Water From An Ancient Well

Background music for Charlie brown cartoons.

Awful. I hated every second of this. If there is music in Hell, it’s this.

Pretty fun & free-flowing jazz album. The wheel certainly wasn't reinvented here, but it made for an easygoing listen.

It’s fine. Good music to chill to

Didn’t hate it but also didn’t love it. It passed the time and occasionally made my toes tap!

I did not enjoy this. Felt like Sesame Street music for adults, at any moment some numbers and letters might start dancing.

I really like this! sometimes I want a soundtrack and this is an amazing one for so many things - a montage of shopping scenes, an intriguing introduction at a bar, a home invasion, walking through a casino. this is music to romanticize your life to!

This is an absolute jam. It’s classic, it’s timeless, it is easy to listen to.

Ok-Jazz, nothing I will return to.

It sounded a bit too dated and cheesy, it didn't whet my jazz appetite as much as other selections I’ve had here

I liked the smoother parts , enjoyable listen

There’s a gentle, easygoing quality to this that is quite lovely, but also not terribly profound? Basing this on the handful of tracks I could find.

South African jazz? Nice, though unremarkable.

Jazz is great

One of the jazz albums of all time.

Clearly talented jazz group, but chill enough to put me to sleep. I prefer the jazz that gets your blood pumping Not bad for a sleepy, rainy night in, though.

I have no idea about Jazz. This was ok to my philistinic ears.

Amazing. Need it on vinyl.

4.4/immediately ordered this vinyl. vinyl in collection.

Not bad but not as entertaining as the other jazz albums I’ve heard so far on this list

Solid jazz album.

Pleasant, easy to listen background jazz

Admittedly, I do not really listen to jazz often or know how to evaluate it. It was good, pleasant to listen to, and i would enjoy it if I heard it again

I really wanted more from this - with the album title as well as the artist being a prominent jazz pianist from South Africa, I thought we would get 1) more piano (seemed mostly buried by the horns) and 2) some sort of different musical flavor identifying this as being from somewhere discernible. It was just sort of middle of the road jazz, pleasing and proficient enough, but just didn't do much for me. Some pretty moments and I like the base line on Mannenberg a lot but other than that pretty forgettable.

The album name and title are so intriguing, mysterious, then the opener is this weird, peppy, background vanilla jazz. I should have been primed to love this, but couldn’t wait for it to end. My least favorite style of big band-ish layered saxophones and whiney trombones. It almost made me wonder if Spotify had the wrong album linked.

Day591 - pretty good album title for a pretty basic jazz album

An actually decent jazz album. Not too out there or experimental sounding and rather easy to listen to. 3.5/5

Buen disco de fondo musical. Muy agradable

Water from an Ancient Well is an enjoyable jazz record that I'd never recognize if I heard it again. It also sounds more interesting when you read about the ideas behind it than when you actually listen to it.

Well I really dont know jazz. I like it but I don't understand it very well. There are some very great parts for sure. On the title track the stand up bass part is killer. Dude is pluckin away. Thank tidal by the way for having the whole record except for that song. Wtf is that? Not the records fault obviously but still annoying to listen to the low quality YouTube audio. Got the point though. The saxes all over the place are another standout performance. But I mean every part is done by a great musician. Just those two stand way out to me personally. I'll need to give it another go another time but good stuff

Incredible jazz album! Read the first chapter of Owen meany to this. Such a good vibe so beautiful

What a great album for my walk through the park (that was rly a cemetery… so maybe won’t go walking there again not sure what the rules are about that but wanted to check it out cuz it’s a big green area nearby). Very pleasant! Glad I heard it!

Of all jazz albums we've heard on this list, this might be one of those that stands out the most from the crowd. I can't put my finger on exactly what it is that differentiates it from other jazz albums. It could be I found it to be less noodling and more structure to this than typical jazz records? Regardless, I enjoyed this very much, and it made me happy to listen to. Especially 'Song for Sathima' grabbed my attention. Would definitely want to revisit this again! Strong 4.

I normally like my jazz with a bit more energy, leaning closer to bebop. This was ok however. Not bad but I fail to see what makes this so special. I mean it was released in the mid 80s, so it's not like this was groundbreaking or anything like that. I enjoyed "Manenberg Revisted" and "The Mountain" in particular. Mid 3.

boring.

Why is the Sims music an album I have to listen to before I die?

Opening track didn't work for me but the album is much better beyond this. There are a couple moments that got my attention but overall it wasn't for me but it might grow on me.

Not for me.

Didn’t know this artist but a great jazz album

creepy to get this a day after i talked about it

Cool and funky and reminds me of music played by my dad in evenings and on weekends. Chill. Glad I listened.

A pleasant little jazz record but nothing too memorable or anything that stands out. Even if this was on streaming I probably wouldn’t revisit it

Veldig fin jazzplate. Æ e lite i stand til å bedømme korvidt det e bra etter jazzstandarder, men æ likte det som behagelig musikk å høre på mens æ leste en bok.

