Water From An Ancient Well

Quit liked the first song but was so bored for the rest

4/10

Excelente disco de Jazz. Parar tudo, colocar um bom fone e apreciar esse disco por inteiro foi uma experiência muito legal! Kawanoaudio Horaiko.

Good, but no great jazzed. I enjoyed, but not sure why it is top 1000. Good as background music. 0 songs added to playlist.

Tedious.

The Mountain //

It's fine. 3/5

It’s not the best jazz album ever, but it’s not bad either. Some songs sounded amazing, others sounded a little to powerful and poppy, for my liking.

I generally despise jazz, but this was bearable.

Dollar Brand luego Abdullah Ibrahim, sudafricano lo que quiere decir que tocó con la reina de la música Miriam Makeba. No solo, ha trabajado con Ellington, Coltrane, Sunny Murray, Ornette Coleman o Don Cherry. Mandela tiene un ritmo caribeño que suena a De camino a la vereda de Buena vista social club, pero unos años antes. El resto es jazz, con toques swing, latino etc. No sé, no me impresiona mucho.

Water from an Ancient Well is good, but doesn't really feel that special to me. With a name like that, I hoped it would maybe have some interesting cultural influences or maybe have some fusion elements, but it feels very commercial. Although, the second half of the album does get a bit interesting with the flutes and overall playing. That being said, the album feels like it was being held back from doing anything non-standard. I did enjoy "Tuang Guru" and "Water from an Ancient Well", and despite its setbacks, it's not a bad album. Favorite Song: "Water from an Ancient Well"

Not my kind of jazz unfortunately. It’s a little goopy or smooth-jazz adjacent, or maybe I just don’t like the sax players. The piano and rhythm section is real nice though.

I've said it in a few other reviews of jazz albums, but this list has really allowed me to appreciate the genre. I still don't think I have an ear for it, though, as they pretty much all sounds the same to me. This album was good, as far as I know.

I was surprised by this one, I wasn’t expecting it to be a listenable jazz album

5 stars, so glad i know this now, been listening to playlist based on this all day .

V nice jazz album. Good bg music on the plane. Loved song for sathima

3/5

Boring, listened to this while doing homework and was more focused on the homework, which is NOT common. Just sounds like the same thing for however long this went on

Incredible jazz album with a lot of great solo sections and written melodies. Loved the numerous ideas introduced in here, solid horns and winds and overall just great to listen to everything come together and create a beautiful soundscape. 7/10, Favorite Song: Mandela

This is the kind of jazz I like :)

Perfect! I've been getting into jazz a little bit lately (Sun Ra, mofos!!). This was a delight to listen to. 4

It was fine. Good background music Standout song: Tuang Guru

Delightful

jazz normal nada que decir

Listened in morning

another new album for me. i've listened to ibrahim a little bit before, but this will be some new sounds. "tuang guru" sounds like ibrahim at his most coltrane, which makes it fine but not amazing. "water from an ancient well" is a masterpiece. were the album as strong as this piece, it would be an easy 5 stars. the second half is the stronger listen. however, i really don't know how this album makes this list. so many other ibrahim albums to make this and african jazz albums overall could be on here. just puzzling

Washed over me with little effect like water from an ancient well.

Jazz album. It was released in 1986 but it has a timeless sound - I wouldn’t have been surprised if it was released 20 years earlier. Interesting that Abdullah is a pianist but the piano seems to take a back seat in the album - the horns and even drums are more prominent.

Jazz comes in two major forms: Challenging freestyle and Orthodonist waiting room. This is more the later. It's quite nice, but just background music.

holy shit that was boring

This was, no exaggeration, one of the best first-listens of this entire list. South African jazz is criminally underrated. Lush stuff

nah.

Ça fait penser à du jazz.

50 nuances de trompettes relou

I enjoyed it although it is not my preferred style of music. Quite relaxing. 2,5

I am woefully unqualified to evaluate the jazz I’ve heard, both in context of this project and without. I can say that I’ve enjoyed most of the jazz albums that are on this list. This album is buttery smooth and easy to listen to. Nice way to start the day.

Yet another jazz album I don't care about. The issue with all of them is as soon as the album is over and Spotify continues playing another jazz song not from the album, I have no clue the song is not from the album I was listening to. It all sounds the same.

A remarkable album! Abdullah Ibrahim displays his piano skills on Water from an Ancient Well Stellar from start to finish. Music like this can be considered simple by some, but it’s full of life if you listen closely. Ibrahim controls our emotions easily: his music can turn romantic, whimsical, and sorrowful within seconds. The piano is engaging, though special credit goes to the saxophonist whose playing stole my attention from the piano multiple times. Delightful from start to finish.

I honestly wasn't expecting such a straightforward jazz album, nor was I expecting it to be so smooth and pleasant to listen to. I didn't particularly have a lot of thoughts throughout this, other than that it was just a nice, easy listen.

Awesomely surprised by this. Never heard of this artist before but this was a great jazz album.

Not fully available. Found 7 of the 8 tracks on YouTube.

For those looking on Spotify, you can find the title track on a different album (Cape Town Revisited). First five tracks are great - 5 star worthy - but then The Wedding takes a real Kenny G turn and the follow-up The Mountain doesn't do much for me either. Ends on an ok note with Sameeda. Would happily spin the front five many times again.

Not for me, I'm not a fan of that freeform jazz type thing. I find it irritating.

Nah

Too chill zafxulshi gamodgeba tho

Kind of background music. No strong opinions either way.

this was sick af

Its good But feels like its misding a certain something to make it excellent

Beautiful

Light, breezy, too easy to ignore.

good

This is jazz, so 4.

Abdullah Ibrahim hat schon bessere Alben gemacht... Das ist ein seichter Schritt in den Mainstream

I feel like I'd need a better understanding of South African history and politics to really get what this album is trying to do. Not bad for jazz though.

Not bad.

