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Ahmad Jamal

Ahmad Jamal is an NEA Jazz Master

In 1951, Mr. Jamal first recorded 'Ahmad's Blues' on Okeh Records. His arrangement of the folk tune 'Billy Boy', and 'Poinciana' (not his original composition), also stem from this period. In 1955, he recorded his first Argo (Chess) Records album that included 'New Rhumba', 'Excerpts From The Blues', 'Medley' (actually 'I Don't Want To Be Kissed'), and 'It Ain't Necessarily So' —all later utilized by Miles Davis and Gil Evans on the albums "Miles Ahead" and "Porgy and Bess." In his autobiography, Mr. Davis praises Mr. Jamal's special artistic qualities and cites his influence. In fact, the mid-to-late 1950's Miles Davis Quintet recordings notably feature material previously recorded by Mr. Jamal: 'Squeeze Me', 'It Could Happen To You', 'But Not For Me', 'Surrey With The Fringe On Top', 'Ahmad's Blues', 'On Green Dolphin Street' and 'Billy Boy'.

In 1956, Mr. Jamal, who had already been joined by bassist Israel Crosby in 1955, replaced guitarist Ray Crawford with a drummer. Working as the "house trio" at Chicago's Pershing Hotel drummer Vernell Fournier joined this trio in 1958 and Mr. Jamal made a live album for Argo Records entitled "But Not For Me". The resulting hit single and album, that also included 'Poinciana' — his rendition could be considered his "signature". This album remained on the Ten Best-selling charts for 108 weeks — unprecedented then for a jazz album. This financial success enabled Mr. Jamal to realize a dream, and he opened a restaurant/club, The Alhambra, in Chicago. Here the Trio was able to perform while limiting their touring schedule and Mr. Jamal was able to do record production and community work.

Mr. Jamal was born on July 2, 1930, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A child prodigy who began to play the piano at the age of 3, he began formal studies at age 7. While in high school, he completed the equivalent of college master classes under the noted African-American concert singer and teacher Mary Caldwell Dawson and pianist James Miller. He joined the musicians union at the age of 14, and he began touring upon graduation from Westinghouse High School at the age of 17, drawing critical acclaim for his solos. In 1950, he formed his first trio, The Three Strings. Performing at New York's The Embers club, Record Producer John Hammond "discovered" The Three Strings and signed them to Okeh Records (a division of Columbia, now Sony Records).

Mr. Jamal has continued to record his outstanding original arrangements of such standards as 'I Love You', 'A Time For Love', 'On Green Dolphin Street' (well before Miles Davis!), 'End of a Love Affair', to cite a few. Mr. Jamal's own classic compositions begin with 'Ahmad's Blues' (first recorded on October 25, 1951!), 'New Rhumba', 'Manhattan Reflections', 'Tranquility', 'Extensions', 'The Awakening', 'Night Mist Blues' and most recently 'If I Find You Again', among many others..

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9
Album Review

Ahmad Jamal: Emerald City Nights: Live at The Penthouse, 1966-1968

Read "Emerald City Nights: Live at The Penthouse, 1966-1968" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


It was a time of warring nations, either within themselves or without. John Coltrane had fallen as Miles Davis was firing up the jazz/funk. It was a time of young men screaming, their bodies on fire. Black and white images of villages savaged and children starving. Into these unrivaled moments--they had just taken down a holy man in Memphis a month before--Ahmad Jamal, his uncluttered allegiance to cool, underscored syncopation, and profound ease and understanding of Erroll Garner's ...

7
The Revolution Will NOT Be Televised

The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

Read "The Best of Times, the Worst of Times" reviewed by William H. Snyder


Introduction“April is the cruelest month... “ so begins The Burial of the Dead section of T. S. Eliot's 100-year-old poem. “The Waste Land" laments the decline of culture in the world after World War I. In April of 2023, we lost Harry Belafonte and Ahmad Jamal. The loss of these two men is part of contemporary culture's decline. Burying the dead is a theme in “The Waste Land," but rebirth is also present. Great human spirits need to be kept ...