This was a pretty cool and soulful jazz album, and Abdullah Ibrahim is definitely a talented pianist. He’s from Cape Town, and this album expresses the challenges of exile. Musically, it blends jazz with African folk and traditional elements. To be honest, it just sounded like a cool jazz album to me, and while it was interesting to read about the cultural influences, I didn’t really pick up on the African elements. Either way, it was a cool listen.

1. mandela - 2 2. zong - 2 3. manenburg - 1 4. guru - 2 5. uuedding - 1.5 6. mountain - 1 7. zameeda - 2

2.8 / 5 The funky baselines kept this at a 3 for me. Needed more jazz flute - call Ron Burgundy! Fave Song: Manenberg Revisited

Nice jazz/ new age album. Never heard of Them , thanks for the introduction.

Easy to listen to - I love a trombone solo. Best for me were The Wedding and Mandela.

Oh, was expecting this to be some funky Bedouin tribal rhythms. Just some regular ol' jazz.

I nothing this. It’s jazz. A medium I know precious little about and what appreciation I have for it comes from Damien Chazelle and Cowboy Bebop. It’s a firm 3. For jazz to be 4 it would have to be really upbeat and fun. For it to be a 2 or worse, it has to be the kind of jumbled “mess” many associate with jazz. How do you pick a favorite track? No really, how do you?

It's debatable as to whether or not this is actually an album. It's also extremely debatable as to whether or not this album should be credited to Abdullah Ibrahim. What's not debatable is how good the jazz is here.

Short and sweet

Nice jazz album, I added a few to a chill playlist I have but not really connecting with this deeply. Seems very well executed but I won’t be coming back to this often. Tuang Guru was my favorite from these.

Enjoyable listen but nothing earth-shattering.

This falls into the "how was this found to be put on the list" list. I know spotify metrics are not everything, but a 1600 monthly listener mid 80's jazz musician making the most "alright" jazz album I've heard this month has put me in a strange mood. It's a good jazz record, but it doesn't stand out as more or less than a lot of the jazz coming out 30-50 years before this. Looking over other reviews, the main appeal of this album seems to be that it's political commentary on Apartheid in South Africa but I definitely did not glean that from the music alone. I'm wondering if his existence in South Africa at the time as a performing musician and what he was saying personally was what made these songs political, but I can't find really any information on it.

I may be totally missing this because it's hard for me to distinguish good from bad jazz, but this wasn't as good to me. I can't clarify or quantify it in any way, so I'll just leave it at that. It's giving 2

I was expecting this to be really bad, but I loved it!

Given that this genre usually grates on me, this was a nice listen. Some variety in here. I could imagine listening again while I work or cook

This was surprisingly lovely because it's much more expressive and emotional than the other jazz I've heard. Really liked Mandela and The Wedding in particular. Sameeda was the only one I didn't like. I enjoy discordance, but not this!

Cool

Best I can say is that the musicianship is competent and that the overall mood is "pleasant", but otherwise this jazz album is barely more than wallpaper music.

This still has an "old school" jazz feel for something that came out in the 80s. Respect for staying true to form.

Enjoyable, but not mind-blowing, jazz album.

So you’re telling me that Abdullah Ibrahim has 58 fucking albums dating back to 1968 and I need to fucking hear this jazz album my Mother In Law would play at a lame ass dinner party with other 70yr olds. I imagine he made more interesting music than this and the Generator fucked him. This was dry as toast and not even worth a background listen. 2 stars

If you put a gun to my head and told me I had to listen to one jazz album on a regular basis for the rest of my life- I’d pick this one. THREE STARS

Fine for background jazz. Piano in track 2 moved me a bit but generally not my box of frogs.

Lot of "please stay on the line and a customer service representative will be with you shortly" energy.

Not a bad little jazz album. Some of the melodies and chord progressions were a little bland, but then occasionally there would be some really interesting things happening (intro to Water from an Ancient Well for example), and there were lots of great solos. I liked the combination in some tracks of an older, big band kind of feel combined with some more modern soloing and riffing. Not at all familiar with Abdullah Ibrahim, but based on this album I would try to listen to some of his other records. 3.5/5

Really enjoyed this album, especially the title track and the last track. It's not that common that a jazz album clicks with me, but this is one of them. 3.75/5

Pretty standard cafe jazz. It's fine background music, but not really exciting or innovative or anything. I don't really see why this album would be included, but I'm also not a jazz guy, so...

Wonderful ensemble playing.

Yes, I went through the swing phase of the mid-90s. Yes, I was a band geek. Still, I wasn’t crazy about this album. Felt very supper clubby to me.

drei bis vier

This was very relaxing and pleasant to listen to. Really enjoyed it. It's definitely made me want to check out his discography.

Better (and very different) than what I expected by judging the book by the cover and not reading the jacket sleeve.

Was excited to get this for my listening today. The cover led me to think I might be encountering some spiritual jazz akin to Pharaoh Sanders. It's not really revelatory but just a solid album with some fabulous players.

