Ahmad Jamal

Revered by critics as an influential pianist and composer, Ahmad Jamal's trademark sparse, tense, dramatic style inspired Miles Davis and helped shape America's post-war ‘cool jazz’ scene. Born Frederick Russell Jones on July 2, 1930, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he started playing at three, was classically trained before he reached his teenage years, and cut his teeth with George Hudson's Orchestra and violinist Joe Kennedy's group The Four Strings. In his 20s, he converted to Islam and changed his name to Ahmad Jamal before forming his own trio. After being discovered by legendary producer and talent scout John Hammond, they went on to receive great critical acclaim for key early tracks “Ahmad's Blues” and “Pavanne.” In contrast to the upbeat, fast paced, be-bop of the 1940s and early 1950s, Jamal's Chamber Music Of The New Jazz (1955) ushered in an era of moody, atmospheric grooves. A lengthy residency in Chicago led to the classic live album At The Pershing: But Not For Me (1958) and signature hit “Poinciana,” before he opened his own club and restaurant and recorded prolifically for Argo Records throughout the early 1960s. Standard Eyes (1967) and Cry Young (1968) brought more crossover success, but Ahmad Jamal experimented with large orchestras, R&B music and Motown in the 1970s and 1980s, before ending up in France, where he returned to his musical roots with The Essence Pt.1 (1994) and Big Byrd (1997). Continuing to record and perform, recognition and respect for his work continued to endure. Ahmad Jamal celebrated his 80th birthday with a show at the 2011 Montreal Jazz Festival. Later albums in his career included Blue Moon (2011), Marseille (2016), and Ballades (2019). Interest in his career continued to flourish and many compilations were released, alongside many live archive releases including Complete Live at the Pershing Lounge 1958 (2007), Complete Live at the Spotlite Club 1958 (2007), Complete Live at the Blackhawk (2014), and Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1963-1964 (2022). Over the course of his career, Ahmad Jamal received many honors and awards including an American Jazz Masters award from the National Endowment for the Arts (1994), the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French government (2007), an Honorary Doctorate of Music from The New England Conservatory (2015), a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2017) and more. Ahmad Jamal died on April 16, 2023, from prostate cancer, at the age of 92.

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