Water From An Ancient Well
Abdullah Ibrahim
1986
Album Summary
Water from an Ancient Well is a jazz album by South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim that was first released in 1986. The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
WikipediaOn one of my first visit to Cape Town I was having a drink with a black man who was a local. He pointed at a person with brown skin across the room and, said ¨the coloured guy over there is a good friend.¨ He was incredulous when I told him that in my country the term ¨coloured¨ was a derogatory term for a black man. He informed me that under the Apartheid regime, people were segregated into Blacks, Whites (mainly Afrikaans) and Coloureds (which were everyone else). Those terms are still used to describe people but are not considered racist and the severe ramifications of being in one group or the other are no longer proscribed by the government. Abdullah Ibrahim would have been a coloured person. The Wiki notes for this one are quite limited. As one can tell from the names of some of the songs, there is a political side to this. The song Mandela is an obvious one given he was sitting in Robben Island at the time this was released. Mannenberg Revisited was a well known and highly political song. I read that a copy of the record was snuck onto Robben Island and when Nelson Mandela heard it he remarked that ¨liberation is near¨. Mannenberg is about the forced removal of those defined as coloured people from a downtown neighbourhood to the suburbs of Cape Town. What boggles the mind is that these songs effectively conveyed the message of protest and uprising without lyrics. Song for Sathima is about his wife Sathima Bea Benjamin If you're interested, Spotify has a wonderful EP called African Songbird with three of her tunes including Africa which is an avant garde jazz sung with love for her Africa.
Gorgeous, sensitive, buttery smooth jazz. Wonderful. Like sinking into a warm, comfy mattress.
Awfully good and easy-swinging. Highly polished in composition and tone and execution. There’s real elegance in the straightforwardness and simplicity of the playing and a richness and warmth from the large format. Just strong all the way around. Solid 4.
Great album - caught me by surprise. Has a timeless quality, many of the tracks harken back to roots in the 50s or 60s. Definitely a keeper!
Although it was a little behind the times for the year this was released, it's an excellent assortment of original cool-jazz compositions. Ibrahim's piano is surprisingly sparse on here, but he sounds like a composed and stern father, who speaks up only when needed, and only as much as needed, to keep his somewhat wild, ambitious (and incredibly talented) children (the other musicians) in line. Speaking of the other musicians, dig the crazy bass on Manenberg Revisited, the unusual drum rhythms on Tuang Guru, the silky smooth saxophones on the title track and Song for Sathima, the wistful trombone on Sameeda, the self-assured flute on The Mountain. Only 2 slight critiques, the recording isn't as crisp as I'd like, and sounds more 50's than 80's, and the way all the songs finish with the same flourish is anticlimatic. OverallI, I'm really glad to have heard this and will be listening to more Abdullah Ibrahim in the future.
I did not know what to expect from this album. I’m a huge jazz fan but Ibrahim is not someone whose music I’m familiar with. He’s a pianist, but this is very much an ensemble effort. And it covers so much ground. It opens with Mandela, which really swings, and it never sits still. There are steamy, edgy tunes that reek if New York (Song For Sathima, Tuang Gura). Long, slow pieces (the title track & The Mountain). The Wedding is a beautiful tune in march time. I thought Mannenberg Revisited sounded very 60’s. Turns out it is a re-interpretation of a song he originally recorded in the early 70’s. A song which is often remembered as an unofficial national anthem. And the album ends a bit like it started, with the band really stretching out, on Sameeda. A terrific record.
Started good, then solemn, then next track sounds like the menu music or first level music from a child's video game 😂 kinda decent though, enjoyable at least.
Having just listened to Time out by the Dave Brubeck quartet i felt that the 30 years that separated the two albums hadn’t been kind to Jazz. It didn’t flow well for me, the transition from one track to another was too harsh at times. The tracks I enjoyed Mandela - quite punchy and upbeat, it’s gets the album off to a good start. Manenberg revisited- starts slow and builds up, whilst it’s quite repetitive it allows you to follow the beat and relax into it. Tuang guru - reminded me of the backing music to a 1950’s black and white cop film The ones I didn’t Sameeda- too “all over the place” with its beat, just couldn’t relax with it. There’s a couple of tracks I would listen to again, but not the whole album
Enjoyed this album a lot. Players are all amazing, so much to hear and discover. Will definitely listen to a few more times at least
I've often grumbled against the glaring omissions in the jazz selections of this list, but with this particular album, I'm forced to admit that Dimery and co. simply dug gold. I'm not a jazz specialist, just an open-minded amateur, so I didn't know who Abdullah Ibrahim/Dollar Brand was at all. Therefore, I've listened to this record with absolutely zero expectations, and I must say I'm totally enthralled by it now. It started off in quite a subdued way, though. At first, "Mandela" sounded a little too big band-like, almost too quaint to my ears, in spite of the obviously important theme suggested by its name, especially coming from a South African musician. But then each track that followed grasped my attention in a different way, from the gentleness of "Song For Sathima" and the driven focus of "Marenberg Revisited" (a variation on an important musical milestone written by Ibrahim more than a decade earlier--and a significant instrumental statement against Apartheid), and this continuing up to the arabic flavors of "Tuang Guru" and the heartwrenching finale of the short ballad "The Wedding". Closer "Sameena" was also a huge surprise in the way its minimalistic, nearly atonal introduction on brass and winds steadily grew into a meditative piece that ensnared my ear up until the very last Just like for pianist Ibrahim, I didn't know the other performers on this record either, but they're all doing an excellent job conveying the myriad emotions and colors gathered in this tight, tight package. *Water From An Ancient Well*'s scope is so impressive, and its tracklisting is so dynamic--so varied yet so cohesive too--that it instantly got a 5-star mark from me. This sort of thing doesn't often happen, so you can be sure I'll return to that proverbial well from time to time... Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 877 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 67 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 30 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 27
Everything about this was great. The timing of where it came up for our group also could've helped. We needed something mellow.