I liked this record quite a bit, but my listening experience probably says as much about me as it does about the album. I found myself letting it wash over me rather than actively engaging with it, and while that’s partly a function of being busy, it also feels intentional on the album’s part. This music isn’t demanding attention. It’s inviting presence. There’s a calm, grounded quality here that’s deeply appealing. The melodies feel rooted and patient, and the playing carries a sense of history without leaning on virtuoso flash. It’s jazz, but not in a way that calls attention to itself as jazz. More like something older, steadier, and less interested in proving anything. That said, I walked away without a strong sense of where this lands for me in the broader jazz landscape. I enjoyed it, respected it, and felt good having spent time with it, but I don’t yet have the clarity that comes from a truly deep listen. This feels like a record that might reward that kind of focus, and I suspect a second, more intentional pass would reveal more. For now, it sits in that space of “very good, possibly great,” with the asterisk that I owe it another listen to know for sure.

Absolutely never heard of this guy in my entire life, pretty cool stuff. Kinda just standard jazz. It's cool he's from South Africa I barely know any South African Musicians.

Water From An Ancient Well. Had to find on YouTube as Spotify don't list it.

Released in 1986, but sounds more like classic 1960's jazz. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Mandela

Reminded me of Vince Guaraldi

Nicht mein Genre!

Bello, per lavorare

184/1089 was excited for this based on the cover and title, then i get hit by the (dated) jazzy trumpets… i can appreciate this as a cool jazz album and it did have some highlights, it just didn’t excite me. (that said, i wasn’t bored enough to keep track of how long i had left and actually only noticed once it had looped and replayed the first two tracks) i love the intent behind it and the idea of a mixture of jazz and african elements to express Abdullah’s feeling/experience of exile. However, i’m not knowledgeable enough with jazz to be able to pick these out tbh faves: The Mountain, Manenberg Revisited 48/100

Very pleasant background music. Listened through it a couple times.

Ooooo, this is a vibe. Perfect music for morning coffee.

Something a bit different today, with a jazz album from South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim that mixes jazz rhythms with the some of the distinctive moods of the townships around Johannesburg. It probably sounds more like New York style jazz than I’d hoped, but it’s engaging nonetheless. I wish I knew a bit more about this album and the musicians than the fairly sparse notes on the wiki page.

A good jazz album. It kind of blended into the background for me though, so not sure I found it absolutely exceptional. Perhaps needs another listen though. 3/5

Slow, spacious piano figures, gently circling bass lines, light percussion, and patient, unfolding melodies move this jazz album like sitting beside an ancient well that never echoes back—dignified and serene, yet so inward and motionless that the calm quickly slips into boredom for me.

Overall rating by me: 7/10 Songs added to the playlist: ,,Song for Sathima”, ,,Manenberg Revisited”, ,,The Weeding” Notes: Most of the songs have some fun in them, yet are still calm and slow-paced. Therefore, they would make some really good background music for a study session.

Curious to learn more about out this extraordinary pianist. First track didn’t do it for me and wasn’t a good indication of the rest of the album.

A fine time. Low 4

Background music

I dunno what makes this stand out from any other jazz album. Its just jazz man

Not in the know regarding Jazz. But i like the more up-tempo numbers on here. Can go about your day with this playing and have a bit of a finger click or Swing-ya-Pants from time to time. Dont feel like I can give it a 2.

Probably a bit harsh. But did nothing for me coming off the back of a Bowie high

As far as Jazz records go, this is certainly one of them. Pleasant background music.

I was excited about this but found it incredibly boring.

I like jazz even though I know basically nothing about it. This is fine. Evidently, he is THE Cape jazz guy. He played with Duke Ellington and has very serious credentials. So, I can't say if this is good jazz, but I liked it enough, and the guy's CV is unquestionable.

First time I’ve heard of artist or album but usually happy with most jazz. Find it a little slow paced and standard. Not getting me going like most jazz albums have in the list. Yeh, kinda surprised by the lack of impact on this. Obviously talented and skilled but kinda just washing over me (3.5)

What a unique and groovy vibing album!

Straight forward Jazz ensemble. Not all that impressed with great skills in playing. Show me something creative.

Totally different than what I expected. A great listen!

- cool ambiance music, would listen to it while doing homeworks or reading mais pas trop mon vibe au quotidien

Calming, enjoyed but wouldn’t be on my playlists. Silda rates 4

I dont mind listening to this in the background, wouldnt listen on a daily basis, although the music is quite fun

-this is really pretty, especially the title track (though it doesn’t flow with the rest of the album imo) -not necessarily the most incredible or innovative jazz i’ve ever heard but it’s cool. seems like this Abdullah Ibrahim guy has a very prolific output -Favorites: Manenberg Revisited, Water From An Ancient Well

calm study

I'm not a big fan of jazz I guess. I felt bored.

Just lovely. Could have been released in 1956 rather than 1986.

Except for the Wedding song, which was a bit too Michael Bolton-y, this was cool as heck. I would definitely put this on again. Nothing really memorable sticks out - I didn't have any catchy rhythms or melodies stuck in my head afterwards - but I had a good time listening to this. Complicated but accessible.

Really not a fan of Jazz, especially Jazz piano. 2 stars or D.

Background music

Is dirty, germ-infested and full of bacteria.

Starting with a bad bar-jazz, it became more jazzy.

This is the music that plays in the background of a fancy office Christmas party in a movie.