Pretty but a bit sad

Jazz para cocinar

This is a perfectly pleasant album, but not my favorite style of jazz. It's sleepy, and a little too "safe" for my liking.

The type of pleasant background jazz you'd hear playing quietly over the speakers at a Sunday Brunch in a fairly nice hotel

This had big “playing over the speakers in the craft store” energy… >_>

I had to go on YouTube for the title track. Otherwise, I was able to find the rest of the album on my preferred streaming platform. With that established, Abdullah Ibrahim is the leader of the septet assembled for this record. He is a South African pianist and composer who helped spearhead the burgeoning jazz movement in Cape Town, creating such pieces that reflected on his wide-ranging influences from the multicultural ports of that town, alongside the likes of Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington. He achieved notoriety for his anti-apartheid composition "Mannenberg", which was revisited on this album. Across the entirety of Water From An Ancient Well, the pieces that Ibrahim and company compiled and performed reflect a sense of uplifting, heartfelt messaging conveyed without any words needed. Incorporating elements of gospel, blues, and other Western styles, the band was able to express their cultural freedom with subtle grooves and melodies that illicit such defiant joy. It's not necessarily all about the anti-apartheid movement, as some songs break up the pace for slower pieces that reflect on precious memories, such as the sultry lull of "The Wedding" or the heartfelt tribute to Ibrahim's wife on "Song for Sathima." But through each note, careful thought was put into each piece to allow space for each motif and improvisation to resonate without ever feeling overwhelmed. The result is a record where I can pick out individual lines from each member in the septet and feel rewarded for what I can pick out, such as the saxophone and trombone solos on "Tuang Guru" or the alto flute that leads the main melody on the title track. Water from an Ancient Well was such an enriching experience from Abdullah Ibrahim that it needed no words to convey the lifting of spirits. In a word, spellbinding.

Note: the 11 minute title track is unavailable on Spotify. Nice smooth jazz. A good soundtrack for a relaxing evening.

Jazz is really not my thing but I guess this sounded good 🤷🏼‍♂️

Very jazzy, very chill. A lot of the songs gave me old movie vibes. Like 60s thrillers and stuff.

FUCK I AM IN A LIFT, ONE MINUTE ON THE 163 WITH LITTLE SIMZ THE PUT THIS ON AND TRANSPORTED TO A LIFT IN M&S AÀAAHHHHH little Simz come back please Ps: Little Simz: music great, ability to rap great, what I can't deal with is how the lyrics are so direct and always about how great I am,u always suggests to me a lack of maturity. Maybe as a 53yr old British white guy I will never get it as not target audience. On with Abdullah

Easy to listen jazz album that doesn’t stand out to me in any way.

Didnt enjoy

Pleasant, easy listening jazz (the kind of jazz that involves flutes). I'm assuming this album has some historical significance that did not come through for me based on just listening to it.

J’avais l’impression d’écouter l’Album jazz que tout le monde imagine quand on imagine un disque de jazz. Mais sans la prétention. J’y ai senti un amour sincère de la musique. Accompagnerait bien une pratique spirituelle.

Pretty decent jazz. A little too experimental to be easy on the ears. The intro to Song to Sathima gave me chills though.

Great succession of albums. Didn't know this pianist at all before listening to this. He is so smooth and his band really make all this album work even more. A bit too slow sometimes but perfect to listen to at night under the stars. 8/10. fav songs : The Wedding & Water from an Ancient well

Not available on Apple Music in my region

Pleasant jazz, although it was a bit disorganized on Youtube music.

Let me just say I was not expecting this sound when I hit play on the record. From the album cover and what little Wikipedia had on it, I was expecting a solo piano record with maybe minor accompaniment. Instead I was treated to all the sax and bass I could ever want, with beautiful melodies and solid foundation. I was wowed throughout, not just from the masterful composition and musicanship, but from the apparent obscurity this album sits in. All the tracks but Manenberg Revisited have under 60k streams, which itself only has 975k. The 12 minute soaring title track isn't even available on Spotify. Which is a damn shame because every other track went immediately onto my playlist. I am absolutely overjoyed with discovering this album, and this is exactly what I hoped for starting with this website. I cannot speak highly of this album, and I cannot discern any flaws with the material. This is what I want when I am in the mood for jazz.

Its not that its bad, its a pleasant little record, but time and time again I feel like cool jazz just does nothing for me as far as the things I want out of my jazz Like, again, its pleasant but it never goes over something that makes me go "oh wow" in the playing which is a shame

Just another good jazz album, nothing really outstanding but it's pretty cool

This was crazy because I can’t really pinpoint what was bothering me to much. I like jazz. But this seemed so self indulgent to me lol idk I just felt like they were trying too hard to sound so cool. I wonder what happened to me yesterday that made me so mad about it.

Really liked this one, listen to it multiple times

It’s … fine. Not exceptional, it’s not Kind of Blue or A Love Supreme. I’m somewhat surprised it was included in this list to be honest.

