Autobiography is a live recording by pianist and flautist Abdullah Ibrahim

Abdullah Ibrahim

Abdullah Ibrahim , born Adolph Johannes Brand, 9 October 1934 in Cape Town, South Africa, and formerly known as Dollar Brand, is a South African pianist and composer...

 (also known as Dollar Brand), taken from a June 18, 1978 concert in Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

. On the recording, Ibrahim recalls his childhood in South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

 through the songs he learned then, progressing to his own compositions in adulthood. Originally released as a two-disc LP set, the album has since been reissued on CD

Compact Disc

The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...

.

Track listing

1. "What Really Happened in the Cornfields is that the Birds Made Musical all the Day and so I Let a Song Go Out of my Heart at Duke’s Place" - "Anthem For the New Nations"
2. "Biral"
3. "Gwidza" - "Yukio-Kahlifa" - "Intro Liberation Dance"
4. "African Marketplace" - "Tokai" - "Llanga" - "African Sun"
5. "The Dream"
6. "Liberation Dance"
7. "Did You Hear That Sound ?" - "Our Son Tsakwe" - "The Wedding" - "I Surrender Dear
   I Surrender Dear
   "I Surrender Dear" is a song composed by Harry Barris with lyrics by Gordon Clifford. It was first performed by Bing Crosby in the film I Surrender Dear and became his first solo hit. It has been covered by a large number of artists, making it a jazz and pop standard...
   
   " - "One Day When We Were Young"
8. "Drop Me Off in Harlem
   Drop Me Off in Harlem
   "Drop Me Off in Harlem" is a 1933 song composed by Duke Ellington, with lyrics written by Nick Kenny.A.H. Lawrence writes that the song originated from an off the cuff remark from Ellington. Nick Kenny had hailed a taxi, and offered to share it with Ellington. Kenny asked "Where to, Duke?", and...
   
   "
9. "Take the "A" Train" - "Coming on the Hudson" - "Moniebah"
10. "Little Boy"
11. "Cherry"
12. "Ishmael" - "Mannenberg" - "Children of Africa"/"Banyana" - "Peace-Salaam" - "Anthem for the New Nations"
13. "Khoisan"