''A Brother With Perfect Timing'' is a 1987 documentary film, directed by Chris Austin, about musician Abdullah Ibrahim and his struggle against apartheid in South Africa.

Background

''A Brother With Perfect Timing'' was filmed in 1986—four years before the release from prison of

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

, and while the apartheid regime was still in place.. The documentary includes a live performance by Ibrahim and discussions about two of his compositions, "Anthem for a New Nation" and "

Mannenberg "Mannenberg" is a Cape jazz song by South African musician Abdullah Ibrahim, first recorded in 1974. Driven into exile by the apartheid government, Ibrahim had been living in Europe and the United States during the 1960s and '70s, making brief ...

". As described by the reviewer for

KUVO KUVO (89.3 MHz) is a non-profit FM radio station broadcasting mainly jazz music in a public radio format. Licensed to Denver, Colorado, KUVO is owned by the Rocky Mountain Public Media Inc. KUVO's mission is to "provide distinctive music, news ...

radio, "Throughout the film, Ibrahim plays different roles. At times he is the narrator, telling stories and sharing anecdotes, cultural and musical history lessons, offering metaphors, and even jokes for how he and other musicians developed and grew into being. .. is seen performing with his septet E,kaya at the Manhattan nightclub Sweet Basil, as well as rehearsing a with choral group. Some scenes in South Africa feature actors dramatizing events that Ibrahim recounts." Musicians featured with Ibrahim include Carlos Ward, Ricky Ford, Charles Davis,

Essiet Okon Essiet Essiet Okon Essiet (born September 1, 1956 in Omaha, Nebraska) is an American jazz double-bassist. Essiet's parents were Nigerian immigrants to the United States.Lara Pellegrinelli, "Essiet Essiet". '' The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. 2nd editi ...

Don Mumford Don Mumford (February 9, 1954 — July 6, 2007) was an American musician who was noted in jazz circles. Biography Donald Dean Mumford was born in Lawrence, Kansas, on February 9, 1954, to Robert Herman and Mildred Elisabeth Brown Mumford. He ...

and

Ben Riley Benjamin Alexander Riley Jr. (July 17, 1933 – November 18, 2017) was an American jazz drummer known for his work with Thelonious Monk, as well as Alice Coltrane, Stan Getz, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Ahmad Jamal, and as a member of the group Sp ...

. The film was originally broadcast in the

BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...

series '' Arena'' on 27 February 1987.

Reception

'' The New York Times'' positively reviewed the film, calling it "a well-rounded view of a musician for whom exile means both pain and inspiration". The film was reviewed in the 2004 book ''Jazz on Film'', in which author

Scott Yanow Scott Yanow (born October 4, 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author.Allmusic Biography/ref> Biography Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles. Since 1974, he was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles an ...

praised the movie's "blend of interviews and music". ''

Coda Coda or CODA may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * Movie coda, a post-credits scene * ''Coda'' (1987 film), an Australian horror film about a serial killer, made for television *''Coda'', a 2017 American experimental film from Na ...

'' magazine also reviewed the documentary, commenting that Ibrahim "comes across as an admirable and dignified religious man". Norris, John, ''Coda'' Magazine, Issues 230–235, 1990, pp. 30–31.

References

1980s English-language films 1987 documentary films 1987 films Documentary films about apartheid South African documentary films {{SouthAfrica-film-stub