For Jazz fans only - which I'm not.

Easy listening jazz music. Inoffensive this could have been recorded anywhere from 1940 to now. It's good background music and ideal for coffee shops

I’ll add this to my Jazz Playlist. Favorite Track: Mandela

I think the random generator is trying to get me to drop out. I’ve been hit with an onslaught of shitty jazz including my first unable to finish album yesterday. I was hoping for something/ anything better and then I get this. It was like getting thrown an anchor when I needed a flotation ring. The only thing I can hope for is is that maybe I am getting them all out of the way at once. Pray for me

A trip down memory lane that brings out the brilliance of the piano.

Smooth, joyous and breezy jazz for a summer day drive.

4 - great jazz

I wasn’t expecting to like this, simply because jazz usually doesn’t vibe with me. However, after listening only to the first track I found myself quite invested. I’m not sure that I’ve heard of the subgenre “cool-jazz” before today, but this definitely felt very beatnik. It sounds like the kind of thing that Ned Flanders’s dad would enjoy. That probably makes it sound bad, but I enjoyed it.

I cannot find this album anywhere

Midden jaren tachtig toetert iemand met een diversiteit-bestendige naam een vrij ouderwets klinkend jazz-album vol. Kennelijk horen we hier de 'Van Gelder-sound' (zoek maar even op Wikipedia wat dat is). Eigenlijk vind ik dit best een lekker album, al horen we er misschien niet veel origineels aan.

Dit is het vooroordeel dat ik ooit had over jazz. Behoorlijk oubollig. Ik ben geen fan van deze jazz-soort, dus het kan aan mij liggen, maar ik hoor niets vernieuwends ten opzichte van de drie decennia voorafgaand aan deze plaat.

Laidback jazzy loungemuziek. Veel deuntjes hadden ook in een 80s sitcom gepast als filler tussen de scenes. Sowieso zit er, met name door de toeters denk ik, best een 80s deken over de muziek. Ik ben te weinig bekend met jazz om te horen wat wel of niet goed in elkaar zit, of in ieder geval knap gemaakt. Ik ben al lang blij dat het niet te zenuwachtig is. Wat ik wel geinig vind, is dat je bij de naam Abdullah Ibrahim een compleet andere eerste indruk krijgt, dan bij Adolph Johannes Brand. En met de naam Dollar Brand had hij zo een hiphopalbum op kunnen nemen. Wat dat betreft ben ik blij dat het dan jazz is geworden. Ik vind het net te weinig enerverend om er een 3 voor te geven.

Easy to listen to, even my roommates enjoyed it in the common spaces

Not my favorite jazz—kind of busy, better dancing music than easy listening imo

Ну...вероятно на фоне послушать норм будет?

unremarkable but jazz is good

Jazz init

Blind album and artist. Famous south African jazz musician who previously went by the name of Dollar Brand? 3 stars for his previous name, and it sounded peaceful. Awesome dentist office lobby music.

Still don’t entirely appreciate jazz as much as I should but this was solid

Really not much interesting going on here.

Some good playing but both the songs and the album as a whole are very uneven in terms of focus, quality, and production. I like Jazz but this isn't one I'll be revisiting.

Summary "God-awful nonsense" It's a mixture of elevator music , old Disney music, and B movie spy music. While I'm sure it's very musically accomplished, I hate it. The wedding was the least offensive.

5/10 Managed to have a good listen through. Liked it, didn’t love it. Some really good playing in there and some of the tracks were great, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag. As previously stated, sounds like a random assortment of tracks, rather than an album. Some really odd recording choices, particularly in Manenberg Revisited. Overall, I think there are some tracks in there that I’d come back to, but the album as a whole didn’t really grab me. Mandela - a bit too loose Song for Sathima - sort of reminded me of a much better Weather Report track (A remark you made) that I’d prefer to listen to. Manenberg Revisited - Like this track, but one of the instruments is recorded in a really off-putting way, like it’s clipping a ribbon mic the whole way through, but is then turned down in the mix. Tuang Guru - Like this, much better. Swings really nicely. Water From An Ancient Well - Loved this one. Smooth and playful. Plenty of little sections for each player to have a little bit of fun with the theme. Maybe a bit too long. The wedding - Nice enough, but I’d be pretty sad if this was a representation of my wedding. Quite melancholy. The Mountain - Again, nice enough, just a bit dull. Sameeda - Liked this one. Bit of a sudden change a couple of minutes in, but had a good swing to it. As previously mentioned, the muted trumpet is lovely. Bit meandering in places.

Pretty cool but not extra cool

Nice enough jazz album with occasional African vibe.

Never knew there was such a thing as South African jazz but I like this. I also suspect there are a lot of things I don't know about this artist and why this album was made. Calling your first track on your 1985 album "Mandela"? Yeah, there's a lot to unpack and I can't find much info.

honk shoe

Enjoyed it! Simply lovely, although impossible to download and very difficult to find on Spotify.