Wasn’t able to find this specific album/mastering on Apple Music, guess we’re using Spotify today… booo! Wireless headphones it is👎 A lot of this makes me want to listen to Sammy Davis Not what I was expecting

non l’ho sentito tutto perché secondo me c’è bisogno di una specifica atmosfera per ascoltarlo. comunque mi ha fatto pensare un po’ a duke ellington, e in generale se sei nel mood giusto è un piacevole ascolto. buon anno a tuttiii

Bell’album jazz di sottofondo, ultimo del 2025

A will always rock with a nice jazz album

It was quite soothing and would listen again

I saw the name of the album, and, having not known of Abdullah Ibrahim before this listen, made a strong assumption that this was going to be a lame jazz album. 8 songs and 44½ minutes later, I'll say I was right. Perhaps the final hundred or so seconds will disabuse me of that belief. Like a LOT of jazz, it is played competently, has some really interesting melodies and harmonies, and is absolutely unlistenable to the vast majority of people a vast majority of the time. I swear, this album gave me flashbacks to playing some of the lesser known songs I was forced to play in jazz band. You are asking the whole way through, who was this made for other than jazz enthusiasts and high school jazz band musicians who deserve a bad song or two to play as punishment? I couldn't find the answer to that question as a seventeen year old for my jazz band reject songs, and I can't find the answer for this. A 2/5 mainly because the playing and compositions are decent but there are far better jazz albums out there.

Meh

Ok behagelig lytning men ikke noget, der stak ud.

Could only find one track so not a full album. Nice classic jazz though.

when this type of things come onto the list you will think that all british indie rock on here are completely nesseccery. i mean whats the difference of this and every other jazz album? we need something thats *refreshing*. gimme some good old a love supreme. 2/5

Well made and the compositions are fine. The slower numbers worked better than the up tempo ones. Wouldn't listen to it all the time but I'll probably revisit again in the future.

Jazz - iO aber langweilig

It was enjoyable to listen to but I don't think it's my cup of tea to listen to on a regular basis. It is good though to listen to whilst reading cos no lyrics and it is quite relaxing. I think it's very good jazz music but it's not for me fully

Good background music

Beautiful stuff on here. But lingers on.

I enjoy jazz, I don't really understand what I'm getting into but sometimes its thoroughly enjoyable. This is one of those times.

Water From An Ancient Well by Abdullah Ibrahim leans fully into jazz territory—perhaps more so than anything else I’ve listened to recently. I’ll be honest: I’m not qualified enough to judge whether this is good jazz or bad jazz in any technical sense. I can only judge it on how it made me feel, and unfortunately, it didn’t connect with me at all. Like most jazz I’ve tried, I found it difficult to engage with. The album felt slow, meandering, and oddly impersonal—more like background music than something I actively wanted to listen to. At times it even reminded me of a cartoon soundtrack, pleasant enough in places but never gripping or memorable. Overall, it reinforced my long-held feeling that jazz often sounds like music designed to fill space rather than demand attention—something you’d hear in a lift rather than seek out at home. Favourite track: If I absolutely had to choose, The Wedding. It was quite nice, I suppose, and more approachable than the rest. Least favourite track: The rest of the album—it all blended together for me without leaving much of an impression. In short, while I can appreciate that Water From An Ancient Well is likely respected within jazz circles, it simply isn’t for me, and I won’t be returning to it. Album artwork: Its quite a nice album cover

Coldplay left me well, cold

Nice, but not gripping enough for me to to play another round.

I'd rather listen to a house band play standards. This was horribly dull

A nice jazz album to round out a somewhat stressful week. I think it's funny that, according to the Wikipedia summary, this album's claim to fame is that it was on this list. Albums like these are what I think of when it comes to instrumental jazz. While I generally prefer faster or harder music, I'll always have a soft spot for jazz. Playing around with instruments and just trying stuff, while still making it sound melodic, is something I think is more common in jazz than any other genre. ...Though it probably says something that I'm talking more about jazz as a genre, rather than this album. Water from an Ancient Well is an excellent listen, but nothing that's gonna stick in my head going forward. This, and Ibrahim in general I think, are definitely going on the list of albums/artists that I'll listen to if I wanna chill.

Jazzzzzz

As someone who's not particularly into jazz, this album almost lost me on the very first track, which I could have easily believed was from some royalty-free stock music collection that you'd hear in a jazz club scene in some low budget movie from the 80s. Just a generic, swinging jazz tune that doesn't inspire much of a reaction one way or the other. However, it's immediately followed up by what I thought was the best track on the record, Song For Sathima, a soothing and contemplative arrangement with some excellent piano melodies. Maybe it's just a personal preference, but I did find the more sombre, piano-focused tracks like that a lot more enjoyable than the swinging ensemble pieces. Thankfully that level of variety on show here was able to salvage the poor first impression I received, and on the whole I ended up enjoying listening to the record, even though I think it's ultimately not really my thing. I doubt I'll ever listen to it again. Sorry jazz fans; got nothing against you or your music, but we're just from two different worlds. Favourite tracks: Song For Sathima, Manenberg Revisited, The Mountain

Moments of greatness. But again, why is a compilation in this list!?

No private session used for Spotify. Another one where I had no idea what I was getting in to. Apparently it's jazz, and it's the type of jazz I like..has a clear melody and focus, not meandering and frantic.

Decent Jazz

Some nice background jazz. Didn't really grab onto me, but was pleasant enough.

Decent, not great

# Album Name: Water From An Ancient Well # Artist: Abdullah Ibrahim # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Standard Jazz album - doesnt really do anything for me tbh. # Top Tunes: None # Would I listen to it again? No

Great jazzy album

Very pleasant background music. Unexpectedly enjoyable for a jazz album

Why is this lowkey peak. Someone commented "The music that plays when you get kicked out of a cantina." and that is TOTALLY the 2nd track HA. For the 3rd track it was giving Animal Crossing and I love it. I also love the title track, and The Mountain

Meget chill jazz klaver. Kan anbefales Var ikke tilgængelig på Apple Music

"None of our staff can take your call right now. Please hold. You are now 7th in the queue"

Very nice to listen to while studying

Not something I’d put on but would be good background noise at an nice bar

Some of the water tastes a bit stale. Otherwise innocuous album.

Good chill, but couldn’t listen for too long

beautiful, thoughtful, political, what's not to like?

