Tag Archives: Ahmad Jamal

Miles Davis: Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall: The Legendary Performances of May 19, 1961

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On July 16, 1962, “Columbia” label released “Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall: The Legendary Performances of May 19, 1961”, the sixth Miles Davis live album. It was recorded in May 1961, at “Carnegie Hall” in New York City, and was produced by Teo Macero.

Personnel:

  • Miles Davis – trumpet
  • Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone
  • Wynton Kelly – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Jimmy Cobb – drums

The Gil Evans Orchestra

  • Gil Evans – arrangements, conductor
  • Miles Davis – trumpet soloist
  • Ernie Royal, Bernie Glow, Johnny Coles, Louis Mucci – trumpets
  • Jimmy Knepper, Dick Hixon, Frank Rehak – trombones
  • Julius Watkins, Paul Ingrahan, Bob Swisshelm – French horns
  • Bill Barber – tuba
  • Romeo Penque, Jerome Richardson, Eddie Caine, Bob Tricarico, Danny Bank – reeds, woodwinds
  • Janet Putnam – harp
  • Wynton Kelly – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Jimmy Cobb – drums
  • Bobby Rosengarden – percussion

Track listing:

All tracks by Miles Davis, except where noted.

  1. So What
  2. Spring Is Here – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  3. No Blues
  4. Oleo – Sonny Rollins
  5. Someday My Prince Will Come – Frank Churchill, Larry Morey
  6. The meaning of the Blues / Lament / New Rhumba – Bobby Troup / Leh Worth, J.J. Johnson, Ahmad Jamal

Ahmad Jamal: Outertimeinnerspace

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In July 1972, “Impulse!” label released “Outertimeinnerspace”, the 29th Ahmad Jamal album. It was recorded in June 1971, at “Montreux Jazz Festival” at “Casino De Montreux” in Montreux, Switzerland, and was produced by Ed Michel.

Personnel:

  • Ahmad Jamal – piano, electric piano
  • Jamil Sulieman – bass
  • Frank Gant – drums
  • Carlos Olms – recording
  • Stephen Sulke – recording
  • Terry Lamb – illustration, design
  • Yves Braunschweig – photography
  • Georges A. Braunschweig – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Ahmad Jamal, except where noted.

  1. Bogota – Richard Evans
  2. Extensions

Ahmad Jamal: Freeflight

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In July 1971, “Impulse!” label released “Freeflight”, the 28th Ahmad Jamal album. It was recorded in June 1971, at “Montreux Jazz Festival” in the “Casino de Montreux” in Switzerland, and was produced by Ed Michel.

Personnel:

  • Ahmad Jamal – piano, electric piano
  • Jamil Nasser – bass
  • Frank Gant – drums
  • Carlos Olms – engineer
  • Stephan Sulke – engineer
  • George Whiteman – design
  • Georges A. Braunschweig – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Ahmad Jamal, except where noted.

  1. Introduction
  2. Effendi – McCoy Tyner
  3. Dolphin Dance – Herbie Hancock
  4. Manhattan Reflections
  5. Poinciana – Buddy Bernier, Nat Simon

Ahmad Jamal: Rhapsody

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In July 1966, “Cadet” label released “Rhapsody”, the 21st Ahmad Jamal album. It was recorded in December 1965, at “Nola Studios” in New York, and was produced by Dick LaPalm and Ahmad Jamal.

Personnel:

  • Ahmad Jamal – piano, arrangements
  • Jamil Nasser – bass
  • Vernel Fournier – drums
  • Unnamed fifteen-piece orchestra 
  • Joe Kennedy – string arrangements

Track listing:

  1. I Hear a Rhapsody – Dick Gasparre, George Fragos, Jack Baker
  2. This Could Be the Start of Something – Steve Allen
  3. Then I’ll Be Tired Of You – Arthur Schwartz, E. Y. Harburg
  4. Effendi – McCoy Tyner
  5. Invitation – Bronisław Kaper, Paul Francis Webster
  6. The Shadow of Your Smile – Johnny Mandel, Paul Francis Webster
  7. Strange – John La Touche, Marvin Fisher
  8. You Can Be Sure – Joe Kennedy
  9. Concern – Ahmad Jamal

Ahmad Jamal

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On April 16, 2023, Ahmad Jamal died aged 92. He was musician (piano), composer, bandleader, and educator, one of the most successful small-group leaders and one of the most important artists in jazz history. For his work Jamal received many awards including:

  • 1959: Entertainment Award, Pittsburgh Junior Chamber of Commerce
  • 1980: Distinguished Service Award, City of Washington D.C., Anacostia Neighborhood Museum
  • 1986: Mellon Jazz Festival Salutes Ahmad Jamal, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • 1987: Honorary Membership, Philippines Jazz Foundation
  • 1994: American Jazz Masters award, National Endowment for the Arts
  • 2001: Arts & Culture Recognition Award, National Coalition of 100 Black Women
  • 2001: Kelly-Strayhorn Gallery of Stars, for Achievements as Pianist and Composer, East Liberty Quarter Chamber of Commerce
  • 2003: American Jazz Hall of Fame, New Jersey Jazz Society
  • 2003: Gold Medallion, Steinway & Sons 150 Years Celebration
  • 2007: Living Jazz Legend, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
  • 2007: Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, French government
  • 2011: Down Beat Hall of Fame, 76th Readers Poll
  • 2015: Honorary Doctorate of Music, The New England Conservatory
  • 2017: Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, The Recording Academy
  • 2018: Leopolis Jazz Music Awards Leopolis Jazz Fest, Lviv

As leader, Jamal released 69 albums.

