b. Fritz Jones, 2 July 1930, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. A professional pianist from before his teenage years, Jamal (who changed his name in the early 50s) managed to break through to a wider audience than most jazz artists. His trio work produced many excellent recordings and his accompanists included Israel Crosby. The most influential of his advocates was Miles Davis, who recognized Jamal's interesting rhythmic concepts as being something which he could incorporate into his own work. Ahmad Jamal At The Pershing during its time became one of the biggest selling jazz albums and stayed on the album charts for nearly two years. On that recording, one of the many highlights is a breathtakingly fast version of Rodgers and Hammersteins' "Surrey With A Fringe On Top", where Jamal, Crosby (bass) and Vernel Fournier (drums) threaten to take off and spontaneously combust. With this commercial success Jamal worked extensively in the USA throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s, usually in trio format but occasionally with larger backing for record dates, and also appeared with Gary Burton.
Jamal is an important figure among mainstream pianists and their post-bop successors, mainly as a result of the indirect influence he has had through Davis. A lyrical, gently swinging musician, Jamal's playing is constantly rewarding. In his 70s, still performing and recording (notably with bass player James Crammack and Idris Muhammad), he was playing beautifully. Like Oscar Peterson, critics have often overlooked his dexterity, and his work has not received the acclaim it has deserved. For some jazz elitists, reaching the mainstream pop chart is the kiss of death and Jamal has had to endure the occasional taunt as being nothing but a competent lounge pianist.
DISCOGRAPHY: Chamber Music Of The New Jazz (Creative/Argo 1956)***, The Ahmad Jamal Trio i (Epic 1956)***, Count 'Em 88 (Argo 1956)***, But Not For Me/Ahmad Jamal At The Pershing (Argo 1958)****, Ahmad's Blues (Impulse! 1958)****, Vol. IV (Argo 1958)***, The Ahmad Jamal Trio ii (Epic 1959)***, At The Penthouse (Argo 1959)***, Happy Mood (Argo 1960)***, At The Pershing, Vol. 2 (Argo 1961)***, Listen To Ahmad Jamal (Argo 1960)***, Ahmad Jamal's Alhambra (Argo 1961)***, At The Blackhawk (Argo 1961)****, Macanudo (Argo 1962)***, Poin'ci-an'a (Argo 1963)***, Naked City Theme (Argo 1964)***, The Roar Of The Greasepaint, The Smell Of The Crowd (Argo 1965)****, Extensions (Argo 1965)***, Rhapsody (Cadet 1966)***, Heat Wave (Cadet 1966)***, Standard Eyes (Cadet 1967)***, Cry Young (Cadet 1967)***, The Bright, The Blue And The Beautiful (Cadet 1968)***, Tranquillity (ABC 1968)**, Jamal At The Top/Poinciana Revisited (Impulse! 1969)***, The Awakening (MCA 1970)**, FreeFlight Vol. 1 (Impulse! 1971)***, Outertimeinnerspace (Impulse! 1972)***, Jamal Plays Jamal (20th Century 1974)*** Live At Oil Can Harry's (Catalyst 1976)**, Steppin' Out With A Dream (20th Century 1977)***, Genetic Walk (20th Century 1978)***, Intervals (20th Century 1979)***, Live At Bubba's (Kingdom Jazz 1980)***, Night Song (Motown 1980)***, In Concert (Who's Who 1981)**, Digital Works (Atlantic 1985)****, Rossiter Road (Atlantic 1985)***, Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival (Atlantic 1986)****, Crystal (Atlantic 1987)***, Goodbye Mr Evans (Black Lion 1988)***, Chicago Revisited (Telarc 1993)***, Live In Paris 92 (Birdology 1993)***, I Remember Duke, Hoagy & Strayhorn (Telarc 1995)***, The Essence Part 1 (Verve 1996)***, Big Byrd: The Essence Part 2 (Verve 1997)***, With The Assai Quartet (Roesch 1997)***, Nature: The Essence Part 3 (Atlantic 1998)***, Cross Country Tour 1958-1961 (GRP 1998)****, Olympia 2000 (Dreyfus 2001)***, In Search Of Momentum (Dreyfus 2003)****, After Fajr (Dreyfus 2005)****.
COMPILATIONS: Re-Evaluations: The Impulse! Years (Impulse! 1974)***, The Best Of Ahmad Jamal (20th Century 1980)***, Ahmad Jamal 1956-66 recordings (GRP 1998)***, The Legendary OKEH & Epic Recordings (Epic/Legacy 2005)****.
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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