Ok

Forgettable

Dig it.

Christmas jazz without the holiday spirit. I respect the skill and artistry, but was kind of bored.

Great piano. Kept me warm on my walk in.

While this isn't my wheelhouse for jazz, and I know very little about Cape Jazz in general, this was still pretty decent. I don't know how to rate this *really*: it doesn't do a ton for me personally, and I don't see myself really returning to this, but there is an undeniable level of musicianship, and some emotive melody writing. This isn't bad, not at all, it just also isn't that interesting to me. I even think some of the longer winded passages drag on a little (even if the solos dotting these passages are usually pretty good). But I did manage to get something more out of Song For Sathima, Tuang Guru, wedding, and Sameeda. Also, parts of the title track (and others, sporadically) are really good. But it is also worth noting that my favorite song here is the shortest (Wedding). This is a situation where I'm sure that a more experienced Cape Jazz fan would get more out of this than me. At risk of feeling a little mean, I'm giving this a (pretty high) 2: it's nothing personal, and I'm sure this is of some level of objective importance, I just didn't get a whole lot out of the experience.

Reminds me of NPR's "all things considered" theme song. Easy listen, great to unwind with a crossword puzzle book. 4/5

Cool jazz

I enjoy some jazz albums. This not one of them. ★★

Jazz? Orchestral jazz? Elevator music. Not bad. Just background noise though.

Just a normal jazz album? Not particularly special or distinctive in any way that lets me see why it's on this list, but it sounds fine and the tracks are good enough to bring it to a 3, at least. A slightly confused but accepting 3.

Great jazz

Experimental jazz

I know part of it was the 80s sound quality, but felt like many of the instrumental solos just didn't take stage. The trumpet player sounded like they were losing control of the instrument, frankly. Their notes were increasingly uneven as solos went on and it took me out of the music several times. That, and their sound just died out instead of definitively ending. Were they only stopping when out of breath? Just felt like the pieces weren't coming together well and overall was kinda bored. I was getting really intrigued at the end when sounds suddenly got bold and clearer. Realized the album ended and Spotify was just auto-playing another Jazz record.

Jazz, but so smooth you barely feel anything.

Not my favorite jazz album, was a little soft for my tastes. Still not bad though. And Abdullah definitely has an interesting story!

I can't believe I've never heard of Ibrahim until now. This was fantastic.

Solid jazz with no frills, but also nothing that quite gave me chills either. I still liked it.

I don't like jazz, I haven't liked any jazz albums on here. I LOVE THIS. Perfect for reading my book to.

Jazz

The jazz albums included in this list appear to just be random selections.

Very good for working

Nice background music but that’s it

Jazz

It’s records like this that make all the crap on the list worth the hassle.

Decent jazz from the 80s

Итс окэй. Лучшая песня - Mandela.

