Ahmad Jamal

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jazz, piano, jazz piano, classic jazz, virtuoso… see all

Ahmad Jamal (born Frederick Russell Jones on July 2, 1930) is a highly-regarded American jazz pianist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He began using the name ‘Ahmad Jamal’ after his conversion to Islam in the early 1950s.

Jamal was one of Miles Davis’s favorite pianists and was a key influence on the trumpeter’s “First Great Quintet” (featuring John Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums). Davis had long admired Jamal’s use of space and dynamics.

Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette, and Gary Peacock all cite Jamal as a major influence in use of rhythm and space as well as his innovative use of multi-tonal melodic lines. The element of surprise is an important part of Jamal’s improvisations to them all. See Keith Jarrett’s DVD “The Art Of Improvisation” which has extensive interviews with Jarrett, DeJohnette, and Peacock.

“Ahmad Jamal at the Pershing: But Not for Me” is considered a jazz classic. The Ahmad Jamal trio played on it and featured Jamal on piano, Israel Crosby on bass, and Vernell Fournier on drums.

Jamal scored a major hit in his version of Poinciana, recorded while live on tour from The Pershing nightclub in Chicago. His style has changed steadily over time - from the lighter, breezy style heard on his 1950s sides to the funk + Caribbean stylings of the 1970s and onto the large open voicings and bravura-laden playing of the nineties. Jamal has always been distinctive however for his use of space, his dramatic crescendos, and for a very staccato orientation with chords.

1	Poinciana full track	169
2	Autumn Leaves full track	89
3	I Get a Kick Out of You full track	79
4	Surrey With the Fringe on Top full track	65
5	Ahmad's Blues full track	59
6	A Gal In Calico full track	56
7	A Foggy Day full track	55
8	But Not for Me	36
9	Spring Is Here full track	32
10	Billy Boy full track	30
11	The Surrey With the Fringe on Top full track	29
12	I Love Music	27
13	It Ain't Necessarily So full track	25
14	Moonlight in Vermont	24
14	Darn That Dream full track	24

Top Albums

Poinciana
Ahmad Jamal
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Chamber Music Of the New Jazz
Ahmad Jamal
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The Legendary Okeh and Epic Recordings
Ahmad Jamal
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Digital Works
Ahmad Jamal
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crshelton98 wrote:
17 days ago

I'd love to find his Live from Toronto album on cd - or vinyl

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fergalmc wrote:
June 2008

His incredible runs towards the end of wave off Awakening

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aughtstar wrote:
April 2008

The Poinciana album is just the best. Everything about it.

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jimragan1967 wrote:
April 2008

His version of Poinciana is just beautiful and a classic. Definitely a great listen!!

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goldcode wrote:
April 2008

Loved what Dj Premier did with the intro of Jamal's cover of Misdemeanor on Gangstaar's Soliloquy of Chaos

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Lis880 wrote:
February 2008

If youre familiar with nujabes you'll hear that he used ahmads spartacus love theme in the song eclipse

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[deleted-user] wrote:
January 2008

The Awakening
Electrocution wrote:
January 2008

so good

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sektah wrote:
January 2008

Jamal's rendering of Poinciana from the album But Not For Me is the closest I have ever been to musical orgasm...pure, understated perfection.

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lookingup wrote:
November 2007

Nobody is listenning to the beautiful Dolpin Dance (from the awakening) :(((

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Guy_Friday wrote:
October 2007

<3

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pablors_7 wrote:
October 2007

jamaica.

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ilovemeott wrote:
August 2007

wow.

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buyable wrote:
August 2007

my motherfucking MAN

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Human16 wrote:
May 2007

the guy is diamond.

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8thlight wrote:
April 2007

http://www.last.fm/group/The+Pittsburgh+Steelers

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reking wrote:
February 2007

hi

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buyable wrote:
January 2007

hello pete rock loop in I love music

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EmpressEricka wrote:
December 2006

WOW.

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Blue_Key wrote:
November 2006

legend

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