Thank you for this and for giving him the respect and study he deserves! He was my teacher, mentor and dear friend of my fathers. His music and genius was a reflection of his spirit and heart. You said. it. How he lived, how he thought, how he spoke, how he walked, all a reflection of his music, and his music - a reflection of his being. His being was rich melody & harmony and music of the highest order. When I would point out certain phrases he would play and say "Uncle Jamal, that was absolute PERFECTION" he would always say "Only God is perfection." When I asked about musical specifics, through analogies we would quickly somehow get onto the subject of fine food. But whenever I asked what he was up to musically, he would say "Oh just trying to figure out the relationship between these black & white keys..." His presence was art. His aura was prayer. His wisdom was 1000 libraries. He drove hrs to come and see my first show at the Blue Note NYC, he always kept his word, and always helped younger musicians! (Many don't know that both So What and Impressions, were derived from a phrase Ahmad played in his '55 recording of Pavanne.) Man... words cannot express the true humility, the refined character, tasteful and elevated man and divinely appointed musician that Uncle Jamal was and is. Bless you for your beautifully written words about him. He was indeed simultaneously the hippest and deepest musician and jazz master we'll ever know as well as a sincere family man, incredible mentor, mystic, philosopher, philanthropist, teacher, scholar, academic, intellectual, artist, storyteller, entrepreneur, innovator, and so much more. I miss him indescribably, there will never be another AJ, on the piano, he made the keys sound like polished crystal, ice cubes, made of diamond, his harmony told stories in technicolor, his melodies were poetry and conversation, his phrasing was a teaching in aesthetic beauty, his composition was inner experience manifest in form, and his music was the sound track to universal beauty and the elevator to upstairs. And although many have tried, no one has been able to acquire these elements his sound or come close to expressing the subtlety and intricacy of his musicality and mastery. I am of course bias, but for these reasons, for me he is truly the greatest American Classical pianist and musician of all time! May you be soaring close & closer to the One uncle Jamal - Zayn
Thank you both for putting a spotlight on the genius of Ahmad Jamal. I knew him quite well and his passing really hit me hard. I used to tune his two Steinways in a couple different homes over the years. He was incredibly gracious, generous and a very disciplined person. Poinciana may still hold the world record of most weeks on the Billboard charts, which was 108 weeks, if I'm not mistaken. The success of his famous early trio that made the recording of "Poinciana" was a huge part of the success and longevity of this performance. Israel was the older master who was really almost leading the ensemble at times. Vernel could have been a multi millionaire if he could of copyrighted that incredible beat which he developed with a mixture of styles and influences, not least of which is his roots in New Orleans. He was definitely influenced by Nat Cole's piano playing (another piano master who inspired and influenced many of the greatest pianists like Phineas Newborn Jr. and Bill Evans. But his biggest influence and inspiration was his fellow Pittsburgh genius, the supreme master, Erroll Garner. I was so fortunate to have gotten to know him so well for over three decades. I truly loved him both musically and personally. I had the great pleasure and honor to have stayed in his home for three days while preparing written manuscripts and lead sheets for his brand new compositions which he had to have with very short notice so there would notibe the need for lengthy rehearsals. It was quite the experience and one I treasure. I saw him at least 60-70 times in the various NYC jazz venues he liked to perform such as the Village Vanguard, Condon's, Carlos 1, The Iridium and also I attended a bunch of theater concerts. We used to speak quite regularly on the phone and I actually saved dozens of his messages from my old answering machine. I consider it a tremendous privilege to be able to have gotten to know Ahmad, the man, not just the musician. He was one of the hippest and warmest musicians I ever knew and he had a great sense of humor and a wonderful laugh! One thing about Ahmad is that he had one of the most advanced harmonic concepts and one of the most unique and stunning ability to create spontaneous improvisations playing solo. He was a rare and innovative master and I miss him. One interesting thing that Jamil Nasser said when he was asked why he stayed with Ahmad for well over a decade. He said he wanted to see if there was an end point to his genius. Obviously, there was not!
