Jamil Nasser

Jamil Nasser, born George Joyner (June 21, 1932 – February 13, 2010) and also credited on some of Ahmad Jamal's recordings as Jamil Sulieman, was an American jazz musician. He played double bass, electric bass, and tuba.

Biography

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Nasser learned piano from his mother as a child and started playing bass at age 16. As a student at Arkansas State University, he led the school band, and played bass and tuba in bands while stationed in Korea as a member of the U.S. Army. Following his discharge he played with B.B. King in 1955 and 1956.

He moved to New York City in 1956, and played with Phineas Newborn and Sonny Rollins before the decade was over. He went on tour in Europe and North Africa with Idrees Sulieman in 1959, then went to Paris and recorded with Lester Young. Nasser moved to Italy briefly from 1961 to 1962; after returning to New York he formed his own trio, playing with the ensemble until 1964. Following this he began work with Ahmad Jamal; the two played together until 1972. He played with Al Haig through the rest of the decade.

In the 1980s and 1990s, he did many sessions with musicians including George Coleman, Clifford Jordan, Jimmy Raney, Harold Mabern Gene Ammons and Hideaki Yoshioka. Nasser never recorded as a leader.

His son Zaid Nasser is a prominent NYC-based alto saxophonist.

His son, Muneer Nasser, is a musician, historian, and author of Jamil Nasser's book called Upright Bass, The Musical Life and Legacy of Jamil Nasser, published 2018.

Discography

As sideman

With Gene Ammons

• The Big Sound (Prestige, 1958)
• Groove Blues (Prestige, 1958)

With Evans Bradshaw

• Look Out for Evans Bradshaw! (Riverside, 1958)

With George Coleman

• Manhattan Panorama (Theresa, 1985)

With Lou Donaldson

• Lou Takes Off (Blue Note, 1958)

With Red Garland

• All Mornin' Long (1957)
• Dig It! (Prestige, 1958)

With Al Haig

• Strings Attached (Choice, 1975)
• Chelsea Bridge (East Wind, 1975)
• Interplay (Sea Breeze, 1976)
• Serendipity (Interplay, 1977)
• Manhattan Memories (Sea Breeze, 1977 [1983])
• A Portrait of Bud Powell (Interplay, 1977)
• Reminiscence (Progressive, 1977)
• Ornithology (Progressive, 1977)
• Expressly Ellington (Spotlite, 1978)

With Ahmad Jamal

• Naked City Theme (Argo, 1964)
• The Roar of the Greasepaint (Argo, 1965)
• Extensions (Cadet, 1965)
• Heat Wave (Cadet, 1966)
• Cry Young (Cadet, 1967)
• The Bright, the Blue and the Beautiful (Cadet, 1968)
• Tranquility (ABC, 1968)
• Ahmad Jamal at the Top: Poinciana Revisited (Impulse!, 1968)
• The Awakening (Impulse!, 1970)
• Freeflight (Impulse!, 1971)
• Outertimeinnerspace (Impulse, 1971)
• Jamalca (20th Century, 1974)
• Jamal Plays Jamal (20th Century, 1974)
• Genetic Walk (20th Century, 1975)
• The Essence Part One (Birdology, 1995)
• Big Byrd: The Essence Part 2 (Birdology, 1995)

With Melba Liston

• Melba Liston and Her 'Bones (MetroJazz, 1958)

With Herbie Mann, Charlie Rouse, Kenny Burrell and Mal Waldron

• Just Wailin' (New Jazz, 1958)

With Phineas Newborn, Jr.

• Phineas' Rainbow (RCA Victor, 1956)
• While My Lady Sleeps (RCA Victor, 1957)
• Fabulous Phineas (RCA Victor, 1958)

With Randy Weston

• New Faces at Newport (MetroJazz, 1958)
• Little Niles (United Artists, 1958)
• Portraits of Duke Ellington (1989)
• Portraits of Monk (1989)
• Self Portraits (1989)
• Spirits of Our Ancestors (1991)
• Volcano Blues (1993)

With others

• Eric Dolphy: Berlin Concerts (Enja, 1961)
• George Coleman: I Could Write a Book: The Music of Richard Rodgers (Telarc, 1998)