sleepy

Salut à tous, aujourd’hui, on pose le diamant sur quelque chose qui va nous changer radicalement de mes habitudes auditives. Vous savez que le projet des "1001 Albums" est un tyran sans pitié qui nous force parfois à sortir de notre zone de confort crasseuse pour aller vers des contrées plus... disons, "policées". Aujourd'hui, on s'attaque à Abdullah Ibrahim et son album de 1986, "Water From An Ancient Well". Remettons les pendules à l’heure. En 1986, j'avais 16 ans et à cette époque, mes oreilles étaient occupées à se faire défoncer par autre chose que du jazz sud-africain spirituel et mélodique... Mais bon, avec l'âge, on est censé s'assagir, non ? Ou du moins, s'ouvrir l'esprit avant que l'arthrite ne s'attaque aux tympans. Abdullah Ibrahim, pour ceux qui dormaient au fond de la classe ou qui pensaient que c'était un joueur de foot, est une légende, un monument, une statue vivante du jazz sud-africain. C’est le Duke Ellington du Cap. Il a fui l’Apartheid, il a joué avec les plus grands, il a une aura de sainteté musicale qui flotte autour de lui comme une fumée de cigarette dans un club de jazz des années 50. Et "Water From An Ancient Well", c’est censé être l’un de ses sommets. Alors, on appuie sur Play et qu'est-ce qu'on a ? Dès les premières notes, on comprend où on met les pieds. On est dans un jazz extrêmement mélodique, très écrit, presque orchestral malgré la taille réduite de l'ensemble (l'Ekaya, son septet). C’est beau, ah ça, on ne peut pas lui enlever, c’est propre, c’est carré, c’est exécuté avec une précision d’horloger suisse en vacances au Cap. Les arrangements de cuivres sont soyeux, le piano d'Ibrahim est liquide (rapport au titre de l'album, vous suivez ?), et il y a cette espèce de pulsation rythmique africaine, le Cape Jazz, qui donne envie de hocher la tête poliment en sirotant un thé Rooibos. Et voilà tout le problème, on est en 1986. La même année où Slayer sort "Reign in Blood". Et là, on se retrouve avec une musique qui, pour être tout à fait honnête, ne bouscule pas grand-chose. C’est du jazz très classique voir trop peut être classique. Le genre de musique qui ne demande rien, qui ne vous agresse pas, qui vous caresse dans le sens du poil. C’est de la "musique d’ameublement" de luxe, comme dirait Satie, mais avec une âme. L'album s'ouvre et s'écoule (encore cette métaphore aquatique, désolé) avec une fluidité déconcertante. On sent l'influence du gospel, des hymnes religieux, et bien sûr de Monk et Ellington. Mais là où Monk apportait de la brisure, de l'angle, de la folie, Ibrahim apporte de la rondeur. C’est rond comme une queue de pelle, et parfois, c’est aussi excitant que de regarder la peinture sécher sur un mur fraîchement repeint en beige. Il y a des longueurs, putain certains morceaux s'étirent, s'étirent, répètent leurs thèmes jusqu'à plus soif, comme si le groupe était payé à la minute. On se surprend à regarder sa montre, ou à vérifier si le disque n'a pas sauté. C'est un peu le piège du jazz spirituel, ça devient vite de la musique d'ambiance pour salle d'attente de dentiste branché. Pourtant, il y a des moments de grâce, par exemple quand le saxophoniste Carlos Ward prend la parole (musicalement parlant), il se passe un truc. Il y a une urgence, une plainte qui rappelle que ces mecs-là ne jouaient pas juste pour le plaisir, mais qu'ils portaient le poids d'un pays déchiré par le racisme institutionnalisé. Le titre "Mandela", par exemple, est touchant, on sent la gravité, l'hommage, la retenue. "Water From An Ancient Well" est un album qui a le défaut de ses qualités : il est trop poli et on a l'impression que tout est sous contrôle, que rien ne va déborder. C’est "l’eau d’un puits ancien", certes, mais c’est une eau plate, tempérée, servie dans un verre en cristal. Moi, vous me connaissez, je préfère quand l'eau est trouble, bouillante, ou qu'elle sort d'un geyser imprévisible. On ne peut pas dire que cet album a inventé la roue. Il a plutôt pris la roue existante (le jazz post-bop, le folk africain), l'a bien polie, l'a vernie, et l'a fait rouler doucement sur une route bien asphaltée. C’est du travail d’artisan, respectueux des traditions. C'est le genre de disque que tu offres à ton beau-père pour Noël pour lui montrer que tu as du goût, mais sans prendre le risque de le choquer avec du John Zorn période Naked City. Il y a une chaleur indéniable qui se dégage de l'ensemble, c'est réconfortant. Si vous cherchez un disque pour accompagner une lecture au coin du feu ou pour méditer sur la beauté des paysages sud-africains, c'est le tiercé gagnant. Mais si vous cherchez l'innovation, le frisson, la rupture, passez votre chemin. Abdullah Ibrahim est un maître, c'est indiscutable, mais sur cet album, il est en mode "croisière" et il navigue sur ses acquis. C’est frustrant, parce qu’on sent le potentiel, on sent que ces musiciens pourraient tout déchirer s’ils le voulaient. Mais ils ont choisi la voie de la sagesse, de la contemplation. Et la contemplation, quand on a été élevé au biberon du post-punk et de la noise, ça ressemble parfois furieusement à de l'ennui. Ou peut-être que c'est moi le problème et que je suis juste trop abîmé par des années de distorsion pour apprécier pleinement cet album. Ou peut-être que, tout simplement, c'est juste un album "sympa". Et "sympa", dans mon vocabulaire de critique aigri et vieillissant, c'est souvent le synonyme de "moyen". Alors, quelle note on lui met à ce pèlerinage au puits ? Je vais suivre mon instinct et surtout mon ressenti actuel et ce sera un 3 sur 5. C'est un peu la note du compromis, la note "mi-figue mi-raisin". C’est pas mauvais, loin de là et c'est même techniquement irréprochable. Mais ça ne change pas la vie et ça ne révolutionne pas le genre. Ça s'écoute, ça s'apprécie poliment, et puis on le range dans l'étagère, entre un disque de Keith Jarrett et une compilation de musiques du monde, et on l'oublie un peu. On le ressortira peut-être dans dix ans, quand on aura besoin de calme.

This is lovely, and the Duke Ellington influence is pronounced, so much so that I never would've guessed this was the work of African jazz musicians. Maybe I should've listened with headphones to better hear the nuances, because this faded into background music after a while. UPDATE: I listened on headphones, but same result.

Some totes fine jazz! I will never disrepect the jazz flute. Why this album is on this list and not on the playlist of the lobby of an upscale independent living facility is for someone smarter than me to answer.

Pas eu trop le temps d'écouter

A fine jazz album that extols its influences greatly while not bringing a whole lot new to the table. While he was born in South Africa, because he went into exile to America and stayed there until the 1990s, you don't hear many South African influences on here really at all. Just the standard American form of jazz with heavy influences from American jazz greats like Thelonius Monk and Duke Ellington. You can clearly hear the influence of Elington's "Caravan" on Ibrahim's "Tuang Guru". "Manenburg Revisited" has a bit of a Vince Guardi Trio vibe about it. It was an album that was perfectly suited to easing me into my Sunday morning with a bit of instrumental beauty that was blissfully bereft of lyrical ruination.

Jazz music sounds familiar pretty good

Nice chilled jazz , well put together and love the structure and pace of the music , proper music for a nice chilled Sunday morning reading the papers and drinking coffee

Me out loud after literally one bar: "Oh fuck. Not jazz again. I thought it might be something interesting."

This is nice jazz music, but it doesn't wow me in the way that some of the other jazz albums on this list have. Favorite track: "Manenberg Revisited"

Pretty pleasant cool jazz album

Fuck me, I try and try. But Jazz and brass instruments just sound like a bunch of noise to me and put me in a bad mood. It all feels like the emperors new clothes to me, and I can't believe anyone actually likes this shit, they just say they do to be cool. That's anyone other than the band themselves of course.

Beautiful surprise, I loved this album. So many different things going on, the drums and bass especially a stand out for me. ChatGPT says that repeated horn line going on all through the improved sections in the last song is a traditional South African thing - ChatGPT lies like a sidewalk, but it's a very cool sound.

Some good jazz vibes

I thought this was such a pleasant and easy listening jazz album with some really nice melodies and instrumentation. It felt pretty short and sweet

This was pleasant. Comparing this to the other jazz albums as of late, this one didn't stand out as much. But that doesn't mean its bad, I think all of these different jazz albums bring a different flavor within the whole album. But there is some overlap within some of the songs. The flashy songs stand apart from one another and are what make each album different. I was expecting something more fusioney with the vibe from the album name and cover, but it ended up being quite tame, which was a bit disappointing. Not my favorite, not bad though. 6.5/10?

