Pavanne For Ahmad

Performer: Ahmad Jamal
Distributor: MSI Music Distribution

Notes: Ahmad Jamal's early recording career is given a reasonably in-depth survey on this 18-track, 72-minute collection of material from 1951-1955. The earliest four of these tracks feature him at the head of a trio with guitarist Ray Crawford and bassist Eddie Calhoun, but the remainder of the set (all recorded in 1955) were cut by the lineup with Jamal, Crawford, and bassist Israel Crosby. It might be tamer and more conventional than Jamal's later material, particularly due to the absence of drums (though there are plenty of popping percussion punctuations). It's still highly respectable early cool jazz, with the accent on covers of standards, though there are a few Jamal originals sprinkled in (including one of his most renowned early compositions, the funky "Ahmad's Blues"). Too, this has his interpretation of "Pavanne," which was likely influential on both Miles Davis' "So What" and John Coltrane's "Impressions." Throughout, it's easy to hear why Davis considered Jamal an important musician, as Jamal's style -- swinging, but with a certain amount of clean intellectual precision -- bore obvious connections to the cool jazz Davis and other musicians were also innovating at the time. The liner notes are threadbare, but at least the track listings include personnel details and recording dates. ~ Richie Unterberger Ahmad Jamal leads his long-running trio with electric bassist James Cammack and drummer Idris Muhammad for these 2004 studio sessions. Mixing it up with four standards and five originals, the trio sounds as if they have just completed a several-week tour playing these numbers every night. Jamal begins "I'm Old Fashioned" in a fairly straight-ahead fashion, taking only a few sudden detours near the end of the performance. The old chestnut "Yours Is My Heart Alone" was a favorite of Oscar Peterson during the '60s, yet Jamal finds his own path in this lyrical gem by Franz Leh�r. "My Heart Stood Still" is one of the most beloved ballads penned by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, though the pianist has a bit of fun with it by speeding up the tempo at times (evidently racing, rather than stilling one's heart, though the symbolism is the same for love). Jamal's originals are also delightful. "Swahililand" is full of drama with an infectious undercurrent. His quirky "Topsy Turvy" takes shape slowly with many sudden twists. ~ Ken Dryden

Down Beat (p.70) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[T]he brilliance of Jamal's long-term trio is instantly clear - Idris Muhammad plays with such taste and drive, he should be a beacon for young swingsters..." JazzTimes (p.130) - "Jamal, through stirring recordings like this, continues to demand our attention and admiration."

With his spare, subtle swing, pianist Ahmad Jamal is an important figure in both mainstream and post-bop jazz. The commercial success of his 1950s trio recordings made important inroads for jazz. His influence on Miles Davis was acknowledged by the trumpeter himself, who recorded many tunes from Jamal's repertoire. Incredibly, Jamal maintained his verve and artistic relevance all the way into the 21st century, long after many of his contemporaries had passed on.

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