up in Cape Town was Manenberg by Abdullah Ibrahim, says one fan.