1
Radio & Podcasts

What in the Bag?

Read "What in the Bag?" reviewed by Patrick Burnette


Welcome to “What's in the Bag?," where Pat pulls out a few vinyl discoveries--some reissues, some crate finds--for Mike and him to dissect. It's kind of a continuing feature on the show when we run out of other things to discuss, and is not to be confused with “What's in the Box?" where the contents are always Gwyneth Paltrow's head and a scratched copy of Duke Ellington's Greatest Hits. Our selections include a recent RSD release of live Ahmad Jamal, ...

2
Radio & Podcasts

Vijay Iyer, Cal Tjader, Ella Fitzgerald & Ahmad Jamal

Read "Vijay Iyer, Cal Tjader, Ella Fitzgerald & Ahmad Jamal" reviewed by Joe Dimino


We begin the 802nd episode of Neon Jazz honoring the late Ahmad Jamal with his trio live in Chicago. From there, we explore new music from Richard X Bennett & Matt Parker, The Joi Jazz Orchestra and Dean Mucetti. We also spin music from Ukraine-based Carlo Muscat who collaborated with Tony Tixier. Finally, we profile musician / storytellers Ernest Stuart, Dewayne Pate and Nick Phillips. Dig the jazz, my friends. Playlist Ahmad Jamal Trio “Darn that Dream" Chamber ...

3
Radio & Podcasts

Ahmad Jamal, King Pleasure, Enrique Villegas, Shirley Scott And More

Read "Ahmad Jamal, King Pleasure, Enrique Villegas, Shirley Scott And More" reviewed by David Brown


Join us for another week of the Jazz Continuum. Old, new, in, out, where ever the music takes us. Each week we explore the elements of jazz form a historical perspective. This week we take a look at “Moody's Mood for Love," remember Ahmad Jamal, check out a new archival release form Shirley Scott, judge a Enrique Villegas record by its cover, and more. Thelonious Monk “Esistrophy (Theme)" from Live at the It Club-Complete (Columbia) 01:00 James ...

5
Interview

Ahmad Jamal: In his Own Sense of Time and Place

Read "Ahmad Jamal: In his Own Sense of Time and Place" reviewed by Josef Woodard


This interview first appeared in the Santa Barbara News-Press on October 2005. The introduction has been updated. For the late, great and uniquely poetic pianist Ahmad Jamal, who passed on at age 92 on April 16, 2023, easy descriptors never sufficed in capturing his particular magic. He was a classicist, a modernist, a minimalist and a seeker on his own terms. “Poinciana," circa his classic 1957 live recording from the “hit" album Live at the Pershing: But Not ...

14
Profile

Remembering Ahmad Jamal: Finished But Not Never

Read "Remembering Ahmad Jamal: Finished But Not Never" reviewed by Ian Patterson


Ahmad Jamal, the quiet pioneer of jazz piano has died aged 92, after a battle with prostate cancer. He passed away on Sunday, 16 April, according to a statement from his daughter, Sumayah Jamal. In a career that spanned the 1940s to the 2020s, Jamal always followed his own musical instincts. He was one of the very few pianists of the day not to succumb to the lure of bebop, purveying instead a spare, refined sound. Perhaps because ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ahmad Jamal's birthday today!

In 1951, Mr. Jamal first recorded 'Ahmad's Blues' on Okeh Records. His arrangement of the folk tune 'Billy Boy', and 'Poinciana' (not his original composition), also stem from this period. In 1955, he recorded his first Argo (Chess) Records album that included 'New Rhumba', 'Excerpts From The Blues', 'Medley' (actually 'I Don't Want To Be Kissed'), and 'It Ain't Necessarily So' —all later utilized by Miles Davis and Gil Evans on ...