Ahmad Jamal: The Bright, the Blue and the Beautiful

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In May 1968, “Cadet” label released “The Bright, the Blue and the Beautiful”, the 24th Ahmad Jamal album. It was recorded in February 1968, at “Fine Recording Studios” in New York, and was produced by Richard Evans.

Personnel:

  • Ahmad Jamal – piano
  • Jamil Sulieman – bass
  • Frank Gant – drums
  • The Howard Roberts Choir – vocals
  • Hale Smith – conductor

Track listing:

  1. Wild Is the Wind – Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington
  2. Ballad for Beverly – Bob Williams
  3. Of Bass I Love – Ahmad Jamal, Jamil Sulieman
  4. Yesterdays – Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern
  5. I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel to Be Free) – Billy Taylor, Dick Dallas
  6. At Long Last Love – Cole Porter
  7. Never Let Me Go – Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
  8. Gypsies in the Wind – Bob Williams
  9. Lover Man – Jimmy Davis, Ram Ramirez, James Sherman
  10. By Myself – Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz

Ahmad Jamal: Ballades

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On September 13, 2019, “Jazz Village” label released “Ballades”, the 69th Ahmad Jamal album.

Personnel:

  • Ahmad Jamal – piano
  • James Cammack – bass 

Track listing:

All tracks by Ahmad Jamal, except where noted.

  1. Marseille
  2. Because I Love You
  3. I Should Care – Paul Weston, Axel Stordahl, Sammy Cahn
  4. Poinciana – Nat Simon, Buddy Bernier
  5. Land of Dreams – Eddie Heywood, Jr., Norman Gimbel
  6. What’s New? – Bob Haggart, Johnny Burke
  7. So Rare – Jerry Herst, Jack Sharpe
  8. Whisperings
  9. Spring is Here – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart / Your Story – Bill Evans
  10. Emily – Johnny Mandel, Johnny Mercer

Miles Davis: Miles Ahead

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On October 21, 1957, “Columbia” label released “Miles Ahead”, the second Miles Davis album for this label. It was recorded May 6, 10, 23, 27 – August 22, 1957, at “Columbia 30th Street Studio” in New York City, and was produced by George Avakian and Cal Lampley.

Personnel:

  • Miles Davis – flugelhorn
  • Gil Evans– arrangements, conductor
  • Bernie Glow– lead trumpet
  • Ernie Royal, Louis Mucci, Taft Jordan, John Carisi– trumpet
  • Frank Rehak, Jimmy Cleveland, Joe Bennett – trombone
  • Tom Mitchell – bass trombone
  • Willie Ruff, Tony Miranda, Jim Buffington – French horn
  • Bill Barber– tuba
  • Lee Konitz– alto sax
  • Danny Bank– bass clarinet
  • Romeo Penque, Sid Cooper – flute, clarinet
  • Wynton Kelly- piano
  • Paul Chambers– double bass
  • Art Taylor– drums

Track listing:

  1. Springsville – John Carisi
  2. The Maids of Cadiz – Léo Delibes
  3. The Duke – Dave Brubeck
  4. My Ship – Kurt Weill
  5. Miles Ahead – Miles Davis, Gil Evans
  6. Blues for Pablo – Gil Evans
  7. New Rhumba – Ahmad Jamal
  8. Medley Pt. 1: The Meaning of the Blues – Bobby Troup, Leah Worth
  9. Medley Pt. 2: Lament – J. Johnson
  10. I Don’t Wanna Be Kissed (By Anyone but You) – Jack Elliot, Harold Spina

Donald Byrd

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On February 4, 2013, Donaldson Toussaint L’Ouverture “Donald” Byrd II died aged 80. He was trumpeter, best known as founder and leader the band The Blackbyrds, and regarded as one of the pioneeres of the fusion of funk and soul genres with jazz music. He had successful solo career, and has recorded and performed with big number of famous musicians including Herbie Hancock, Pepper Adams, Gigi Gryce, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Dexter Gordon, George Wallington, Kenny Clarke, Cannonball Adderley, Oscar Pettiford, Hank Jones, Ernie Wilkins, Art Blakey, Rita Reys, Elmo Hope, Phil Woods, Gene Ammons, Art Farmer, Paul Chambers, Doug Watkins, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Burrell, Gigi Gryce, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy Smith, Art Taylor, Kenny Drew, Sonny Clark, John Jenkins, Red Garland, John Coltrane, Pepper Adams, Michel Legrand, Dizzy Reece, Mundell Lowe, Thelonious Monk, Chris Connor, Eric Dolphy, Cal Tjader, Sam Rivers, Wes Monthomery, Stanley Turrentine, Guru and Ahmad Jamal.

Idris Muhammad

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On July 29, 2014, Leo Morris aka Idris Muhammad died aged 73. He was musician (drums, percussion), whose drumming crossed over several musical styles including funk, jazz, and rhythm and blues and has performed and recorded extensively with number of musicians, including  Pharoah Sanders, Gene Ammons, Fats Domino, Roberta Flack, Grover Washington, Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, Lou Donaldson, Bob James, Randy Weston, Bobbi Humphrey, Andrew Hill, Bob Stewart, Sonny Stitt, Ahmad Jamal, John Scofield, George Coleman, Paul Desmond, Grant Green, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Lovano, Tisziji Munoz, Roots, Freddie Hubbard, George Benson, Reuben Wilson and Leon Spencer.