Wow. This was... I was at first like, Meh, another jazzy instrumental sort of thing... but this is sublime! I think the title, in a spiritual sense, is exactly spot on. This is ... Just wonderful! It is almost like new age jazz but kind of big band? I don't know exactly, but I loved it! Geez, this was a great find!

Pretty good jazz ablum.

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 🌅🖌️🖼️ Production: 🔉🔎👌 Music: 🧈✨🛏️ Rating: 🐳🐳🐳/5

Weird coincidence, the only two songs I saved from the album are the opening and closing tracks. The first one got my hopes too high that I might connect with the rest of the album, unfortunately I didn’t, but that last track was a nice reminder I do like jazz, but I might be picky. Because the heart of this album does nothing for me. And the goofy song at the end which reminded me of Ed, Edd, and Eddy was by far my favorite track on these tracks album. I guess when it comes to jazz I want something either sorta silly and full of life/joy or something really funky and wild. Also, on one last negative note, I think the album cover is totally boring and lifeless. If it wasn’t for the opening and closing tracks, I’d literally hate this album.

Unexpected gem, peaceful instrumental music to vibe to

Couldn’t find this album anywhere to listen to. Was all grayed out on iTunes. Not on YouTube. So listened to his top songs on iTunes. It’s jazz. Not blown away.

Nice calming peaceful album. 5.9/10

It horrible but did not strike me as interesting at all

some good classic jazz, a bit more laid-back than mingus but not 'easy-listening' by any means. I would actually rate this closer to a 3.5

Jazz is cool but not my thing. Sorry Barry Bee Benson.

I liked this more than I thought I would, nice way to start the morning

For Jazz music, this album seems a bit dated, and maybe a beat slow.

I am really a jazz snob (I find it to be a difficult genre for me), but this album I actually enjoyed listening to. It is very mellow and intricate. The Mountain is absolutely gorgeous.

Good solid listenable Jazz. Nothing special or particularly African about it.

Wasn’t my thing understood the vibe and loved the core beat.

3 балла, но без негатива, просто не часто слушаю такую музыку.

Enjoyable jazz, but nothing remarkable for me.

I'm personally not a fan of jazz but if I had to listen to it this would be all right... For a while.

9 Well I couldn’t actually listen to the album cos it’s not on Spotify but I just listened to a load of abdullab ibrahim and actually such lovely music am I finally gonna start enjoying jazz one of these days I feel like it could be coming

Het is niet de meest verschrikkelijke jazz, maar het is wel jazz. Ik heb vandaag niet echt de mentale ruimte om er heel goed voor te gaan zitten, dus het staat een beetje aan op de achtergrond en dan blijft er ontzettend weinig plakken. Het goede nieuws is vooral dat het ook niet irriteert. 'Niet te zenuwachtig' merkt iemand anders terecht op. Het is redelijk knap, zoals ik alle jazz wel knap vind, maar er is geen moment dat ik opleef. En dat is wel waar je een beetje op hoopt als je muziek aanzet. Ik heb meestal de neiging om jazz een beetje naar stijl te raten en dan zou dit een 3 krijgen. Zet ik dit tegenover muziek die ik wel graag luister dan is dit gewoon een 2. Dat is een beetje m'n twijfel nu.

Gorgeous and had dada favourite song on it. Lovely listen very soothing

*Shrug* 2

10/28/25. Solid jazz record. Probably should give it more listens to leave a more advanced review, but enjoyed it.

è jazz. non capisco se è jazz fatto bene o meno, dato che non ci capisco niente, ma come musica di sottofondo è piacevolissima.

Muy del estilo "Yanni", no digerible para todo el mundo.

I enjoyed it but didn’t vibe with it as I do other jazz albums

I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but wow, this was pretty awesome! I love jazz!

That’s jazz [jazz hands]! Fr tho, nondescript jazz as. Not bad, just my take

Some songs sounded like christmas songs, while others were more somber. It was more classic jazz than free jazz, but I don't think that's a good characteristic. Enjoyable listen though.

Pleasant background music.

Some amazing jazz sounds!

Pure ancient trash

7/10 Favorite: Song For Sathima

This is a nice background album but mildly uninteresting as far as jazz goes. Most of the instrumentation is pretty fun and pleasant to listen to. Fav song: Manenberg revisited

Honestly was not very excited going into this, but that was really good, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

pretty nice

Really great stuff

Mediocre jazz and big band type stuff

An inoffensive instrumental jazz album. Nice to listen to while I walked, but did not find it particularly memorable

Sort of non descript jazz album. It was ok but not sure why it made it to this list since there are much more important and great jazz albums out there.

I don’t know anything about jazz, but this is some smooth ass noodling.

Favs: The Mountain; Water From An Ancient Well; Tuang Guru;

Solid stuff. Wish it was available to stream rather than listen on YouTube where an annoying commercial popped up after every song. 3.5/5

I thought I didn’t like Jazz and i was right.

This album doesn't exist on apple music.

This was genuinely moving, the title track in particular

surprisingly good

Felt a little old timey jazz, big band derivative for me. Probably best enjoyed not three pour over’s deep in Bushwick while trying to figure out how to incentivize a home sale in Fl

i feel like i am in the breakfast sequence of a movie from late 80s, sun shining through the wooden panel curtains and high fructose orange juice filling the glasses/eggo filling the plates

Took me a while to get into this one. Currently not on Apple Music. Not really my style.

It's jazz! I don't know might about jazz and even less about South African jazz. This had some diversity of mood, some really interesting harmony going on (especially on Sameeda) and some lovely melodies. Worth a listen! 4/5

Maybe I just don't like jazz.

Great!

Bom álbum, instrumental e bem jazzy. Me pareceu algo feito para um musical, com construção de ritmos e da trama ao longo do decorrer do álbum. Bom para deixar tocando como som de fundo em casa.