Hear Hear brother. He was my teacher, mentor and dear friend of my fathers. His music and genius was a reflection of his spirit and heart. You said. it. How he lived, how he thought, how he spoke, how he walked, all a reflection of his music, and his music - a reflection of his being. His being was rich melody & harmony and music of the highest order. When I would point out certain phrases he would play and say "Uncle Jamal, that was absolute PERFECTION" he would always say "Only God is perfection." When I asked about musical specifics, through analogies we would quickly somehow get onto the subject of fine food. But whenever I asked what he was up to musically, he would say "Oh just trying to figure out the relationship between these black & white keys..." His presence was art. His aura was prayer. His wisdom was 1000 libraries. He drove hrs to come and see my first show at the Blue Note NYC, he always kept his word, and always helped younger musicians! (Many don't know that both So What and Impressions, were derived from a phrase Ahmad played in his '55 recording of Pavanne.) Words cannot express the true humility, the refined character, tasteful and elevated man and divinely appointed musician that Uncle Jamal was and is. Bless you for your beautifully written words about him. He was indeed simultaneously the hippest and deepest musician and jazz master we'll ever know as well as a sincere family man, incredible mentor, mystic, philosopher, philanthropist, teacher, scholar, academic, intellectual, artist, storyteller, entrepreneur, innovator, and so much more. I miss him indescribably, there will never be another AJ, on the piano, he made the keys sound like polished crystal, ice cubes, made of diamond, his harmony told stories in technicolor, his melodies were poetry and conversation, his phrasing was a teaching in aesthetic beauty, his composition was inner experience manifest in form, and his music was the sound track to universal beauty and the elevator to upstairs. And although many have tried, no one has been able to acquire these elements his sound or come close to expressing the subtlety and intricacy of his musicality and mastery. I am of course bias, but for these reasons, for me he is truly the greatest American Classical pianist and musician of all time! May you be soaring close & closer to the One uncle Jamal - Zayn
In my senior in high school, I found a lot of my favorite MC’s/Groups samples from mainly soul, funk and jazz records. Two of my favorite songs ever: “Stakes Is High” by De La Soul, and “The World Is Yours” by Nas sampled Ahmad Jamal. I started me down a rabbit hole of listening to a lot of jazz, then becoming a fan of the genre, and it started with Ahmad Jamal. He left a huge mark on the culture. R.I.P Ahmad Jamal
Dean from Seattle and I say the first tune I ever heard that 'stunned' me at 13 years old was Ahmad Jamals' Poincianna. Our parents were deaf so no musicality in the home. Older sister bought a record player and bought Ahmad Jamal "Live at the Pershing Hotel" 1958 album. Played that album on that old turntable over and over again. I got hooked instantly. Thank you Ahmad Jamal forever for what you have done! RIP Dean Seattle
A great opening for anyone interested in learning about Ahmad Jamal (like me), and in general. I can't shake the feeling that I was watching a dancer, like Baryshnikov, on a stage, instead of a piano player while he plays. There's a sense of drama and moving through space, like he's off to the far side of the stage, near the wings, very still, then bounds across to the center in a great leap, but lands like a feather, all the time keeping perfectly balanced and in time, but he's doing it across the keys. The sense of playfulness combined with complete relaxation and supreme control is stunning. It's like he's only playing for himself, but he invites you in, because that's the kind of guy he is, which seems very reminiscent of Erroll Garner.
According to AJ, Garner is his greatest inspiration. They went to the same high school and had the same music teacher and were always friends, though Garner is a few years older. So, no accident there. AJs former wife told me that Garner could read a bit more than reported, which is mostly reported as zero.
I was lucky enough to know Ahmad and Jamil , Frank and Azzedine Weston saw them about a hundred times and they would hang out at my house in Detroit when they played at Baker’s!! Greatest memories!! Greatest music!!
My dad introduced me to Ahmad Jamal. I own more records of his than anybody. He has always been a favorite of mine. I never got to see him live. It was always a dream of mine. RIP!
I was introduced to Ahmad Jamal by my mentor in college and it absolutely changed my life. Familiar with his music because of the work he did with NOLA drummers, my appreciation was because of his fearlessness to be himself. He was a master of so much and was absolutely “American” in his sound - there is no coast in the US that doesn’t have a touch of his sound. “I Love Music” is by far my favorite composition to listen to on a loop. This one hurts, especially after Wayne Shorter - one of my other influencers. Rest Easy, Mr. Ahmad Jamal. Thank You for covering this - you guys inspire me and so many others. 🙏🏾
Without a doubt. I wonder how many jazz players used that "sizzle" (w/ rivets) cymbal? Jamal certainly prefers Nawlins drummers, eh? I'd known AJ for a lot of years, but before seeing this tape a few years ago when it first appeared on UA-cam, I never knew or imagined that VF was white. Because, you know, at that time, and even later with AJ, the players never got prominent billing as far as pictures, even, on the album jackets (so he's gonna say Creole maybe).... Well, you know what they say about assumptions......(makes an A S S out of U M E).
Do you have some good info sources on IC? I saw some sort of memoir online here on UA-cam from Vernell on the Chicago nightclub scene in the fifties and about the book that IC was studying, after the gig, in hotel rooms etc., book meaning the AJ songbook as I recall, and how deep he was into getting all of that under his belt so to speak. It seemed to have inspired VF to do similarly.
@@zdogg8 Naw, I'm just working on transcriptions of Israel Crosby lines. He was older than Ahmad and more established on the scene in Chicago. But the hookup with Vernell is genius.
Ahmad Jamal Trio's 1970 release 'The Awakening' is one of my all time favorite Jazz records. In fact it's one of my favorite albums, period. The repertoire is incredible, mixing some very fine originals ('The Awakening', 'Patterns'), surprisingly modern standards ('Wave', 'Stolen Moments', 'Dolphin Dance') as well as some more obscure gems ('I Love Music' and 'You're My Everything). The way they interpret the music, and the trio's chemistry , the arrangements and the way Ahmad orchestrates the music, the dynamics and also his swing and touch are unique. I had the privilege of finally watching him and the trio live in 2006. He was still on top of his game. His music lives on.
Well done again. This one really hurt even with him living such a full, long life maybe because so many Jazz greats and my favorite Jazz musicians (Chick, Barry Harris, Ahmad) are passing on so close together but he was one of my favorites. Nothing but Class all around, pure brilliant, musicality without overdoing it yet always different and standing out
Jamal was on to himself. He created his own language. Nobody sounds like him. On every level (technically, harmonically, rhythmically) and all music idioms, no one goes above.
