Tag Archives: The Recording Academy

Ahmad Jamal

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.

Ray Charles: Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music

In April 1962, “ABC-Paramount” label released “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music”, the 19th Ray Charles album. It was recorded in February 1962, at “Capitol Studios” in New York City and “United Recording Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Sid Feller, Ray Charles and Joe Adams. In 1999, the album was inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”. In 2001, the album track “I Can’t Stop Loving You” was inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”. in 2001,  the album was cited by “The Recording Academy” as a recording of “historical significance. “I Can’t Stop Loving You” was ranked number 49 on “Country Music Television’s” list of the “100 Greatest Songs of Country Music”  In 2001, “VH1” channel listed the album in its list of “The 100 Greatest Albums of R ‘N’ R”. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 104 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Ray Charles– vocals, piano
  • Hank Crawford– alto saxophone
  • Gil Fuller, Gerald Wilson– big band arrangements
  • Marty Paich– string arrangements
  • Bill Putnam, Gene Thompson, Johnny Cue.Bob Arnold, Frank Abbey – engineer
  • Bill Inglot, Ken Perry – remastering
  • Michael Ochs Archives, Hugh Bell – photography
  • Todd Everett – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Bye Bye Love – Boudleaux Bryant, Felice Bryant
  2. You Don’t Know Me – Eddy Arnold, Cindy Walker
  3. Half As Much – Curley Williams
  4. I Love You So Much It Hurts – Floyd Tillman
  5. Just a Little Lovin’ (Will Go a Long Way) – Eddy Arnold, Zeke Clements
  6. Born To Lose – Frankie Brown, (Ted Daffan)
  7. Worried Mind – Ted Daffan, Jimmie Davis
  8. It Makes No Difference Now – Floyd Tillman, Jimmie Davis
  9. You Win Again – Hank Williams
  10. Careless Love – traditional, arranged by Ray Charles
  11. I Can’t Stop Loving You – Don Gibson
  12. Hey, Good Lookin’ – Hank Williams