2

Obituary

Ahmad Jamal: 1930-2023

Ahmad Jamal: 1930-2023

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Ahmad Jamal, whose spare but highly melodic piano style on trio recordings beginning in 1951 transformed the sound of the jazz piano and deeply influenced Miles Davis and Red Garland, died on April 16. He was 92. At the dawn of the 1950s, Jamal's gleeful and relaxed style was a radical departure from other piano approaches at the time, when thick chords and a strong left hand held sway on the jazz piano. While critics would scoff at Jamal's recordings ...

1

Music Industry

Ahmad Jamal: Complete Okeh, Parrot & Epic

Ahmad Jamal: Complete Okeh, Parrot & Epic

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

There's always plenty of talk about musicians who had an enormous impact on jazz's direction. From Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young to Charlie Parker, Kenny Clarke, Miles Davis, Horace Silver, Lennie Tristano, Shorty Rogers, Sonny Rollins, Clifford Brown, Bill Evans, John Coltrane and beyond. Always skipped over, for some reason, is Ahmad Jamal. Now Fresh Sound has released an extraordinary two-CD box that is sure to get you to reconsider: Ahmad Jamal's Three Strings: The Complete Okeh, Parrot & Epic ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ahmad Jamal's birthday today!

In 1951, Mr. Jamal first recorded 'Ahmad's Blues' on Okeh Records. His arrangement of the folk tune 'Billy Boy', and 'Poinciana' (not his original composition), also stem from this period. In 1955, he recorded his first Argo (Chess) Records album that included 'New Rhumba', 'Excerpts From The Blues', 'Medley' (actually 'I Don't Want To Be Kissed'), and 'It Ain't Necessarily So' —all later utilized by Miles Davis and Gil Evans on ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ahmad Jamal's birthday today!

In 1951, Mr. Jamal first recorded 'Ahmad's Blues' on Okeh Records. His arrangement of the folk tune 'Billy Boy', and 'Poinciana' (not his original composition), also stem from this period. In 1955, he recorded his first Argo (Chess) Records album that included 'New Rhumba', 'Excerpts From The Blues', 'Medley' (actually 'I Don't Want To Be Kissed'), and 'It Ain't Necessarily So' —all later utilized by Miles Davis and Gil Evans on ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Ahmad Jamal's birthday today!

In 1951, Mr. Jamal first recorded 'Ahmad's Blues' on Okeh Records. His arrangement of the folk tune 'Billy Boy', and 'Poinciana' (not his original composition), also stem from this period. In 1955, he recorded his first Argo (Chess) Records album that included 'New Rhumba', 'Excerpts From The Blues', 'Medley' (actually 'I Don't Want To Be Kissed'), and 'It Ain't Necessarily So' —all later utilized by Miles Davis and Gil Evans on ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal

Source: Michael Ricci


Video / DVD

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Spotlight on Ahmad Jamal

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Spotlight on Ahmad Jamal

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week, let's check out some videos featuring pianist Ahmad Jamal, who will be performing Saturday, March 30 at the annual benefit gala for the Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries. Jamal, who's now 88 years old and plays only a select number of dates per year, is a native of Pittsburgh who began his musical career in the late 1940s, reaching international stardom a decade later with the release of his album Live at the Pershing. Recorded at a ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal

Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal

Source: Michael Ricci


1

Recording

Ahmad Jamal and Fender Rhodes

Ahmad Jamal and Fender Rhodes

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

We tend to think of Ahamd Jamal as a pioneer of the elegant jazz trio, a style he perfected in the 1950s by making ample use of space, swing and the upper register of the piano keyboard. Or we think of Ahmad's more recent abstract recordings that are bold and percussive. In between, there was a brief period when Ahmad recorded on the Fender Rhodes electric piano. He released only three studio albums on which he recorded extensively on the ...

Art Tatum
piano
Nat King Cole
piano and vocals

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Emerald City Nights:...

Jazz Detective
2023

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Emerald City Nights:...

Jazz Detective
2022

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Emerald City Nights -...

Jazz Detective
2022

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Ballades

Jazzbook Records
2019

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Trio & Quintet...

Cherry Red Records
2019

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Marseille

Jazz Village
2017

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Videos

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