Well done, gentleman! I knew and wrote about Mr. Jamal for over thirty years. I wrote the liner notes to Mr. Jamal’s recently discovered, three-volume recordings Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse. Both of you delivered an impassioned and informative presentation on Mr. Jamal’s music, influence and character. Excelsior! P.S. That bearded gentleman with the pipe that one of you described as a “hipster,? was the great writer/columnist Nat Hentoff!
This performance was a right of passage for Ahmad. He once told me Ben Webster had taught him a lot of piano. Take note how everyone in Buck's band was laughing and smiling throughout the set, nobody around the piano was smiling. Hank Jones was standing closest to the keyboard. At one point Hank, being the closest to the keyboard, started to smile at something Ahmad played. Ben jabs him with his elbow to stay serious. The Masters were putting the pressure on, in front of everyone in the room. Needless to say, Ahmad paid little attention to them, passing the test with flying colors.
I've had a copy of this for decades. I just saw the complete video for the first time. I may have made some misassumptions based on my copy as it had only Darn on it. As a researcher I'm chagrined while at the same time overjoyed. It filled in a gap in my knowledge and overjoyed to have another track to pour over. I'd be interested in hearing what all the other Ahmadites actually took from from Ahmad, put into practice and changed your playing? For me it was clarity of execution & placement in the flow of time an his concept of "form is content." That one only took me five years to figure out.
At one end of the jazz spectrum is Oscar Peterson, who filled the air with a volume of sounds; speed was his forte. At the other end is Ahmad Jamal, who used spaces and silences to fill his work. Both artists complete jazz.
You guys get so much RIGHT, kudos!! Salient points missed that AJ's technique was developed - or quite a bit (he talks about it) through classic music, Lizst etudes and such. He also discussed Debussy and Ravel, Rachmoninoff. He calls older Pittsburgh school mate Erroll Garner his greatest inspiration, that gets short shrift as well. They were buddies who shared bass players, Eddie Calhoun being one. I think Israel Crosby as well. I've known the man for 45 + years, since the Frank Gant days, also a friend.
Jamal really admired Jobim and would often open his first set with the Wave Azzedine Weston joined the trio and was one of the greatest conga players ever !!
I don't know why, but when I saw the first clip and the way he sat at the piano and played....it reminded me of some of the videos I saw with Keith Jarett! He behaved the same way at the board!
First Pharoah Sanders then Wayne shorter and then closely following Ahmad Jamal.... Nothing but love and appreciation for these GIANTS of music and life. Ever so thankful for the beautiful music they are leaving us with, and within that they will live in our hearts and minds. ❤🕊
Thanks for making this. I love all eras of Jamal’s playing. One thing that’s interesting is that it seems like he was always a leader. Aside from guest appearances on a couple tracks from albums by Ray Brown and Shirley Horn in the 90s and early-2000s respectively, it’s hard to think of another instance where he appears as a sideman.
Beautifully done tribute .... you guys captured everything I've always loved about that man and his playing. I discovered the double album "Portrait of Ahmad Jamal" among my mother's record collection when I was barely a teenager and it blew me away ..... as much a reason for my picking up the instrument as any I'd had. Saw him in small clubs (Sweet Basil in NYC, Jazz Showcase in Chicago) as well as in concert venues. Spoke with him a few times and he was so gracious. Great episode (and nice to hear you reference that comment from my dear friend, Benny Green -- I hadn't been familiar with it).
He along with just a few others in the beginning for me turned me onto jazz. I love the few albums i have of his, If it hadnt been for him, I would have never seen Hiromi. Love her music and I absolutely loved his!. Was my bucket list to see him, and i just found out he died. We all have to go sometime, but man im bumed. Thank you Ahmad for all the joy you brought through your music. Rest in Peace.
At least today AJ is really quite prominent through UA-cam, those visuals, especially of concerts and such, were just not available years ago. You'd have to go deep in to the achival vaults at CBS for this one, just e.g. I was fortunate to have know the man, a very sweet and sincere human being. But I think of all my friends and family that never had that opportunity, nor seemed to care (isn't that sad?). For persons like yourself, his personality can be deeply investigated here on UA-cam, especially through the interviews. The Internet is a mixed blessing, but for these sorts of things it is priceless.
@@zdogg8 Ya, It was a complete coincident that i discovered him. Back in the early 80s I had picked up an audio caset at a yard sale, It was a mix tape, but didnt say who was on it. It turned out to be Dave grusin, Dave brubek, and Amahd Jamal. Took me awhile to figure that out. I wore that tape out.
Thank you so much for phrasing the opening eulogy as recognizing his artistry. So much in this speaks to the schism so called “jazz” musicians receive in the public sphere. Not NEARLY enough credit is ever given to the great contributions these artists have in as you say “shaping the sound of the 21st century”. I love music, I love Ahmad Jamal
Yet another giant of JaZz is no longer with us. I recall Chick Corea's song 'Magic Carpet' dedicated to Ahmad Jamal because that's how Ahmad played. . . Like a genie flying on a magic carpet. R. I. P. ❤
somewhat surprisingly (only because their styles were so different) Jamal held Erroll Garner in the highest regard to end of his life. they were both from Pittsburgh.
Ahmad was an extraordinary musician. However, his album Live at Oil Can Harry's in Vancouver Canada was produced for a live radio show on CHQM FM. I was the recording engineer. I got stiffed by Jamal for the recording session. I also have no credit on the LP.
