Ahmad Jamal
| Ahmad Jamal | |
|---|---|
 Ahmad Jamal performing with bassist James Cammack |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Frederick Russell Jones |
| Born | July 2, 1930 |
| Origin | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupations | Pianist, composer |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Labels | OKeh, Parrot, Epic, Argo, Atlantic, Dreyfus, Impulse, Telarc |
| Website | Ahmad Jamal.net |
Ahmad Jamal (born July 2, 1930 as Frederick Russell Jones) is an innovative and influential American jazz pianist, composer, and educator. According to Stanley Crouch, Jamal is second in importance in the development of jazz after 1945 only to Charlie Parker.[1] For five decades, he has been one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz.[2]
Since the 1980s Jamal has been regularly touring the major clubs of the United States and the large European jazz festivals. He is generally accompanied by bassist James Cammack and drummer Idris Muhammad. He has also performed regularly with saxophonist George Coleman.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Jamal was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and attended George Westinghouse High School. He began playing piano at the age of three, when his uncle Lawrence challenged him to duplicate what he was playing on the piano.[3] Jamal began formal piano training at the age of seven with Mary Cardwell Dawson, whom he describes as greatly influencing him. He converted to Ahmadiyya Islam in 1952.
Jamal began touring with George Hudson's Orchestra. He joined another touring group known as The Four Strings, which was soon disbanded. He moved to Chicago in 1950, and made his first sides in 1951 for the Okeh label with The Three Strings: the other members were guitarist Ray Crawford and a bassist (at different times, Eddie Calhoun, Richard Davis, and Israel Crosby). Jamal subsequently recorded for Parrot (1953–1955) and Epic (1955) using the piano-guitar-bass lineup. The trio's sound changed significantly when Crawford was replaced with drummer Vernel Fournier in 1957, and the group worked as the "House Trio" at Chicago's Pershing Hotel. The trio released the live album But Not for Me which stayed on the Ten Best-selling charts for 108 weeks. Jamal's well known song "Poinciana" was first released on this album. The financial success of the album allowed Jamal to open a restaurant and club called The Alhambra.[4]
Jamal typically plays with a bassist and drummer; his current trio is with bassist James Cammack and drummer Idris Muhammad. He has also performed with percussionist Manolo Badrena.[5] Jamal has recorded with saxophonist George Coleman on the album The Essence; with vibraphonist Gary Burton on "In Concert"; with the voices of the Howard A. Roberts Chorale on "Bright, Blue and Beautiful" and "Cry Young"; with brass, reeds, and strings celebrating his hometown of "Pittsburgh"; and with "The Assai Quartet".
[edit] Legacy
The French government has inducted Ahmad Jamal into the prestigious Order of the Arts and Letters by French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, naming him Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on June 2007.
Clint Eastwood featured two recordings from Jamal's But Not For Me album — "Music, Music, Music" and "Poinciana" — in the 1995 movie The Bridges of Madison County.
In 1994, Jamal received the National Endowment for the Arts American Jazz Masters award and was also named a Duke Ellington Fellow at Yale University.
Nas' 1994 hit song "The World Is Yours" features a very recognizable sample of Jamal's song "I Love Music" from the album The Awakening.
[edit] Discography
[edit] As leader
- 1955: Ahmad's Blues
- 1955: Chamber Music of the New Jazz
- 1956: Count 'Em 88-The Ahmad Jamal Trio
- 1958: At the Pershing: But Not for Me
- 1958: Live at The Pershing & The Spotlight Club
- 1959: Jamal at the Penthouse
- 1960: Happy Moods
- 1961: All of You (with Israel Crosby, Vernel Fournier)
- 1961: Alhambra (with Crosby, Fournier)
- 1962: Cross Country Tour 1958-1961
- 1963: Poinciana
- 1965: Extensions
- 1966: Heat Wave
- 1967: Standard Eyes
- 1968: The Bright, The Blue and The Beautiful
- 1968: Tranquility (Impulse!)
- 1970: The Awakening (Impulse!)
- 1971: Freeflight (Impulse!)
- 1972: Outertimeinnerspace (Impulse!)
- 1972: At The Top - Poinciana Revisited (Impulse!)
- 1973: Ahmad Jamal '73
- 1974: Jamalca
- 1974: Jamal Plays Jamal
- 1976: Steppin Out with a Dream
- 1976: Recorded Live At Oil Can Harry's (Catalyst)
- 1978: One
- 1980: Genetic Walk
- 1980: Night Song
- 1980: Live at Bubba's
- 1981: Ahmad Jamal & Gary Burton In Concert
- 1985: Digital Works
- 1985: Live at The Montreal Jazz Festival
- 1986: Rossiter Road
- 1987: Crystal
- 1989: Pittsburgh 1989
- 1993: Live in Paris 1992
- 1993: Chicago Revisited - Live at Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase
- 1995: I Remember Duke, Hoagy & Strayhorn
- 1995: The Essence Part 1
- 1996: Big Byrd - The Essence Part 2
- 1998: Nature - The Essence Part III
- 1998: With The Assai Quartet
- 2000: Picture Perfect
- 2001: Ahmad Jamal à l'Olympia
- 2003: In Search of Momentum
- 2005: After Fajr
- 2005: Legendary Okeh & Epic Recordings (1951–1955)
- 2008: It's Magic
- 2008: Poinciana - One Night Only
- 2009: A Quiet Time
- 2012: Blue Moon
[edit] As sideman
- Shirley Horn - May the Music Never End (2003)
[edit] References
- ^ Crouch, Stanley (2007). Considering Genius: Writings on Jazz. Basic Books. pp. 95. ISBN 978-0-465-01512-2. http://books.google.com/books?id=H2Q2ESacLXQC&pg=PA95.
- ^ Early, Gerald Lyn (2001). Miles Davis and American culture. Missouri History Museum. pp. 79. ISBN 978-1-883982-38-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=rlK4Rre5FekC&pg=PA79.
- ^ Ahmad Jamal
- ^ Ahmad Jamal at All About Jazz
- ^ Toronto Jazz Festival - Festival Events
[edit] External links
- Ahmad Jamal Official Homepage
- A Fireside Chat with Ahmad Jamal
- "Ahmad Jamal's Recording of 'Poinciana' Turns Fifty" by Ted Gioia (www.jazz.com)
- Ahmad Jamal at NPR Music
- Ahmad Jamal video interview at allaboutjazz.com