This list has allowed me to hear jazz from other cultures, which I appreciate. Most of them I have really liked. And I like this too, but it’s not as interesting as most of the others. It’s nice, enjoyable jazz, but really just background jazz.

Rating: 2 Nothing inherently bad if you like jazz. But as this is my rating, I'd rather listen to cats shagging. 2 it is.

really good

Pretty cool! It feels very unique.

Jazz

Estaba en una habitacion de hotel en helsinki, y fue relajante pero no estaba en el mood

Solid album, not much else to say.

I got a preview - Apple Music wanted $10.99 to listen to it all - and concluded it is not for me.

not one Spotify

Not bad - elevator music that was quite nice while working. Probably won’t listen again but didn’t mind this at all.

3 calming background music

Very good

it was okay, some sounded pretty basic

Favorite Track: Tuang Guru

I could have used a bit more pace to go with the sleepier tracks but, overall it was smooth and hip.

Jazz, it's jazz.

very Groovy tunes, I am not a massive fan of music without singing tbh so not for me

A beautiful album. I enjoyed the jazz. I wouldn't have expected that from an African band. All the better to have learnt something new here. I find one or two tracks on the album a bit tiring. Maybe I'll like them better after listening to them again. 3/5

de wonderen zijn de wereld niet uit... een te pruimen jazz album, wel wel wel... begon en eindigde zeer goed... in het midden viel het wat puddinggewijs in elkaar... maar toch van genoten

Fantastic instrumental album. Great for background music for tasks and chores.

Skönt sväng. Fyra

Did not hurt but was not memorable either.

It was a interesting take on jazz, but the novelty wore off pretty quick for me I think, and from there it was just something that played in the background Standouts Song For Sathima 3/5

3/5

Nice tunes , thanks :)

Quite easygoing.

More jazz - it's pleasant enough I guess. Kind of boring though

Don’t like jazz

Great jazz.

This was a pretty nice and relaxing album, by Various Artists, and it is just background music that is similar to what they sometimes play in some restaurants. Overall, nothing too exciting in the whole album, but it definitely wasn't too bad.

I typically like most genres of music but I bloody hate jazz.

Pretty cool jazz album!

This is jazz Best Song: Mandela Rating: 6/10 (Adequate) Stars: 3/5

I’m completely unfamiliar with Abdullah Ibrahim, but based on this album cover, I would never have expected this album to be jazz; that looks like a background that Vic Rattlehead would be standing in front of. I never really listened to much jazz before I started this project, and it’s one of the genres I’ve struggled to connect with. I’m hoping this will be the first jazz album that I really love! While I didn’t love this album, it’s one of the jazz albums that I’ve liked the most from this list. I liked the instruments that were used, especially the flute and the bass. The piano and saxophone were really good too, but the songs that featured more flute playing were definitely my favorite. There seemed to be a good mix of emotions portrayed through this music; some songs felt hopeful and upbeat, while some felt more sad and solemn. Despite that though, the album still really cohesive in its sound. I thought that “The Wedding” was the best song on the album. I really loved the saxophone and piano playing, and it truly felt like a song about a new stage of love. The title track was probably my least favorite on the album, and of course it was also the longest song. It felt like it just droned on without going anywhere interesting, and it really didn’t keep me engaged. Overall, this album was fine, but I’ve come to learn that no matter how much I want to love jazz, it’s just not my favorite thing to listen to.

Apple Music didn’t have this record so I am rating « the enja heritage collection »

5/5. It's an album that derives inspiration from cocktail jazz yet brings an air of optimism and hope for a brighter South African future. You can feel the pain in each note, despite the uplifting and beautiful melodies. These compositions are so perfect and precise, yet allowing for improvisation from the soloists. I had a hard time finding any issue putting this one on and letting it play. A great discovery. Best Song: Mandela, Song For Sathima, The Wedding

Vibey!

This is just an all around excellent jazz record. Incredible compositions. Great album.

2 - pretty dull tbh

Jazz

Without the backstory of Ibrahim's exile, I don't that I would find much to say about this recording. Even with the backstory, it is hard for me (ignorant as I am) to locate Ibrahim's biography in this buoyant, gentle, gospel jazz. I'm sure that does the work a disservice, as it deserves a more considered descriptor than 'pleasant.' And, yet, its pleasantness is what strikes me, after the impressionistic, virtuosic, and cerebral jazz records we've already listened to. Pleasant may not be memorable, but it doesn't ruin an afternoon either. 2 There is something not quite right here. Whatever the cover art, the grandiose album title and the title of the opening track ‘Mandela’ evoke - it does not fit with what then proceeds musically. ‘Mandela’ should have been titled ‘Parkinson’ surely. The closer ‘Sameeda’ is redolent of something from the Jazz Club sketches on the Fast Show. The title track is extemporisation on Film 95 with Barry Norman. Whoever ‘Sathima’ is I am imagining an American lady with a perm and an oversized jumper (or is it a cardigan hanging round her shoulders?) who has been disappointed in love in the previous scene. Whoever ‘Tuang Guru’ is, he has a private dick tailing him. On the whole this was an enjoyable but I dare say forgettable album. I will give it credit for proving, conclusively, that try as they might, no one out-sillys a trombone. 2/5

Blahhhhh this was just kinda exactly what I expected. I don’t know I feel like sure it could be better could be worse but I just yes I can see it’s influence but personally it’s a no from me.