Was working from memory. Had the positions at the piano mixed up. They were grouped by age, the oldest in the back, the younger closer. Nevertheless: Who maintains the disciplines? In The Tradition, it was the Masters, who were the guardians of the continuum of the Oral Tradition and the Apprenticeship System. They decided whether or not you’d done the work, achieved the next level of proficiency and whether you were worthy of their recommendations to other Masters on the new level. We don’t grow in a continuous curve of accomplishment, it happens in levels. Each level has its own set of problems and questions. We have no idea what the next level will be like but it will have a completely different set of problems and questions. The black cultural envelope within which this music exists mirrors a similar stratification. For example, before Obama was President he ran for a local Chicago legislative position. His opponent was a much older, greatly respected, well-known in the community, local politician who’d worked his way up through the community’s political ladder. He was also the expected winner because he’d earned his way up. The charismatic Obama was becoming more and more popular, overwhelmed his opponent’s campaign, winning the election. The community never forgave him for that. Obama won but not the hearts of his new constituents. He hadn’t earned their approval by violating the community’s cultural protocol And so it goes for us. You earn your way up the social, political and music ladder. Every Master I apprenticed with had “AWE!” I don’t think I ever initiated a conversation with any of them. What could I possible say that would be of their interest? They were on another plane of existence to me. They commanded that kind of respect. Humility to the task and respect was big with the Masters. I'd always wondered how a Master could tell you the name of the cat you had when you were 10 years old after hearing you play eight bars. They'd seen you a thousand times before. I once saw a younger player trying to enter into an ongoing conversation of Masters. The conversation came to a stop. It was that Master’s responsibility to respond. Turning around he said, and I quote, “get out of here boy. You don’t belong here.” You can’t just jump a level. A classic example of this discipline is the cymbal-throwing episode in Bird’s first visit to NYC. What we we’re seeing in that video is a ceremony. Stern as they may have been, take a look at the pride in papa Joe’s face at the end of the video. What a wonderful thing to see, Ahmad in front of the world, his mentors literally up in his face, being honored by some of the world's greatest musicians. If you want to see a more nuanced version of the disciplines in action, there’s an excellent YT video about “1959, the year that changed jazz.” In this case It's the age hierarchy. Jimmy Heath was the oldest. Everybody deferred to him but Freddie challenged Jimmy, disrespected him. You don't do that! Everybody knows the situation and immediately gets tense. Jimmy got real pissed off, but the brothers split up between Freddie and Jimmy and cooled the situation down, mostly. Of course the cultural envelope within which this music thrives and the dynamics of the Oral and Apprenticeship System are more complex than can be discussed here. Ahmad has been and will always be The Godfather to me as for us all. I always wanted to play like him. Eventually I realized, even if I could figure out what he was doing, did I really think I could play it? He has left us but he has achieved immortality.
Mr. Galper: well said. I just finished Phil Woods' autobiography, and I'm sure Phil was one of those "old masters" you reference. And, let me say, your Tippin' CD is a very fine album and a great tribute to AJ; you really captured that 50's feel, which AJ was one of the creators of. I do a monthly jazz radio show and it's often in the rotation.
@@daveman_50 They did correctly ID Hank Jones, Ben Webster, I don't know if they mentioned Buck Clayton and Jo Jones, George Duvivier, (bass) and Vic Dickenson, probably they did. Most are Basie members or alums.
It's funny that some people will accuse you of ripping off Monk if you use some whole tone in a way he might've... Yet you can straight up plagiarize a 30 year old pop song, and that demographic won't have any idea there was a musical precedent in play. I get that pop is so much more limited that it's bound to become redundant, but sometimes it's obvious. I bring that up because we already have studio quality deep fakes for pop vocals. I wonder how long before that's valid for more nuanced solos? (Rhetorical question, I'm not expecting anyone to know). Dang, now I have to rewind this video for what I just missed. I was writing this during Ahmad's musical clip, so... back I go!
17:59 "He's never more than 8 bars from the melody." That would make a novel way to analyze a performance - how many degrees of separation are they from the melody, at any given part of that song. Or maybe like a baseball diamond, with the melody being home plate.
What an absolute bummer to download something and think you're going to learn something and have absolutely nothing said it all for over half an hour. What absolute fluff, you've added nothing to any conversation.
Thank you for this and for giving him the respect and study he deserves! He was my teacher, mentor and dear friend of my fathers. His music and genius was a reflection of his spirit and heart. You said. it. How he lived, how he thought, how he spoke, how he walked, all a reflection of his music, and his music - a reflection of his being. His being was rich melody & harmony and music of the highest order. When I would point out certain phrases he would play and say "Uncle Jamal, that was absolute PERFECTION" he would always say "Only God is perfection." When I asked about musical specifics, through analogies we would quickly somehow get onto the subject of fine food. But whenever I asked what he was up to musically, he would say "Oh just trying to figure out the relationship between these black & white keys..." His presence was art. His aura was prayer. His wisdom was 1000 libraries. He drove hrs to come and see my first show at the Blue Note NYC, he always kept his word, and always helped younger musicians! (Many don't know that both So What and Impressions, were derived from a phrase Ahmad played in his '55 recording of Pavanne.) Man... words cannot express the true humility, the refined character, tasteful and elevated man and divinely appointed musician that Uncle Jamal was and is. Bless you for your beautifully written words about him. He was indeed simultaneously the hippest and deepest musician and jazz master we'll ever know as well as a sincere family man, incredible mentor, mystic, philosopher, philanthropist, teacher, scholar, academic, intellectual, artist, storyteller, entrepreneur, innovator, and so much more. I miss him indescribably, there will never be another AJ, on the piano, he made the keys sound like polished crystal, ice cubes, made of diamond, his harmony told stories in technicolor, his melodies were poetry and conversation, his phrasing was a teaching in aesthetic beauty, his composition was inner experience manifest in form, and his music was the sound track to universal beauty and the elevator to upstairs. And although many have tried, no one has been able to acquire these elements his sound or come close to expressing the subtlety and intricacy of his musicality and mastery. I am of course bias, but for these reasons, for me he is truly the greatest American Classical pianist and musician of all time! May you be soaring close & closer to the One uncle Jamal - Zayn
Thank you both for putting a spotlight on the genius of Ahmad Jamal. I knew him quite well and his passing really hit me hard. I used to tune his two Steinways in a couple different homes over the years.