I really like this. Makes me feel cheerful. Also having no lyrics makes it so good to listening when focus is needed. Loved it!
Fantastic. "Song for Sathima" is so sad and beautiful. And the melody kept surprising me with where it went. The players interact with and contrast each other in interesting, surprising way. Like the bassist who sounds like he's playing these little fragments of scales almost removed from what everyone else is playing. But it fits into the larger picture. The bass is awesome throughout -- it sounds almost funky on "Mannenberg Revisited." I like that the bass is upfront in the mix. Sometimes it can be hard to hear the bass solo in jazz but not here. There's a lot of creative, inspired playing throughout the album. The solos feel untamed. I was surprised to learn that the band leader is the pianist because that's the instrument I noticed the least on a first listen. I'm looking forward to playing to this album more and listening for him.
Jazzy!! good so far! 5 star - maybe not specifically this album although its not bad but all the low key jazz piano music that comes after listening to this is (chefskiss)
wowowowww. 7 artists!! “Song for Sathima” was genuinely so relaxing and romantic. nice groovy bass :D
i am surprised at how much i like this. the mellow saxophone and cool jazz vibe make it easy to appreciate and enjoy. it doesn't quite maintain that epic feel for the whole duration, but really solid.
Nice change of pace from the first two listens this week. Easy jazz, and would definitely listen again. 4 stars.
Some nice smooth jazz. Again not my style but I couldn't complain about this one and it gets a positive mark.
Well this was quite pleasant! Very soothing. I enjoyed it. Very lyrical music which I enjoyed.
Kaunista ja kuulasta jazzia. Erityisesti avausbiisi ja nimikkokappale (joka puuttu Spotifysta, prkl) oli hyviä. 4/5
Huh, avausraita oli turhan iloinen "rallattelu", mutta sen jälkeen mukavaa kaunista jazzia. Nimikkobiisi olikin sitten ihan mieletön enkä oikeastaan tiedä, oonko kuullut parempaa jazz-tallennetta. Vangitsi meikän täysin. Sääli, että juuri se puuttui spotifysta (ja applelta). Suurin osa levystä ehkä 3/5, mutta pakko nostaa neloseen jo nimikkobiisin takia. Ja oli siellä pari muutakin nelosen ansaitsevaa hetkeä.
Mitä jazziin tulee, on kasari must ollu aika synkkää fuusiohelvetin aikaa. Tämä taas ei sitä oo, vaan flirttailee aika häikäilemättömästi kuuskytluvun NY-soundin kanssa. Siitähän minä tietty diggaan! 4/5
Great band & music that Ive discovered because 1001 album generator. Thanks.
Þessi er ljómandi, renndi henni tvisvar og gæti hlustað oft aftur. Ekkert lag sem stendur mest upp úr, alveg solid stöff.
This one is really pretty. I love a good calming set of piano tracks. The title track was definitely the best, but it was all good. Everyone should invest time in piano music now and again. Absolutely worth a listen. Fave track: Water from An Ancient Well
5/27/2022 - ALBUM #120 Today's Album: "Water from an Ancient Well" by Various Artists - This is a really smooth and impressive jazz album from a bunch of different artists. There really isn't anything to complain about here. The bassist is consistently laying down a solid groove, the accompanying band is excellent and well balanced, and the soloists are fairly decent. There are some occasional subpar solos, but others make up for it tenfold and beyond. There title track probably has one of the best trumpet solos I have ever heard and after playing trumpet for 10+ years, that should mean something. Overall this is a really impressive jazz album that's great put on in the background or sit down with a good pair of headphones and just enjoy from start to finish. The flow is great, the runtimes of the songs don't feel too long or bloated, and every song strikes a different and unique tone. Give this on a listen if you like some more laid back jazz that still knows how to lay down a funky groove. Highlights: Mandela, Manenberg Revisited, Water from an Ancient Well, The Mountain Score: 8/10 Excellent laid-back 80s jazz
great album from start to finish song for sathima is 10/10 very count basie-esque look forwards to listening to more not too much that really set it apart though 9.1/10
I really liked it especially Mandela. Would listen again and have some songs added to my liked songs now :) 4.3/5
Outstanding album. Superb compositions played and performed extraordinarily well.
