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Ahmad Jamal
![Ahmad Jamal is an NEA Jazz Master Ahmad Jamal is an NEA Jazz Master](png/nea-jazz-masters.png)
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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Ahmad Jamal: An American Classic
![Read "Ahmad Jamal: An American Classic" reviewed by Chuck Lenatti](jpg/74f1d98593480cca530302a46c8a34c8-3.jpg)
by Chuck Lenatti
1930-1958: From Pittsburgh to The Pershing Frederick Russell Jones was born on July 2, 1930, to a working-class family in jny: Pittsburgh. His friends called him Fritz. As a boy, he delivered newspapers to Billy Strayhorn's family. He converted to Islam around 1950 and took the name Ahmad Jamal. His family identified him as a child prodigy at the tender age of three after his uncle challenged him to repeat what he played on the family piano.
read moreAhmad Jamal: Live in Paris (1971)
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by Joshua Weiner
The pianist Ahmad Jamal, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 92, needs no introduction. Suffice it to say that this NEA Jazz Master and Lifetime Grammy Award recipient was one of the most popular pianists, small group leaders and hit recording artists of his time. One might be forgiven for thinking everything was known about Jamal, given his extensive discography. Happily, however, Transversales Disques continues its excellent series of Lost ORTF Recordings" with this release, recorded live ...
read moreAhmad Jamal: Emerald City Nights: Live at The Penthouse, 1966-1968
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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 ...
read moreThe Best of Times, the Worst of Times
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by William H. Snyder
IntroductionApril 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 ...
read moreWhat in the Bag?
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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, ...
read moreVijay Iyer, Cal Tjader, Ella Fitzgerald & Ahmad Jamal
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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 ...
read moreAhmad Jamal, King Pleasure, Enrique Villegas, Shirley Scott And More
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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 ...
read moreJazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal
![Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal](jpg/2198874dcb81ebe05b1940c09696d905.jpg)
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 ...
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Ahmad Jamal: 1930-2023
![Ahmad Jamal: 1930-2023](jpg/2198874dcb81ebe05b1940c09696d905.jpg)
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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 ...
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Ahmad Jamal: Complete Okeh, Parrot & Epic
![Ahmad Jamal: Complete Okeh, Parrot & Epic](jpg/8b3a556a8dce3482fc2d9c30c913c2a9.jpg)
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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 ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal
![Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal](jpg/2198874dcb81ebe05b1940c09696d905.jpg)
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 ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal
![Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal](jpg/2198874dcb81ebe05b1940c09696d905.jpg)
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 ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal
![Jazz Musician of the Day: Ahmad Jamal](jpg/2198874dcb81ebe05b1940c09696d905.jpg)
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 ...
read more
StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Spotlight on Ahmad Jamal
![StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Spotlight on Ahmad Jamal](jpg/2198874dcb81ebe05b1940c09696d905.jpg)
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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 ...
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Ahmad Jamal and Fender Rhodes
![Ahmad Jamal and Fender Rhodes](jpg/89352d12bf0f83882def86c50796d95f.jpg)
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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 ...
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