In his fifth decade of 'recorded activity' and on the cusp of a new century, the artist has tendered a retrospective infused with the essence of the timeless musical traditions of his people. TOWNSHIP - ONE MORE TIME is his most joyous record. What this listener hears is a musical carnival blooming with a deeply affecting upbeat emotion.

How appropriate: a century-ending date recorded and produced in Cape Town for the people of South Africa. Whereas much of Ibrahim's music has treaded the knife-edge sharpened by the long struggle of his country and its people for liberation and human rights and done so with a resolute, hopeful, courageous intensity, the voice of the music here is celebratory and strong, strengthened in fact by what would have wearied artistry with less fortitude, less certainty.

Even deeper, sunk as roots which feed these pleasurable freedom dances, is the enfolded glory of South African music, which, eminating from the creative 'township' spirit, remains one of the strong artistic threads binding together the resolve of its peoples. Even as the challenges bear down on South African, here is music cast as a moment's respite and focused on happy sentiments and joy-inducing vibes. It is battle tested and grown-up too. In a way some of the record's pleasures are priviledged, for throughout the date the bandleader and his ensemble revisit the very forms Ibrahim later reformulated to create his distinctive update of classic township swing. This vital music's sources are in the bloodstream of South African culture. Ibrahim reweaves these vital threads and faces this music toward the future.

Circles are spun throughout; songs come up and come up again. Ibrahim states it directly "unveiled unbroken circles". The universal human creative evolution is reinforced in musical terms by almost every song on the record. Ibrahim's own evolutionary thrust is everywhere here yet the organic pulse of this record causes even the most distinctive updates to flow naturally from and into Ibrahim's fond living rememberances. For example, check out the intoxicating title track that kicks off the record. Next "Chisa", a song played by the Ibrahim in his first fully professional assignment with the Tuxedo Slickers, follows seamlessly. Two trio tracks are next. There's no real drop down. The pianist and bassist Gary Kriel and drummer Denver Furness are equal partners in the presentation of Ibrahim's vivacious spontaneity. "Shosholoza" glows with enthusiasm. The mellow "Timer" is next. Is this what resilience sounds like?

Circling again. In the notes Ibrahim reminds listeners that the samba migrated from Southwest Africa to Brazil, yet it returns in the sweet cape style of "Someday Soon Sweet Samba". A trio track "The Minstrel" follows at a happy gate. "Shosholoza" appears again, readdressed at first by the trio before the band provides the backdrop for a baritone solo by Ibrahim. "The Minstrel" comes back for a ride on the full band wagon. A string of dancing solos allows all the reed and horn players to show their stuff. Gary Kriel's bass solo sounds like a tap dance. Underpinned by a rolling evocation of a train, Ibrahim is back on bari for a playful "Genadendal". "Timer" is revisited next and features Roubain on tenor and a closing, poignant release from the pianist. Next, "Chisa" rides the tracks. The vamp gets sculpted and resculpted in the play of a truly African blues style. With each repetition the band builds waves underneath to deliver a universal second line.

The collective feel is sustained on the record's send-off. "Lekker Lekkers", as Ibrahim's notes indicate, is pure township dance music, written by an exemplar of the style in the 50's, Sonny Groenwoud. Swung into a racing, hot stomp, it ends the retrospective on a bristling, classic note. 'Pappa San's' invigorating spirit comes back around. Moreover, it is blessed by the saxophone of the late Basil Cotzee, and the sturdy bass of old friend Lionel Beukes. Multiple rememberances. . .

The full band is Jimmy Adams and Harold Jefta on alto sax, David Roubain on tenor sax and flute, and Faya Faku on trumpet and flugelhorn. Special mention is deserved by drummer Furness, who's light touch is foregrounded in the mix. This is very apt because he's a master of the characteristic township rhythms. At the same time his understated and subtle percussive work absolutely penetrates this entire record. Similarly, bassist Kriel, puts a lock on the bass role and the intense demands for it made by Ibrahim's music.

No swan song, and not possibly the last burst of the central current of Ibrahim's music, it's simply one more time in the waning days of the twentieth century, yet, the music looks forward under its paternal mentor. One knows the happy return of this music on the other side, in the new century, is one reason this record blasts off...a forward-looking retrospective. One more time: a dancing stroke of the universally indigenous, spherical human nature tuned to resonate with this very moment's cosmic turn on the gyre. So the joy party goes on in the township of the heart.

How appropriate Ibrahim has returned to his favored clime and delivered a spiraling burst of contemporary township swing flavored by the glorious African tradition. Love songs for Ehkaya. Honey. . .