Brian Abrahams

Brian Abrahams
Background information
Birth name	Brian Abrahams
Born	(1947-06-26) 26 June 1947 (age 77) Cape Town, South Africa
Genres	Jazz
Occupation	Drummer
Instrument(s)	drums, vocalist
Member of	Grand Union Orchestra, District Six

Brian Abrahams (born 26 June 1947 in Cape Town, South Africa)^[1] is a South African jazz drummer and vocalist.

Early life

Abrahams started working as a singer with local bands in South Africa in the 1970s.^[2] Abrahams participated in a gig in Swaziland as drummer for Sarah Vaughan and Nancy Wilson. In 1975 he moved to the United Kingdom, where he gained his recognition.

Musical career

Abrahams has worked with groups and artists such as Abdullah Ibrahim, Dudu Pukwana, Ronnie Scott, John Taylor, Johnny Dyani, Brotherhood of Breath, Jim Pepper, Dewey Redman, Mal Waldron, Archie Shepp, and Courtney Pine.

During the 1980s Abrahams founded his own group, District Six. In 1988 he joined the band Ekaya, which was founded by Abdullah Ibrahim. He joined Grand Union Orchestra in 1992 and has been working on projects led by Tony Haynes.^[3][4][5][6]

Abrahams re-formed District Six in Melbourne, Australia in 2009 for a performance at Dizzy's Jazz Club featuring Tony Hicks (tenor saxophone), John McAll (piano), Zvi Belling (bass), Cameron McAlister (trumpet) and Brian Abrahams (drums). District Six performed at the Wangaratta Jazz Festival in November 2009.

Abrahams currently lives and works in Melbourne and is a tutor for aspiring jazz students at the Australian Jazz Museum.

Discography

• African River Abdullah Ibrahim (Enja)
• Imgoma Yabantwana (D6 Records)
• To Be Free (EG Editions Jazz)
• Force of Nature (Reel Recordings) w/ Mike Osborne
• The Rhythm Of Tides (RedGold Records, 1997) w/ Grand Union Orchestra
• Now Comes The Dragon's Hour (RedGold Records, 2002) w/ Grand Union Orchestra
• 12 For 12 (RedGold Records, 2011) w/ Grand Union Orchestra
• If Paradise (RedGold Records, 2011) w/ Grand Union Orchestra

Notes

1. Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 29. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
2. Cook, Richard (2005). Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia. London: Penguin Books. p. 2. ISBN 0-141-00646-3.
3. The Rough Guide to Jazz, 2
4. "Joy in Haynes' travelling community". The Age. 17 May 2004. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
5. Reviewer, Jessica Nicholas (26 March 2007). "A grand union of global music". The Age. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
6. "Brian Abrahams - Grand Union Orchestra". grandunion.org.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2020.

References

• Carr, Ian; Fairweather, Digby; Priestley, Brian (2004), The Rough Guide to Jazz, 3rd Edition, St. Martin's Press, ISBN 0-312-27870-5
• Nicholas, Jessica (27 March 2007), "A grand union of global music", The Age
• Nicholas, Jessica (17 May 2004), "Joy in Haynes' travelling community", The Age