Nice jazz - nothing too esoteric and I mean that in a positive way; feels like the kind of album you can play for most any audience and everyone's gonna like it (or at least not moan about it too much). I'm not familiar with Abdullah Ibrahim but I'm really liking this and will definitely put him on a keeper list. 7/10 4 stars YouTube music stream for future reference since it wasn't on Apple Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mCC8-vI9pwvt_wvS9zTjzEeZ_H8gOWCKg

Absolutely not what I was expecting, in the most pleasant way possible.

Peaceful, sure - but when in the FUCK would I return to or seek this shit out?? Homework background noise type shii

A treat. Lovely stuff.

I like the ska-jazz... skazz, maybe? feel of the opening track, and the safari-groove on "Tuang Guru" but the rest sounds like "Yep. That's jazz alright." I say if you are gonna spend your 1001 token on him, the cinematic African Space Program album under his pre-conversion name Dollar Brand is a more rewarding, if more challenging, listen.

While he spent much of his life in exile from the brutal apartheid government, Abdullah Ibrahim was born and raised in South Africa, where he absorbed much of the local traditional and gospel sounds. I don't hear much of that in this release, which sounds like a much more contemporary take on swing jazz. "Tuang Guru" and "Song for Sathima" are highlights. The rest is pleasant if unremarkable.

This is a solid record, but it's kind of a trip to listen to a 40 year old album that sounds like a 60 year album.

Like the hugh masekala, this was fine but something I'm unlikely to revisit.

I couldn't find this anywhere online to listen to. But did find the title track. So gave that a listen. It's nice. Features a Trombone(?). Always up for a bit of jazz trombone.

Solid album but nothing really popped out to me. I always appreciate the musicianship of jazz albums but I’d say only one song resonated with me on this one, which was “Manenberg Revisted”. The title track was fine too. The rest felt pretty run of the mill. All in all, a pleasant listen but nothing surprising.

Another solid jazz album.

i am a sucker for some flute in jazz. just an amazing little group and album here! very glad to have found it from this

its Jazz, but not up its own ass. This was pretty enjoyable to listen to, but I think its a good one and done deal. Nothing really stood out to me in particular, although it was a great mood setter, soft, it doesn't assault your ears.

Pretty fun jazz album! And I’m not really a jazz fan

Nice music

Nice music to work to.

It sounds nice. But average. I read a review where someone said "Wedding" was so beautiful they used it at their own wedding. It's a nice song that would indeed sound pretty at a wedding. I am confident I could also find some Kenny G that sounds equally nice.

Smooth

Masterful album with great sounds and was a very soothing jazz album for an evening, not 100% my thing but can appreciate it.

Perus jazzia, joka tyypillisesti toistaa paljon itseään. Mutta tykkäsin.

Hyvää jazz-musisointia. Sopii vanhan koulukunnan pönöttelymeiningin taustalle. Sellaisellekin on joskus paikkansa.

Nyt kyllä osu Jazzit oikeaan saumaan. Oikeen hyvä ja virkistävä

Suoratoistopalveluni löysi levyn mutta en pystynyt.kuuntelemaan sitä. Se vähän mitä kuulin kun kollega soitti levyä oli hyvän kuuloista jazz.

Nyt on viskinmyötänen albumi! Hyviä sovituksia, hyvää soittoa.

Some of the better post-70’s jazz I’ve heard. 4/5

I‘m clearly not used to listening to songs without singing but this is a nice record to listen to. I enjoyed it and admire the drummer and pianist in particular. Impeccable skills. I didn’t really like the brass instruments on every song but they grew on me (and they sound like they are singing) and I can hear their undeniable skills too. Pleasurable album. The first song is the weakest in my opinion. But after that it only gets better.

Wasn't sure what to expect, but this is straight up jazz, like stereotypical jazz... like born in a laboratory, pure jazz distilled into a palatable mix.

A smooth & relaxing record

It's definitely one of the jazz albums of all time

Background dinner music. One way to make a living.

for sure musically impressive but just not for me

by no means a bad record, but I will always rail against the under-representation of jazz in the book. great musicians, but a mix that hides the rhythm section

Jazzy stuff, interessant en engaging, maar verder weinig waar ik ooit naar terug zal keren of echt iets van bij zal blijven. 6.5/10

Default jazz rating

The Good: We’re getting water from a well! The Bad: The well has been dry for a while… The Ugly: Trying to ask for more water with a dry throat… What? So, we’ve got jazz. So, we’ve got some politics. So, we’ve got another album listed which makes me wonder why I am even bothering anymore… To respond to that last comment, it is so that I can 5* to all those albums which I believe to be worth 5* And this album isn’t one of them. Simply put, you take a classic style of music, but record it decades later, and we need to be impressed? The list could have just added a great Swing album from the Swing era instead, no? Sorry Abdullah, you are getting 2 1/2*

Too good for background music but not quite there to make a splash

Jazz album by South African jazz pianist. Good, jolly jazz. And some dreamy jazz. Pleasant and varied. Goes down smooth.

