Legendary South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim will be giving two rare performances with his New York-based band Ekaya in May.

Ibrahim and Ekaya will perform at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town on Saturday 2 May 2009 and at the Wits Great Hall in Johannesburg on Friday 8 May 2009.

Ekaya consists of Abdullah Ibrahim (pianist and composer), Cleave Guyton (alto sax, flute, MD), Keith Loftis (tenor sax), Andrae Murchison (trombone), Jason Marshall (baritone sax), Belden Bullock (bass) and George Gray (drums).

Formerly known as Dollar Brand, Ibrahim led the Duke Ellington Orchestra in the 1960s and was an integral part of the New York contemporary and avant garde scene along with luminaries such as Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Pharoah Sanders, Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Max Roach, Coleman Hawkins and Kenny Barron.

Ibrahim wrote the award-winning soundtracks for the films 'Chocolat', 'No Fear No Die' and 'Tilai'.

The other members of Ekaya have performed with — amongst others — Duke Ellington Orchestra, Ray Charles Orchestra, Lionel Hampton Big Band, Cab Calloway Big Band, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Hargrove, Cleo Laine, Spike Lee, Boys Choir of Harlem, John Hendricks, Ahmad Jamal, Andrew Hill, James Spaulding, George Adams, Roy Haynes, Joe Henderson, Abby Lincoln, Joe Williams, Tito Puente, Ronny Jordan and Chaka Khan.

The concerts are sponsored the national Department of Arts and Culture and Gallo Records.

Tickets, at R200 each, are available through Computicket.