He was incredibly gracious, generous and a very disciplined person.
Poinciana may still hold the world record of most weeks on the Billboard charts, which was 108 weeks, if I'm not mistaken.
The success of his famous early trio that made the recording of "Poinciana" was a huge part of the success and longevity of this performance. Israel was the older master who was really almost leading the ensemble at times. Vernel could have been a multi millionaire if he could of copyrighted that incredible beat which he developed with a mixture of styles and influences, not least of which is his roots in New Orleans.
He was definitely influenced by Nat Cole's piano playing (another piano master who inspired and influenced many of the greatest pianists like Phineas Newborn Jr. and Bill Evans. But his biggest influence and inspiration was his fellow Pittsburgh genius, the supreme master, Erroll Garner.
I was so fortunate to have gotten to know him so well for over three decades. I truly loved him both musically and personally. I had the great pleasure and honor to have stayed in his home for three days
while preparing written manuscripts and lead sheets for his brand new compositions which he had to have with very short notice so there would notibe the need for lengthy rehearsals. It was quite the experience and one I treasure.
I saw him at least 60-70 times in the various NYC jazz venues he liked to perform such as the Village Vanguard, Condon's, Carlos 1, The Iridium and also I attended a bunch of theater concerts. We used to speak quite regularly on the phone and I actually saved dozens of his messages from my old answering machine. I consider it a tremendous privilege to be able to have gotten to know Ahmad, the man, not just the musician. He was one of the hippest and warmest musicians I ever knew and he had a great sense of humor and a wonderful laugh!
One thing about Ahmad is that he had one of the most advanced harmonic concepts and one of the most
unique and stunning ability to create spontaneous improvisations playing solo. He was a rare and innovative master and I miss him. One interesting thing that Jamil Nasser said when he was asked why he stayed with Ahmad for well over a decade. He said he wanted to see if there was an end point to his genius. Obviously, there was not!
❤❤❤❤❤❤Ahmad!!!!!!;. Ahmad Jamal!!!!!!!!! Ahmad Jamal ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Hear Hear brother. He was my teacher, mentor and dear friend of my fathers. His music and genius was a reflection of his spirit and heart. You said. it. How he lived, how he thought, how he spoke, how he walked, all a reflection of his music, and his music - a reflection of his being. His being was rich melody & harmony and music of the highest order. When I would point out certain phrases he would play and say "Uncle Jamal, that was absolute PERFECTION" he would always say "Only God is perfection." When I asked about musical specifics, through analogies we would quickly somehow get onto the subject of fine food. But whenever I asked what he was up to musically, he would say "Oh just trying to figure out the relationship between these black & white keys..." His presence was art. His aura was prayer. His wisdom was 1000 libraries. He drove hrs to come and see my first show at the Blue Note NYC, he always kept his word, and always helped younger musicians! (Many don't know that both So What and Impressions, were derived from a phrase Ahmad played in his '55 recording of Pavanne.) Words cannot express the true humility, the refined character, tasteful and elevated man and divinely appointed musician that Uncle Jamal was and is. Bless you for your beautifully written words about him. He was indeed simultaneously the hippest and deepest musician and jazz master we'll ever know as well as a sincere family man, incredible mentor, mystic, philosopher, philanthropist, teacher, scholar, academic, intellectual, artist, storyteller, entrepreneur, innovator, and so much more. I miss him indescribably, there will never be another AJ, on the piano, he made the keys sound like polished crystal, ice cubes, made of diamond, his harmony told stories in technicolor, his melodies were poetry and conversation, his phrasing was a teaching in aesthetic beauty, his composition was inner experience manifest in form, and his music was the sound track to universal beauty and the elevator to upstairs. And although many have tried, no one has been able to acquire these elements his sound or come close to expressing the subtlety and intricacy of his musicality and mastery. I am of course bias, but for these reasons, for me he is truly the greatest American Classical pianist and musician of all time! May you be soaring close & closer to the One uncle Jamal - Zayn
Ahmed Jamal king of the piano master of masters . Thanks for this vid and by the way your shorts are awesome !!
In my senior in high school, I found a lot of my favorite MC’s/Groups samples from mainly soul, funk and jazz records. Two of my favorite songs ever: “Stakes Is High” by De La Soul, and “The World Is Yours” by Nas sampled Ahmad Jamal. I started me down a rabbit hole of listening to a lot of jazz, then becoming a fan of the genre, and it started with Ahmad Jamal. He left a huge mark on the culture.
