Ahmad Jamal
Ahmad Jamal - Seeds Of Greatness. 
First Sessions From The Ahmad Jamal Trio
Selections from: The Legendary Okeh & Epic Recordings (Epic).
I dont think there is anyone these days who denies the incredible talent and decades-long artistic contribution of Ahmad Jamal. But when he was starting out with his trio in the early 1950’s, he wasn’t getting a lot of respect from the jazzoids out there. He was often labeled a lightweight; Nat Hentoff once commented that Jamal was nothing but a lounge pianist.
Jamal did not overwhelm you with a wild-rollercoaster wave of notes in his solos. His method was more geared to dynamics and phrasing. The style was understated, which was often mistaken for a lack of skill. And his band didn’t even have a drummer. The only other artist with a similar trio setup was Nat Cole.
But there were a handful of people who totally got what Jamal was about. John Hammond, the legendary producer and talent scout (who discovered Billie Holiday, Bennie Goodman, Count Basie, and Bob Dylan, among others) signed Jamal to his first contract. And Jamal’s most vocal booster in those days was Miles Davis, who flat-out said that Jamal was the most influencial musician for him during the 50’s.
Today’s mix features tracks from Jamal’s first two sessions; one recorded in 1952 with Guitarist Ray Crawford and bassist Eddie Calhoun; the other a 1955 date with Crawford and Israel Crosby on the bass. Both sessions in thier entirety (21 songs) are available on the Legendary Epic and Okeh Recordings disc.
Both Ahmad’s Blues and Billy Boy were from the earlier session, and remained in the Jamal repertoire for many years later.Take note of Crawford creating a percussive bongo sound with his guitar on the witty and silly Billy Boy.
Duke Ellington’s Black Beauty follows. This is a piece where you can hear the ever-changing sense of phrasing in Jamal’s playing. It’s so subtle but so captivating. Every bar seems unique; he’s not repeating any riffs here, but the overall blend is consistent and played in the spirit of Ellington, (himself a fairly low-key soloist.)
The next tune is Jamal’s first recording of Poinciana. He had a big hit with this tune in the late 50’s and has probably recorded the tune a dozen times since. When first hearing this version, I was surprised to hear so much of Crawford’s guitar; Jamal’s role was a secondary one on this take.
Autumn Leaves shows Crawford doing that bongo thing again, with Jamal playing with a breezy fluidity. The set finishes with Pavane and Donkey Serenade, both tunes filled with a swinging groove (minus the drums) and stellar ensemble playing.
These recordings are a taste of what’s to come. Over half a century of stellar performances and recordings later, Ahmad Jamal continues to tour and perform in the masterful style that was there from the beginning.
[Jazz and Conversation]
11:47:45 PM 
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