Only listened to part of this. Didn’t particularly inspire

Unavailable on Apple Music

Well... I wouldn't drink it.

Really peaceful. Kinda muzak but . . . like, the best kind.

Oh, its Jazz :-( Thanks . . . but NO

Nice little jazzy album

Cats are cookin

Good jazz but didn’t really blow my socks off at any point.

No notes... Not because its good Because its another album that isn't interesting in any way whatsoever

This one just sat there. Nothing bad about it, but nothing caught my attention, either.

Nothing very memorable on this one!

Fantastic. I could listen to this all day.

Not big on jazz but there were standouts

Yeah this was decent I guess (I know nothing about jazz and have already forgotten everything that happened)

Nicely swaying quite traditional jazz. Enjoyed it, but didn't feel the urge to add this to my future playlist

surprisingly I somehow liked this.

Very generic jazz that brings to mind shopping centers and christmas parties which are not designed with anyone specifically in mind. I have no qualms with the musicianship, it's just that I can't hear or understand it. I find all that great playing buried under the routine of delivering jazz standards to the tee, makes it sound mundane and boring. Also, the piano keeps playing what ever the hell it pleases, just barely keeping to the framing of the rest of the song and still sounding like it's part of the whole, which is quite impressive feat. Like a kid skipping in circles around jogging adults, all the while playing lazily itsy bitsy spider with their hands for hours on end.

top 3: - the wedding - song for sathima - mandela

A perfectly fine smooth jazz album. Nothing special but good for background music at a dinner party or other such thing.

*Water From An Ancient Well* is an instrumental jazz album by South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, first released in 1986. The album is celebrated for its serene, melodic compositions that blend African roots with American jazz, though some critiques note its production can feel dated. | **Aspect** | **Details** | | :--- | :--- | | **Release Year** | 1986 | | **Genre** | Jazz | | **Overall Style** | Soothing, melodic, and contemplative; a blend of African roots, gospel, and American jazz. | | **Key Themes** | Homage to South Africa, anti-apartheid resistance, family, and spiritual yearning. | | **Lyrics** | Fully instrumental album. | | **Production** | Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Described by some as warm but "not as crisp," sounding more like a 1950s recording than a mid-80s one. | ### 🎵 Music and Composition The music on *Water From An Ancient Well* is often described as **buttery smooth**, **contemplative**, and **gorgeous**. Ibrahim is characterized as a composer first, creating music that is a unique multi-genre voice combining gospel, African Khoi-san songs, Western classical music, and jazz. - **Musical Style**: Tracks often have a loose structure with a clear beginning and end, allowing freedom in the middle for solos. The arrangements are often subdued, creating a light, atmospheric quality that carries a heavy emotional weight. - **Instrumentation and Performances**: The album features a stellar ensemble. Ibrahim's piano is often **sparse and melodic**, acting as an anchor while giving space to other musicians. The horn section is a highlight, with tracks like "Song for Sathima" featuring **silky smooth saxophones**. The rhythm section provides a robust foundation, with "Manenberg Revisited" noted for its **fantastic and crazy bassline**. ### 🎙️ Production and Sound The album was recorded at the renowned **Van Gelder Studio** in New Jersey, a legendary location in jazz history. However, opinions on the production quality are mixed: - **Positive**: The recording has the unmistakable quality of a Rudy Van Gelder session, with one reviewer noting the vinyl edition presented a significant step-up in depth and sonic vibrancy compared to the CD. - **Critical**: Some listeners feel the production is a weak point, noting it **"sounds more 50's than 80's"** and lacks the crispness expected from a 1986 release. ### ✊🏾 Themes and Influence The album's power lies in its profound thematic depth, reflecting Ibrahim's life and the political struggle in South Africa. - **Political and Cultural Significance**: As an artist who lived under apartheid, Ibrahim's music was an act of resistance. The track "Mannenberg Revisited" is a reworking of his famous anti-apartheid anthem **"Mannenberg,"** which was considered an unofficial national anthem and a song of protest against forced removals. It is said that a copy of the record was smuggled to Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, who remarked that **"liberation is near"** upon hearing it. - **Personal Homages**: The album also contains deeply personal tracks. **"Song for Sathima"** is a beautiful dedication to his wife, while **"Mandela"** is an overt tribute to the imprisoned leader. ### 👍 Pros and Cons Based on critical reception and listener reviews, here are the album's general strengths and weaknesses: **Pros:** - **Timeless Melodies**: The compositions are consistently strong, graceful, and memorable. - **Emotional Depth**: The music is healing, beautiful, and capable of conveying a powerful political message without lyrics. - **Masterful Ensemble**: The interplay between the musicians is tight, elegant, and sensitive. **Cons:** - **Dated Production**: Some listeners may find the recording quality lacks the clarity and punch of modern or even contemporary 80s jazz albums. - **Subjective Engagement**: A few reviewers found some tracks unremarkable or felt the music was occasionally too background or "lift music"-like, failing to maintain engagement throughout. ### 💎 Conclusion *Water From An Ancient Well* is a significant and beautiful entry in Abdullah Ibrahim's vast discography. It may not be an album defined by technical virtuosic displays, but rather by its profound soul, melodic grace, and powerful historical context. If you are looking for a soothing, emotionally resonant jazz experience with deep roots in the South African struggle for freedom, this album is highly recommended.

Hotel lobby, background jazz.