R.I.P Ahmad Jamal
Dean from Seattle and I say the first tune I ever heard that 'stunned' me at 13 years old was Ahmad Jamals' Poincianna. Our parents were deaf so no musicality in the home. Older sister bought a record player and bought Ahmad Jamal "Live at the Pershing Hotel" 1958 album. Played that album on that old turntable over and over again. I got hooked instantly.
Thank you Ahmad Jamal forever for what you have done!
RIP
Dean
Seattle
A great opening for anyone interested in learning about Ahmad Jamal (like me), and in general. I can't shake the feeling that I was watching a dancer, like Baryshnikov, on a stage, instead of a piano player while he plays. There's a sense of drama and moving through space, like he's off to the far side of the stage, near the wings, very still, then bounds across to the center in a great leap, but lands like a feather, all the time keeping perfectly balanced and in time, but he's doing it across the keys. The sense of playfulness combined with complete relaxation and supreme control is stunning. It's like he's only playing for himself, but he invites you in, because that's the kind of guy he is, which seems very reminiscent of Erroll Garner.
According to AJ, Garner is his greatest inspiration. They went to the same high school and had the same music teacher and were always friends, though Garner is a few years older. So, no accident there. AJs former wife told me that Garner could read a bit more than reported, which is mostly reported as zero.
I was lucky enough to know Ahmad and Jamil , Frank and Azzedine Weston saw them about a hundred times and they would hang out at my house in Detroit when they played at Baker’s!! Greatest memories!! Greatest music!!
My dad introduced me to Ahmad Jamal. I own more records of his than anybody. He has always been a favorite of mine. I never got to see him live. It was always a dream of mine. RIP!
I was introduced to Ahmad Jamal by my mentor in college and it absolutely changed my life. Familiar with his music because of the work he did with NOLA drummers, my appreciation was because of his fearlessness to be himself. He was a master of so much and was absolutely “American” in his sound - there is no coast in the US that doesn’t have a touch of his sound. “I Love Music” is by far my favorite composition to listen to on a loop. This one hurts, especially after Wayne Shorter - one of my other influencers. Rest Easy, Mr. Ahmad Jamal. Thank You for covering this - you guys inspire me and so many others. 🙏🏾
I got into Ahmad Jamal via the great bassist Israel Crosby. Together with Vernel Fournier, one of the greatest trios ever.
Without a doubt. I wonder how many jazz players used that "sizzle" (w/ rivets) cymbal? Jamal certainly prefers Nawlins drummers, eh? I'd known AJ for a lot of years, but before seeing this tape a few years ago when it first appeared on UA-cam, I never knew or imagined that VF was white. Because, you know, at that time, and even later with AJ, the players never got prominent billing as far as pictures, even, on the album jackets (so he's gonna say Creole maybe).... Well, you know what they say about assumptions......(makes an A S S out of U M E).
Do you have some good info sources on IC? I saw some sort of memoir online here on UA-cam from Vernell on the Chicago nightclub scene in the fifties and about the book that IC was studying, after the gig, in hotel rooms etc., book meaning the AJ songbook as I recall, and how deep he was into getting all of that under his belt so to speak. It seemed to have inspired VF to do similarly.
@@zdogg8 Naw, I'm just working on transcriptions of Israel Crosby lines. He was older than Ahmad and more established on the scene in Chicago. But the hookup with Vernell is genius.
Ahmad Jamal Trio's 1970 release 'The Awakening' is one of my all time favorite Jazz records. In fact it's one of my favorite albums, period. The repertoire is incredible, mixing some very fine originals ('The Awakening', 'Patterns'), surprisingly modern standards ('Wave', 'Stolen Moments', 'Dolphin Dance') as well as some more obscure gems ('I Love Music' and 'You're My Everything).
The way they interpret the music, and the trio's chemistry , the arrangements and the way Ahmad orchestrates the music, the dynamics and also his swing and touch are unique. I had the privilege of finally watching him and the trio live in 2006. He was still on top of his game. His music lives on.
You're absolutely right, this is a true gem in the AJ catalog. Critics agree.
Thanks for the recommendation. Listening now... 🎹
@@jeffhemmerling6088 You're welcome.
Well done again. This one really hurt even with him living such a full, long life maybe because so many Jazz greats and my favorite Jazz musicians (Chick, Barry Harris, Ahmad) are passing on so close together but he was one of my favorites. Nothing but Class all around, pure brilliant, musicality without overdoing it yet always different and standing out
Jamal was on to himself. He created his own language. Nobody sounds like him. On every level (technically, harmonically, rhythmically) and all music idioms, no one goes above.
Well done, gentleman! I knew and wrote about Mr. Jamal for over thirty years. I wrote the liner notes to Mr. Jamal’s recently discovered, three-volume recordings Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse. Both of you delivered an impassioned and informative presentation on Mr. Jamal’s music, influence and character. Excelsior! P.S. That bearded gentleman with the pipe that one of you described as a “hipster,? was the great writer/columnist Nat Hentoff!
This performance was a right of passage for Ahmad. He once told me Ben Webster had taught him a lot of piano. Take note how everyone in Buck's band was laughing and smiling throughout the set, nobody around the piano was smiling. Hank Jones was standing closest to the keyboard. At one point Hank, being the closest to the keyboard, started to smile at something Ahmad played. Ben jabs him with his elbow to stay serious. The Masters were putting the pressure on, in front of everyone in the room. Needless to say, Ahmad paid little attention to them, passing the test with flying colors.