Pretty good, but why did Mandela sound like King of the Road? The title track was also really cool but sounded a little familiar - like Blueberry Hill? Song for Sathima had a very beautiful opening 35s and was okay after that (but had some fuzzy sounds, like a radio out of range, when the sax would come in?). Manenberg Revisited has a cool, energetic sound - wish I knew more about its inspiration or message. The Wedding is probably my favorite on the album; sweet and soulful. The Mountain is a nice follow-up to it. Overall, a very cool and smooth sounding jazz album with various musicians who complement each other well.
It's weird, the title track on the album was NOT on Spotify. Had to go onto YouTube to hear it. It's interesting, the music reminded me a bit of Vince Guaraldi. Perhaps that's why I enjoyed it so much. The other instruments really added something to it as well. I don't want to call it "classic" jazz, but it was a straight up jazz album. But definitely more of what you expect in a jazz album. I did enjoy this very much.
Cool, laid-back, smooth, sometimes it got intense, but a very enjoyable album start to finish. The type of music you can play in the background all day. Never heard of this before, so I'll be sure to listen to more from Ibrahim.
Really enjoyable jazz album - some fun tunes, some simply beautiful. Awesome bass player. Some glitches perhaps in the recording? At times the bari Sax was so far “behind the beat” (and behind the other horns) as to be distracting, especially on headphones. But I’ll be back.
Nice album, I enjoyed it. However, I'm having trouble figuring out why it's on the list - if you read the Wikipedia you would think that its greatest accomplishment is being on the 1001 list itself. Ibrahim has clearly had a long and productive career, and is still going, which is exciting for all of us. If nothing else, it's a new one on my radar to dig into.
Nice jazz with an interesting style. Enjoyed the first and third track.
I never listened to African jazz before so I didn't know what to expect, but I ended up liking this record a lot! It is both funky and soothing at times, and overall, very well produced
First, love the cover art. Second, I saw the artist, year, and name of the tracks and was expecting one thing; when I clicked play and got something completely different. I feel almost like I got Rick rolled. But OK! Who doesn't like a little surprise swing.
This wasn’t available on Apple Music in the USA, but I found it on YouTube (minus one song which wasn’t available). This was good, I liked this. Being forced to listen to jazz has made me appreciate it more. Overall, this was a really pleasant, serene album.
Started off thinking it's jazz but ended up really enjoying it. I think that may have been because of the sun penetrating through the morning mist, the families traversing the Clapham plains with their dogs, the smell of coffee wafting through the breeze. I have been enlightened to a new world, and Abdullah Ibrahim, you have been my light. Songs are alright too. 3.5
It was alright. I love the jazziness! I wish this album was more valued!
A unique slice of jazz. I could actually hear how this influenced DMB during one of the songs.
Having never heard of this album or Abdullah, I was happy to see a Jazz album pop up on the list AND enjoy it. Water from an ancient well has elements of John Coltrane and it just hits. Its hard to believe that an album from 1986 can sound like it was recorded at the Blue Note in 1959. 4/5
This is a great jazz album that is very influenced by the Big Band Tradition. Though this album isn’t covering any new territory, it is incredibly well executed and features some excellent mastery of instrumentation. The tone and timbre that the musicians are able to achieve is full of emotion and control.
One of the most soothing works from jazz on the list. I was captivated entirely.
From the artist name, album title and artwork I was expecting world music, but ok, it's cool jazz! Nice! The Abdullah Ibrahim wikipedia page is worth browse - this is a whole wing of jazz I was oblivious to. Fave track - "Tuang Guru" sounds almost like Ethiojazz, I dig it.
What a smooth groove. On the back of the Nightmares On Wax album this is smooth and gentle. Hard to pick a fave as this album just flows so nicely.
I lack the knowledge and intelligence to articulate how I feel about different jazz albums. But I liked this
Super calm and super chill jazz album. Sounds like its straight out of the early 60s. Not much else to say tbh.
I wouldn't have thought a song titled 'Mandela' would be so jaunty, given the situation in South Africa in 1985, when this was released. That aside, I enjoyed this album. Really accessible and listenable jazz. Nice to listen to in a bar or over dinner.
Mandela doesn't sound like anyone is playing in the same time. the downbeats are all mixed up. Song For Sathima is alright! Water From An Ancient Well is the axis about which the entire album turns. the ultimate chill and jazz album. Sameeda is a weird closer. I like it but man it is weird in the context of the entire rest of the album.
Surprisingly enjoyed whilst working away in the office. Still can't see me sticking this on again like most other Jazz.
3.1 - I saw the album cover and was totally expecting world music with some chanting (groan). Instead I got easy jazz. Now I'm not sure which I would've preferred. It's definitely sweet and soulful. It sounds like the Saturday Night Live band if they kept jamming on that final farewell song while the audience files out, leaving them to play to an empty studio.
Nogen af titlerne lyder som noget man selv kunne have givet sangene, i en hashkoger, ud fra hvordan de lyder. Men god stemning, dog lidt uklart hvor vi sal hen.
I found this to be a very accessible album. You don't need to be a Jazz aficionado to enjoy this. It's an easy listen.