I’ll admit, when I saw the name Abdullah Ibrahim and the title Water From an Ancient Well, I thought, what is this going to be? I was totally going in blind on this one. Turns out it's jazz, like the jazz you can listen to, not the John Coltrane type jazz where everyone is playing totally different rhythms and keys and time signatures. This style of jazz reminded me of A Charlie Brown Christmas and the Vince Guaraldi trio. There isn’t much information out there about this album, Ibrahim is a South African pianist and composer who is also known as Dollar Brand. Now that’s cool. I’m not really a jazz guy, I just know what I like. I’m not sure I’m smart enough to know what I’m supposed to get out of this album. This kind of jazz isn’t very complicated, so it’s very enjoyable and easy to digest. The album came out in 1986 and a lot of the songs sound like they could be in ‘80s rom-coms at the time. The bass sound really lodges you right in the ‘80s. The songs are very good. I listened to the album three times already and it gets better every time I hear it. Am I grateful to have heard this album before I die? Kinda? I’m probably not going to put it in my regular rotation, but for jazz lovers who may have missed this album, I think you’ll enjoy it.

Þetta er miklu betra en ég bjóst við.

Huggulegheit með pólitísku ívafi.

i enjoyed it

Decent

This jazz music was upbeat and easy enough to listen to, even if not my style.

Yet another jazz album. I cannot differentiate this album from any of the other jazz albums I've listened to on this list.

Lift music pish

wow

Just a calming listen,didnt really pick up on the african elements though apart from that trumpet in the first song sounding like an elephant 7.5

Interesting in parts and very mood orientated. For its genre its very good and there are moments to treasure but its not a great album by any means. The wedding is very good though

Приятный легкий джаз с экзотическими нотками.

This was a super chill listen. The melodies were pleasantly eclectic and just kinda all over the place and I loved it. Some of the basslines were really sublime and really had me groovin. My only complaint is that it's too short, but listened to it twice and still wanted more. Five stars.

Pretty cool jazz but didn't really strike me as being super special or anything.

i genuinely don't know why i love this album as much as i do, but it's everything that i want jazz to be.

Pretty enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised

I like jazz. This is some good jazz. That's basically it.

I really like the percussive elements in this album. Each instrument is allowed to shine here. I also like the exploration of different scales here.

It’s nice but I couldn’t find it on Apple Music and had to use Spotify free which is like getting a drill stuck in your head.

Trash tier

Not my style

Highly enjoyable jazz music. I listened through a couple times. Well worth the time invested.

I enjoyed the title track, but the rest didn't interest me.

Pretty good jazz album. Lacks a little flair that other more recognizable albums have but it is still enjoyable. Like how it got a bit “out there” near the end. 3.5/5 Might listen again

Solid if somewhat unremarkable jazz.

What I hear in my when I think of classic jazz - which I don’t have much of a framework for. I loved the mellow, warm sounds of “Song For Sathima”. I felt like taking an easy, careless nap after this one, it was such a sweet listen. “Manenberg Revisited” felt like the soundtrack for a lovely day walk into town - a bright, happy-to-be-here sound. Maybe a bit ‘vintage’ fir it’s time of release but this was a pleasant 3/5 for me

Not what I was expecting from Abdullah. Big swing jazz. I enjoyed it. I really love being exposed to this type of music that I don’t know much about. There was some really good songs on here. I feel like this a solitary listen though. Something to use to escape into one’s self. Meditative. I could keep this in rotation.

The standout song, in my opinion, is "The Mountain". That will be added to regular rotation. I also enjoyed "Song for Sathima" and the overall sound. It was a bit more ?relaxing? than I would have liked or that didn't fit with the mood while I was listening to it. "Sameeda" while I wouldn't say I disliked it, I suppose that is kind of what jazz is known for? The instruments are speaking in their own language. It was interesting.

Rolig og stemningsfull jazz.

Just a okaish Jazz album.

Has it’s moments - but ultimately not good, not bad. Just jazz. Still not for me.

really cool smooth tracks. Nice jazz.

I still don’t know enough about jazz to say whether this was good or not. But I didn’t hate it, so that’s the important thing.

Really peppy first song, but the other numbers were just okay. Interesting to hear a variation of “United We Stand,” whether it was intentional or not.

I like the opening track. The rest is definitely jazz. Not bad. Good background music.

Bom viu

The cover fooled me. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions: - Mandela - Manenberg Revisited - The Mountain

This is certainly jazz

This was pretty good!

Best Song: Manenberg Revisited. Maybe because it had the most listens, I was biased to like this one the most. Worst Song: None? Overall: Extremely relaxed, background sort of jazz album. It sat so far in the background (and outside of my typical genres) that I didn't realize when the album had ended and Spotify had begun to play another artist entirely. That said, I didn't hate what I heard.

The ideological basis of apartheid was, aside from white supremacy, the one-to-one mapping of peoples and cultures: each race/tribe has their own culture and they are meant to develop separately. In this context ecclectic music performed by multi-racial ensembles and borrowing melodies, rhythms, styles, and arrangements from a variety of border crossing genres and traditions from within the country and across the Black world was a giant fuck you. A bold assertion of the cultural hybridity and creativity of African life - particularly township life. Hence the persecuccion of South Africa's jazz scene, the exile of star musicians, and the politicization of what would otherwise sounds like some of the most laid back mellow instrumental music - classic big(ish) band cool jazz with South African characteristics and a smooth as hell vibe.

I still struggle to determine if this is "good jazz" or "bad jazz," as I am still an idiot when it comes to jazz music and whether I should enjoy it or not. I was able to tell the difference in this jazz sound and some of the other more blues-based jazz I have heard from John Coltrane and Duke Ellington. It seems this album is in the book because it's more of an international jazz type of flavor. I enjoyed the sounds on here, though I don't think I would revisit it again. There are only 8 tracks but I enjoyed: Mandela Manenberg Revisited The Wedding

Kind of boring. To me it’s just background music.

The first album I have know absolutely nothing about. Pleasant enough Jazz. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Nothing Owned: Yes. 9/1001, 9/39 (23%) Will I get? No

I liked this enough but won’t be coming back to it. Favorite track: Song For Sathima

Nobody's reading your long ass reviews. But they exist. Just like this album does.

Recently I've looking for more post-70s jazz albums but this ain't it. Not bad but nothing special 2.5/5

Pleasant background music, I guess