Amazing to hear these details. Thank you Maestro!
I've had a copy of this for decades. I just saw the complete video for the first time. I may have made some misassumptions based on my copy as it had only Darn on it. As a researcher I'm chagrined while at the same time overjoyed. It filled in a gap in my knowledge and overjoyed to have another track to pour over. I'd be interested in hearing what all the other Ahmadites actually took from from Ahmad, put into practice and changed your playing? For me it was clarity of execution & placement in the flow of time an his concept of "form is content." That one only took me five years to figure out.
At one end of the jazz spectrum is Oscar Peterson, who filled the air with a volume of sounds; speed was his forte. At the other end is Ahmad Jamal, who used spaces and silences to fill his work. Both artists complete jazz.
You guys get so much RIGHT, kudos!! Salient points missed that AJ's technique was developed - or quite a bit (he talks about it) through classic music, Lizst etudes and such. He also discussed Debussy and Ravel, Rachmoninoff. He calls older Pittsburgh school mate Erroll Garner his greatest inspiration, that gets short shrift as well. They were buddies who shared bass players, Eddie Calhoun being one. I think Israel Crosby as well. I've known the man for 45 + years, since the Frank Gant days, also a friend.
Jamal really admired Jobim and would often open his first set with the Wave Azzedine Weston joined the trio and was one of the greatest conga players ever !!
I don't know why, but when I saw the first clip and the way he sat at the piano and played....it reminded me of some of the videos I saw with Keith Jarett! He behaved the same way at the board!
I'm a saxophonist and Ahmad Jamal has been such a big influence. Rest in Jazz, uncle.
Thanks guys for this. Sad to see no Hip-hop platform even talk about this man😢
First Pharoah Sanders then Wayne shorter and then closely following Ahmad Jamal....
Nothing but love and appreciation for these GIANTS of music and life.
Ever so thankful for the beautiful music they are leaving us with, and within that they will live in our hearts and minds.
❤🕊
Thanks for making this. I love all eras of Jamal’s playing. One thing that’s interesting is that it seems like he was always a leader. Aside from guest appearances on a couple tracks from albums by Ray Brown and Shirley Horn in the 90s and early-2000s respectively, it’s hard to think of another instance where he appears as a sideman.
Beautifully done tribute .... you guys captured everything I've always loved about that man and his playing. I discovered the double album "Portrait of Ahmad Jamal" among my mother's record collection when I was barely a teenager and it blew me away ..... as much a reason for my picking up the instrument as any I'd had. Saw him in small clubs (Sweet Basil in NYC, Jazz Showcase in Chicago) as well as in concert venues. Spoke with him a few times and he was so gracious. Great episode (and nice to hear you reference that comment from my dear friend, Benny Green -- I hadn't been familiar with it).
Mr. Jamal. Loved his music and playing since being a child. Travel the stars well, mr. Jamal.
He along with just a few others in the beginning for me turned me onto jazz. I love the few albums i have of his, If it hadnt been for him, I would have never seen Hiromi. Love her music and I absolutely loved his!. Was my bucket list to see him, and i just found out he died. We all have to go sometime, but man im bumed. Thank you Ahmad for all the joy you brought through your music. Rest in Peace.
At least today AJ is really quite prominent through UA-cam, those visuals, especially of concerts and such, were just not available years ago. You'd have to go deep in to the achival vaults at CBS for this one, just e.g. I was fortunate to have know the man, a very sweet and sincere human being. But I think of all my friends and family that never had that opportunity, nor seemed to care (isn't that sad?). For persons like yourself, his personality can be deeply investigated here on UA-cam, especially through the interviews. The Internet is a mixed blessing, but for these sorts of things it is priceless.
@@zdogg8 Ya, It was a complete coincident that i discovered him. Back in the early 80s I had picked up an audio caset at a yard sale, It was a mix tape, but didnt say who was on it. It turned out to be Dave grusin, Dave brubek, and Amahd Jamal. Took me awhile to figure that out. I wore that tape out.
وإنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون
My favorite jazz musician. Amiiin 🙏
Thank you so much for phrasing the opening eulogy as recognizing his artistry. So much in this speaks to the schism so called “jazz” musicians receive in the public sphere. Not NEARLY enough credit is ever given to the great contributions these artists have in as you say “shaping the sound of the 21st century”. I love music, I love Ahmad Jamal
RIP great Ahmad
That track is a trance like place to go into and it takes you away . Yeah
Don’t stop making these
Down even slow down below 50, or the bus will explode!
Nothing like his style. Had a unique sound unlike any other. His version of Poinciana was addicting.
RIP Ahmad….❤
Yo Peter & Adam - I sent y'all a speakpipe...it's so important that you should def. listen to it ASAP!
Yet another giant of JaZz is no longer with us. I recall Chick Corea's song 'Magic Carpet' dedicated to Ahmad Jamal because that's how Ahmad played. . . Like a genie flying on a magic carpet. R. I. P. ❤
I was listening to Live at the Pershing after I heard of his passing just to hear him again.
Thank you, Gentlemen 🌹🌹🌹🌹
somewhat surprisingly (only because their styles were so different) Jamal held Erroll Garner in the highest regard to end of his life. they were both
from Pittsburgh.
