Abdullah Ibrahim has spent most of his life using music to stand up to injustice. Born in Capetown in 1934, Ibrahim grew up surrounded by music, with his mother and grandmother lovingly creating music for their church. He picked up the piano at age seven, and by age 15, he began playing professionally and recording under the moniker “Dollar Brand.” Ibrahim was a key part of the short-lived Jazz Epistles, the group that recorded the first jazz album by South African musicians, Jazz Epistle Verse 1. He has continued – to listeners’ delight – to find joy in his craft. But at the same time, one cannot ignore that he lived in a country governed by the horrific apartheid system that viewed Black Africans as less than human. The free expression inherent in the pianist’s artistic voice and the oppressive forces of his surroundings were seemingly destined to clash. As the government turned increasingly hostile towards musicians, he refused to abandon his musical calling. Instead, he fled his homeland to safety in Switzerland where Duke Ellington found him and exposed him to audiences worldwide. But Ibrahim refused to lie back. He returned to South Africa in 1968 and, six years later, released ”Mannenberg”, which would become an anthem for the struggle against apartheid. He would continue to stand up against the injustices in South Africa through his music, whether recorded in his home country or abroad. By the time the regime of hatred ended, Ibrahim’s brilliance in fighting apartheid was so widely recognized that political prisoner turned president Nelson Mandela dubbed Ibrahim “our Mozart.”

As much of his work was created in response to a system built around hate, one unfamiliar with Ibrahim’s work may expect him to express anger through his music. But he refused to add more kindling to a fire of hatred. Instead, the pianist chose to make music that could show the potential beauty of humanity. Above all else, his music was often soothing and beautiful. It is healing music. And, what’s more, he made the music by creating a multi-genre voice all his own, one that combined the best elements of gospel and spirituals, African Khoi-san songs, Western classical music, jazz, and more. 

Drawing ever closer to his 90th year, Ibrahim still has peace to share. He continues to find ways to use music to mend wounds. This aspect of Ibrahim’s contributions to the world is evident in his forthcoming album 3 (Gearbox, 2024), which captures last summer’s sold-out headline trio date at London’s Barbican Centre. The new single, “Water from an Ancient Well” is a particularly great example. 

A laidback folksy blues, “Water from an Ancient Well” was originally released on Ibrahim’s 1986 album of the same name. In the decades since, he has poured from the piece to find new wondrous elements. The version on 3 finds the leader’s contemplative keys meeting soothing flute and slow-moving bass. The result is an intimate encounter in which you can hear not only the beauty of the melody but also subtleties that remind you of the human element behind the recording. From the gentle breaths of Cleave Guyton Jr., before he blows into his flute to the precise care the leader puts in the selection of every note, the recording is technically precise yet full of heart. We are honored to premiere “Water from an Ancient Well”, which you can find below.

“Water from an Ancient Well” is now available on Bandcamp. ‘3’, the album featuring the track will be released by Gearbox Records on January 26, 2024.

More information on Abdullah Ibrahim can be found here.

Photo credit: Dr. Marina Umari