Sathima Bea Benjamin Morning In Paris CD

In 1963, singer Sathima Bea Benjamin persuaded Duke Ellington to see her future husband, Abdullah Ibrahim (then known as Dollar Brand), play in a club in Europe. Ellington was impressed by both of the recent South African émigrés and arranged with Reprise to record them. While Brand's record came out within a year, Benjamin's debut was lost and not heard for decades, even by the singer. As it turned out, engineer Gerhard Lehner had made a second copy and kept it for all of these years, so the initial 1997 release of this important session was possible. Backed by pianist Ibrahim, bassist Johnny Gertze, drummer Makaya Ntshoko, and (on two songs apiece) Duke Ellington or Billy Strayhorn, and occasionally joined by violinist Svend Asmussen (who here plays exclusively pizzicato, as if he were using a high-pitched guitar), Benjamin's voice sounds quite beautiful. She performs two Ellington tunes, Strayhorn's "Your Love Has Faded," and nine standards, with the emphasis on slow ballads. The moody music is often haunting and quite memorable. ~ Scott Yanow

The long out-of-print Duke Ellington-produced masterpiece A Morning in Paris will be available in stores once again. Recorded in 1963 by South African jazz singer Sathima Bea Benjamin, the album features performances by Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn,

Recorded at Barclay Studios, Paris, France on February 23, 1963. Includes liner notes by David Hajdu & Gerhard Lehner.

Personnel: Sathima Bea Benjamin (vocals); Svend Asmussen (violin); Duke Ellington, Abdullah Ibrahim, Billy Strayhorn (piano); Johnny Gertze (bass instrument); Makaya Intshoko (drums).

Personnel: Sathima Bea Benjamin (vocals); Svend Asmussen (violin); Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Abdullah Ibrahim (piano); Johnny Gertze (bass); Makaya Ntshoko (drums).

JazzTimes (8/97, p.104) - "...this long lost date was Ms. Benjamin's first record....For the date the rhythm section is her South African countrymen, including husband-pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, and Ellington and Billy Strayhorn take the keys on two tracks apiece..."