If there is one musician that had an impact on Miles Davis’ sparse and unique sound, it has to be pianist Ahmad Jamal, who is not only still with us, but still releasing fantastic albums of his still unique sound. This essential two disc set of 37 songs has him with his earliest trios, of Ray Crawford/g and Eddie Calhoun-Israel Crosby-Richard Davis-Israel Crosby/b. And, during a time when most pianists were torrid boppers, Jamal played as if he were paying union dues for each quarter notes, letting space create its own sound, and thereby being an inspiration for the famed trumpeter, who took the idea for his own brand of music, stealing a few songs along the way.
Jamal’s fingers dance on a sublime “Surrey With The Fringe On Top”, are joyful on “Billy Boy” sly and coy for “A Gal In Calico” and resonant on “Ahmad’s Blues”, all songs that Davis eventually recorded in a similar vein just a few years later.
With Crosby on bass, Jamal hits a new plateau, performing his own “New Rhumba” with sleek exotic textures, deep in sepia tones for “Darn the Dream” and “Spring Is Here” and impressionistic on “Pavane”. His first rendition of the classic “Poinciana” is here, and still works without the relentless ride cymbal of the more famous rendition, while an allegiance to Duke Ellington is revealed on covers of “Black Beauty” and “Just Squeeze Me”. Also included is a nice booklet giving you background information on Jamal and these sessions, and it’s quite informative.
There are many theories as to why Jamal’s style has never been taken up by other pianists. It could be similar to the famous quote GK Chesterton said about religion, “It’s not that Christianity has been tried and found wanting; it’s that it was found difficult and not tried”. At least try it on your ears for a balm from Gilead.