Very chill no lyrics smooth jazz? 3.5

Pleasant, but as far as the jazz I've been introduced on this list goes, this seems...rather pedestrian?

This is a nice enough time whilst it's on, but I generally like my Jazz to be pushing boundaries a little more than this dares to do

Fine. Half of it felt like an extended version of the sex and the city theme song. It was instantly forgotten

I really enjoyed this album. It's not Coltrane or Miles Davis but I found myself in that same vibe with it. I didn't like the dissonance of the way the last track started, but everything else was pretty good. I have to remember this guy going forward.

I liked it and it is the reason I do this project. I had never heard of them before, it expanded my horizons, and - now this is important - it was actually good!

While "Water from an Ancient Well" may not possess the frenetic energy of Louis Prima's "The Wildest" or the innovation of Miles Davis' "Birth of Cool," Abdullah Ibrahim has crafted a remarkable collection of jazz pieces infused with some South African rhythms, resulting in a distinctive sound. Ibrahim's piano often takes a supportive role, allowing other musicians to shine and contribute a rich array of melodies and sounds, which range from vibrant big band swing to more subdued and reflective tunes. This is no more apparent than on the highlight of the album, "Sameeda," a winding slow build into an upbeat big band track that serves as a fitting closing to the album. What I appreciated most about this album is its catchy and rhythmic quality, offering a diverse range of sounds without becoming sonically disjointed or jarring. "Water from an Ancient Well" was a fun discovery.

Nothing crazy impressive, but makes for decent background music. The African style that flavors it keeps it more interesting than it'd be without it.

Wow, this is smooth as silk! I had to search for it but the work payed off so much! This is beyond perfection.

Started out bad and then improved

Paar Songs sind schön Overall sehr entspannt

Big band jazz in South Africa just swings in a different way. This was absolutely lovely and unique. Wonderful recording.

What marks this out as South African jazz to me is the bass, particularly on track 3 where it manages to sound both chilled and sprightly in a typically African way. I dig it. Other than that, I couldn’t really separate it from other jazz. It was pleasant background music that didn’t make a strong impression on me. 2.5. / 3

Judging from the title and its country of origin, you'd expect this to be one of Dimery's attempts at proving he's heard music outside the western tradition. Instead, you get a very "classic", USA-inspired jazz sound that could almost have been a relic from the early 60's, safe from its anachronistic crisp sound quality. It's no bad time by any means, but if you're going to have, like, approximately six albums representing the entire continent of Africa... is this really the one you want to be picking?

I’m not totally sure I listened to the right album, but I’m glad I had a listen to this one that appears to have come out the same year as “Water From An Ancient Well.”

3.5

With perhaps the exception of Mandela, this album just drips cool. Unbelievable solo work here and melodies that certainly move you

I just can’t do jazz. No matter how talented the musician.

Very nice

This is alright. Pretty smooth jazz, nice horns and the first track in particular is fun. As usual I don't really have the attention span to properly enjoy a full jazz album

Wel geinig, niet zo boeiend. Klinkt soms een beetje als Efteling-jazz. Het is sowieso geen goed teken als het enige noemenswaardige feit over een album is dat het in deze lijst is opgenomen.

Various emotions come out on this album, without any words being spoken. Masterfully played and put together. Easy listen.

1.875

South African Jazz. Had a heck of a time finding a digital version with the title track. Solidly middlin.

Old fashioned jazz . Ok for a short while then gets tedious

Beautiful sound, easy listen

Hermoso album de Jazz

what a cool, groovy, fun album. Not going to wax poetic about jazz albums, but I appreciate the art and musical intelligence to accomplish.

It was fine, but I'm still too stupid to enjoy most jazz as anything other than background noise

Fun album with some good hits. Taper Jean Girl is an all timer though

I’m sorry but so boring

Very nice background music but nothing super noticeable

Jazz. idk

Bit jazzy annoying

[4]

A decent album for jazz music I suppose

01) Mandela - 5,5 02) Song for Sathima - 5,0 03) Mannenberg Revisited (Cape Town Fringe) - 5,0 04) Tuang Guru - 4,5 05) Water from an Ancient Well - 5,5 06) The Wedding - 5,0 07) The Mountain - 5,0 08) Sameeda - 4,0 TOTAL: 4,94 (49/100) Current ranking: 452/479

This absolutely one of the jazz records of all time. 3/5

négyes-erámat élem minden bizonnyal

I anticipated dour sound experiments based on the title and the artwork, happily wrong.

I had no clue what to expect from this album, but I liked it. I don’t know how often I’ll revisit this one, but it did make for good background music while working.

