The album Premonition is a masterpiece of spiritual jazz, and reflects the spiritual awakening of a natural musical genius, Umlah Sadau Holt.
In the 1970s, Holt was involved in all kinds of jazz, reggae and world music projects in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over time he absorbed the global rhythms that can only come from extensive involvement with a variety of international musicians, and he integrated them into his own developing ideas of jazz. When his friend Emmanuel Nado returned from Africa one day, Umlah was fascinated by his pictures and stories and was inspired to learn more about his heritage - even to the extent of learning to play football! He was also inspired to use his skills to create music that would bridge the spiritual gap between the continent in which he now lived and that of his ancestors. Drawing upon his close friends and a varied selection of session musicians, the concept for an album developed, and eventually 'Premonition' was born.
Umlah composed and arranged all the songs on Premonition, his first and only album, and released it on his own private label. Yet despite an enthusiastic response from jazz aficionados and favourable reviews by the critics, as is often the case with independently produced records, sales were poor. Today the original LP remains an elusive - and expensive - collectors item.
We intend to give Premonition the exposure it deserves. Here is an album that is the sole representation of a inspired jazz artist whohad the talent and dedication to see his dreams materialise. We believe it's significant and important enough in the heady realms of Spiritual Jazz to be rescued in its entirety from obscurity. Another exceptional album in the Jazzman Holy Grail series.