- All the Things You Are
- Daahoud
- Tater Pie
- Bellows
- Blue Gardenia
- Dance to the Lady
- Be my love
- Where are You
- Lullaby of Birdland
Ahmad Jamal - Piano
John Heard - Bass
Yoron Israel - Drums
Ahmed Jamal has been on the
jazz scene for a long time, he played in Miles
Davis’s Band for a long period and is acknowledged
as being one of the trumpet player’s favourite
pianists. On this showing it is easy to see
why, he is always creating new lines, his
version of All the Things You Are is unlike
any other I have heard, but it is not weird
or so far out that you can’t tell what the
tune is!
I have a great admiration
for American drummers and bass players, they
understand the role of accompanying the soloist
better than their European counterparts, with
some outstanding exceptions, I must add. Martin
Drew’s playing with Oscar Peterson has always
been a delight for me. At times John Heard
and Yoron Israel just tick along, but they
create an enormous amount of swing, equally
they are both good soloists when that is required.
This album was recorded live
at Joe Segal’s Showcase in Chicago on November
13-14, 1992, it is a shame it took till now
to be released, but many congratulations to
Telarc for dusting it off and putting it in
the record shop. Jahmal’s work has been described
as being like chapters in a book as the story
develops, he will pursue one line with a tune
and then switch into a new approach. His style
has been described as sparse but I don’t find
it so, to me he just sounds like a very good
pianist, who has an admirable technique and
an endless flow of ideas. He came on the scene
just after the bebop era, but I don’t think
his work can be categorised, he is just Ahmad
Jamal. A unique figure in jazz.
The sound quality throughout
is excellent, Telarc’s direct digital recording
techniques have obviously paid off.
A favourite track, well I
liked them all, but for me Lullaby of Birdland
stole the show,
Ahmad’s version of George
Shearing’s most famous composition is a stunner,
it contains overtones of Gillespie style Latin
and many other influences.
I highly recommend this record.
Don Mather
CD Reviews
TELARC JAZZ CD-83327