Not bad, but there are other big band/jazz albums I’d rather hear rather than revisit this one.

This was pretty fine, but nothing special!

Someday Soon Sweet Samba and the title track were standouts.

Im digging the instrumental first thing in the morning. Its just hitting me right. I finished the album and didnt even realize it. No idea how many songs i went past

Not my thing whatsoever

Wonderful, the kind of music that has you closing your eyes and listening to every note. I should be listening to more jazz.

Pretty but not my style

Really liked this album as a whole - this is the kind of jazz I've been pretty obsessed with recently.

#514. Jazz 2/5: jazz

This was pretty good jazz.

Initially, this feels slightly bland, but then you might pick up on the subtle joy and beauty expressed in these songs. Definitely dig a bit into the history and background for this and look for the title track, which is unfortunately missing from this collection on Spotify for some reason.

Average Jazz.

2.5. Better than the other jazz album, but still not something I want to crank up

Incredible, so lucky to learn of this beautiful album.

Quite enjoyed this!! But wouldn’t rank it amongst some of my fav jazz albums out there… still seems like an incredible person and musician!

Pleasant but not particularly interesting

Pretty chill… but in all honesty… a bit pedestrian for my tastes! But this guy seems cool

Accessible, easy listening Jazz. 7/10

Although I enjoy jazz I do not find myself listening to it, so it’s no surprise I had not known about this artist and album. It is a well rounded beautifully crafted set of tunes. Ibrahim gets so much emotion out of all the instruments, especially on the title track. Wonder album. Top 3 tracks: 1. Water From An Ancient Well 2. Mandela 3. Manenberg Revisited 8.5/10

Couldn’t find the actual album but the song with that title was pretty chill

first listen was rough. sound of spit vibrating is super annoying. on second listen it's pretty good. meh

progressive dentist office music

Dirge

Pleasant enough, but does fade into the background

The good parts sound like old-school 40s and 50s jazz, so why wouldn't I just listen to that?

It was ok. Some interesting compositions but pretty straight ahead. Didn't feel like much special here.

Not good jazz, not good African music. Not good.

Listenable but nothing special. A good example of why he's always been a mid-level player.

Nice background music but I'm don't know enough about Jazz to assess this.

Had to listen on Youtube b/c it wasn't available on Apple and was struck by the top comment which I'll repost here: "First time hearing this song. Reminds me of my ‘special friend’, who died just before the epidemic. He was a romantic and a dancer. I imagine myself wrapped in his arms, dancing so closely. Makes me remember all our best times. Thank you for this beautiful, smooth song." Good reminder that stuff that doesn't reach us often reaches others powerfully.

Sounds like a pixar movie. Also straining trumpets sounds like squeaky farts. So... Pleasant but jazz just ain't my thing.

Different! Great music to work to. It started over and I didn't even blink.

There are some really beautiful melodies on this album. I love the ensemble that was put together. I had never heard of this before now but I am glad I’ve listened to it.

I don't know much about jazz but I really liked Water From An Ancient Well.

It was fine, nothing too special at least to my ear.

Solid, but short. I wanted more.

Meh it was cool I guess. Jazz

A jaunty, enjoyable jazz outing. The opening track Mandela was my favourite, I’ve already caught myself whistling the refrain. And I mean this in a complimentary way, most of this sounds like it could be the score to a children’s cartoon, like a kind-vibe 90s-00s PBS show along the lines of Curious George or Martha Speaks. (3.5 stars)

Delightful background music for the Sunday night blues. Will be keeping this in rotation for the nights I just need a low level ambient mood to filter through the house. 3.6 stars.

This didn’t appear to be available on my chosen streaming platform so I've been fair and gone roughly down the middle with the rating cause jazz is okay

Okay but, a compilation?

Im not a big jazz person, but this was a nice morning listen.

i’m bad at distinguishing jazz but it was an easy listen just not a standout for me

For jazz, this wasn't too bad. Smooth and mellow, but it also kind of reminded me of 70's sitcom/drama theme music. Still, it's not something I'd ever voluntarily play.

Why does the streaming service of my choice have the whole album EXCEPT THE TITLE TRACK? Anyways, this is a good album. Not the most bombastic jazz and that's quite all right. You can tell there's a story with the movements.

Solid album. Well played jazz. Not my favorite in the genre. It's pretty laid back. I want to call it background music for a fancy cafe, but that's insulting and dismissive. I guess nothing really sticks out to me and that's why I feel that.

Strange. I loved the other South African jazz album on this list (Hugh Masekela). I found this one soporific.

80's jazz albums are all over the place for me This album was very enjoyable. I especially like the bass on the track Maneberg Revisited.

Good listening jazz. Enjoyable but feel like it opened new doors or blazed any new paths.

Wasn't bad in the background.

I thought this was fine. I was able to listen to it.

It's jazz. It's jazz that sounds like it would play at a nicer restaurant or new year's eve party. It's perfectly fine.