Gentlemen that's saxophonist Ben Webster standing behind bass player in frame 16:44 not Duke Ellington.
Miles Davis once said “ All my inspiration comes from Ahmad Jamal “
Ahmad was an extraordinary musician. However, his album Live at Oil Can Harry's in Vancouver Canada was produced for a live radio show on CHQM FM. I was the recording engineer. I got stiffed by Jamal for the recording session. I also have no credit on the LP.
❤lovely epi
Was working from memory. Had the positions at the piano mixed up. They were grouped by age, the oldest in the back, the younger closer. Nevertheless:
Who maintains the disciplines? In The Tradition, it was the Masters, who were the guardians of the continuum of the Oral Tradition and the Apprenticeship System. They decided whether or not you’d done the work, achieved the next level of proficiency and whether you were worthy of their recommendations to other Masters on the new level.
We don’t grow in a continuous curve of accomplishment, it happens in levels. Each level has its own set of problems and questions. We have no idea what the next level will be like but it will have a completely different set of problems and questions.
The black cultural envelope within which this music exists mirrors a similar stratification.
For example, before Obama was President he ran for a local Chicago legislative position. His opponent was a much older, greatly respected, well-known in the community, local politician who’d worked his way up through the community’s political ladder. He was also the expected winner because he’d earned his way up. The charismatic Obama was becoming more and more popular, overwhelmed his opponent’s campaign, winning the election. The community never forgave him for that. Obama won but not the hearts of his new constituents. He hadn’t earned their approval by violating the community’s cultural protocol
And so it goes for us. You earn your way up the social, political and music ladder. Every Master I apprenticed with had “AWE!” I don’t think I ever initiated a conversation with any of them. What could I possible say that would be of their interest? They were on another plane of existence to me. They commanded that kind of respect. Humility to the task and respect was big with the Masters. I'd always wondered how a Master could tell you the name of the cat you had when you were 10 years old after hearing you play eight bars. They'd seen you a thousand times before.
I once saw a younger player trying to enter into an ongoing conversation of Masters. The conversation came to a stop. It was that Master’s responsibility to respond. Turning around he said, and I quote, “get out of here boy. You don’t belong here.” You can’t just jump a level.
A classic example of this discipline is the cymbal-throwing episode in Bird’s first visit to NYC.
What we we’re seeing in that video is a ceremony. Stern as they may have been, take a look at the pride in papa Joe’s face at the end of the video. What a wonderful thing to see, Ahmad in front of the world, his mentors literally up in his face, being honored by some of the world's greatest musicians.
If you want to see a more nuanced version of the disciplines in action, there’s an excellent YT video about “1959, the year that changed jazz.” In this case It's the age hierarchy. Jimmy Heath was the oldest. Everybody deferred to him but Freddie challenged Jimmy, disrespected him. You don't do that! Everybody knows the situation and immediately gets tense. Jimmy got real pissed off, but the brothers split up between Freddie and Jimmy and cooled the situation down, mostly.
Of course the cultural envelope within which this music thrives and the dynamics of the Oral and Apprenticeship System are more complex than can be discussed here. Ahmad has been and will always be The Godfather to me as for us all. I always wanted to play like him. Eventually I realized, even if I could figure out what he was doing, did I really think I could play it?
He has left us but he has achieved immortality.
Mr. Galper: well said. I just finished Phil Woods' autobiography, and I'm sure Phil was one of those "old masters" you reference. And, let me say, your Tippin' CD is a very fine album and a great tribute to AJ; you really captured that 50's feel, which AJ was one of the creators of. I do a monthly jazz radio show and it's often in the rotation.
@@markbloom9617 Please call me Hal. They call my father Mr. Galper. I am so pleased youreference
Damn! My reply disappeared!
What city are you located in?
Ahmad Jamal is the sound of Hip Hop.
That's not Billy Holliday, at least I'm not seeing her, that's Nat Hentoff and Margo, his wife, (random hipsters)
Yes, our podcasters are not doing too well on the ID's!
@@daveman_50 They did correctly ID Hank Jones, Ben Webster, I don't know if they mentioned Buck Clayton and Jo Jones, George Duvivier, (bass) and Vic Dickenson, probably they did. Most are Basie members or alums.
It's funny that some people will accuse you of ripping off Monk if you use some whole tone in a way he might've... Yet you can straight up plagiarize a 30 year old pop song, and that demographic won't have any idea there was a musical precedent in play. I get that pop is so much more limited that it's bound to become redundant, but sometimes it's obvious.
I bring that up because we already have studio quality deep fakes for pop vocals. I wonder how long before that's valid for more nuanced solos? (Rhetorical question, I'm not expecting anyone to know).
Dang, now I have to rewind this video for what I just missed. I was writing this during Ahmad's musical clip, so... back I go!
17:59 "He's never more than 8 bars from the melody." That would make a novel way to analyze a performance - how many degrees of separation are they from the melody, at any given part of that song. Or maybe like a baseball diamond, with the melody being home plate.
Man, what playing. Thanks for playing Ahmad Jamal's clips today, especially the long one with video in the middle. That was really nice.
That random hipster (ua-cam.com/video/Co2beA4M8I0/v-deo.html)
with the pipe looks like Leonard Feather?
Intesextual
What an absolute bummer to download something and think you're going to learn something and have absolutely nothing said it all for over half an hour. What absolute fluff, you've added nothing to any conversation.