Home » Jazz News » Recording

282

Ahmad Jamal: The Complete Ahmad Jamal Trio Argo Sessions

Source:

Sign in to view read count
PURCHASE BOX

Audio Samples

Let's Fall In Love | We Kiss In A Shadow

About The Complete Ahmad Jamal Trio Argo Sessions

Tracing back the influence of pianist Ahmad Jamal through his more than 50 years of performing and recording is like trying to repack the explosive components of a fireworks display after it ignites, flares, expands--and flashes again from every cascading branch. His original concepts about melody, rhythm and dynamics were important precursors to the work of such pianists as Red Garland, McCoy Tyner, and Herbie Hancock. His use of extended vamps, his light touch, and his economy--with a strong devotion to playing the “spaces"--cleared a path for further innovations by Cedar Walton, Gil Evans, McCoy Tyner and many modalists who were listening to what Jamal was doing. Could modern performer Jacky Terrasson re-imagine a familiar song as brilliantly as he does if Ahmad Jamal had not done it so influentially?

And that's just the piano players. When you factor in such artists as John Coltrane, “Cannonball" Adderley, and Miles Davis--whose fifties bands frequently recorded lesser known standards Jamal played in strikingly similar arrangements--and add up all the generations of musicians exposed to their work, you start to see how the sky fills with flaming, colored light.

His recording as a piano trio leader on Argo, owned by Chicago's Chess recording label, began in 1956. And that's where our new retrospective begins on The Complete Ahmad Jamal Trio Argo Sessions 1956-62. The first definitive collection of his work from this seminal era of his career, it includes all the tunes for which Jamal became renowned, such as “Ahmad's Blues," “Poinciana," “But Not For Me," and “Billy Boy," a song so often re-done in Jamal's style that his version has almost become the new standard.

Plus, there is a delightful bonus of 23 tracks that have never appeared before on record, all approved for release by Ahmad himself and each a revelation. Our jam-packed nine-CD package, covering material originally released on 12 LPs, is also a textbook on how to use all the elements of a musical composition not just to entertain, but to invent, beguile, challenge yourself as a musician, and challenge the audience to listen.

Both Modern and Classic

Rehearing these records today is no passive experience. His performances have a quality that forces you to hang on every note. Nothing is ever predictable, and a listener can go from disc to disc with no danger of fatigue setting in. Even songs you are certain you know inside and out are transformed by his tempos, his rhythmic transfusions, or his playful avoidance of familiarity; he will take his time working into the melody, and just as that glow of comfortable recognition surrounds you, he'll break off unexpectedly, often before the line is complete. It has a tantalizing effect that is Jamal's alone. Always teasing, always defying expectations, and always playing what no one else has ever played, including himself. They are timeless recordings, as modern and classic today as when “Poinciana," in an era before separate jazz charts were tabulated, climbed to #3 on the Billboard 100 and remained on the top-sellers list for over two straight years.

Like all Mosaic box sets, the collection comes with our deluxe, full-size booklet. It includes discographical information, an extensive interview with Jamal by Kenny Washington, an essay on the sessions by Washington and many rare contemporary photographs. As for the music, all of Jamal's studio and live recordings on Argo from those years are here. In addition to the previously mentioned 23 bonus recordings--many from live dates--there are 113 other tracks to enjoy. The earliest feature Walter Perkins on drums before Fournier took over; there's a 1959 recording date that adds a 15-piece string section under the direction of Joe Kennedy; and a set one year later featuring Kennedy on violin and Ray Crawford on guitar. But the bulk of these sessions were Jamal, Crosby and Fournier on all those great standards, made even more exceptional by Jamal's knowing treatment of them.

When Crosby died in 1962, it put an end to any further adventures from this remarkable group, and at the same time made the music they created immortal. It's no wonder that critic Stanley Crouch put Jamal alongside an Olympus of keyboard gods when he compared his influence on musicians of his day to Jelly Roll Morton, Fletcher Henderson, Ellington, Tatum, Basie, Monk, Horace Silver, and John Lewis in their respective eras. And no great surprise that Miles Davis once told no less an artist that Red Garland where to get his inspiration: “play like Jamal."

Limited Edition: 5,000 copies
9 CDs-- $149.00

Related Article

Michael Cuscuna on Ahmad Jamal: The Complete Ahmad Jamal Trio Argo Sessions

Visit Website | Purchase

Track Listing

1. Volga Boatman (A) 3:50 (arr. by Ahmad Jamal) 2. On Green Dolphin Street (A) 3:17 (B. Kaper-N. Washington) 3. How About You (A) 5:27 (R. Freed-B. Lane) 4. I Just Can't See For Lookin' (A) 2:01 (A. Stanford-N. Robinson) 5. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year (A) 2:32 (Frank Loesser) 6. Beat Out One (A) 5:25 (Ahmad Jamal) 7. Maryam (A) 3:36 (Ahmad Jamal) 8. Easy To Remember (A) 5:38 (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) 9. Jim Loves Sue (A) 2:48 (Ahmad Jamal) 10. Secret Love (C) 2:39 (S. Fein-P. Webster) 11. Taking A Chance On Love (C) 1:46 (Duke-Fetter-Latouche) 12. Cheek To Cheek (C) 5:14 (Irving Berlin) 13. It's You Or No One (C) 2:11 (J. Styne-S. Cahn) 14. Soft Wind (C) 3:17 (Fletcher Henderson) 15. Love (C) 3:03 (H. Martin-R. Blane) 16. Aki And Ukthay (C) 3:14 (Ahmad Jamal) 17. Love For Sale (C) 3:58 (Cole Porter) 18. That's All (C) 1:43 (A. Brandt-B. Haymes) DISC TWO 1. But Not For Me (B) 3:32 (G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin) 2. Surrey With The Fringe On Top (B) 2:36 (R. Rodgers- O. Hammerstein) 3. Moonlight In Vermont (B) 3:10 (J. Blackburn-K. Seussdorf) 4. (Put Another Nickel In) Music! Music! Music! (B) 2:57 (B. Baum-S. Weiss) 5. There Is No Greater Love (B) 3:23 (I. Jones-M. Symes) 6. Poinciana (B) 8:08 (B. Bernier-N. Simon) 7. Woody 'N' You (B) 3:41 (Dizzy Gillespie) 8. What's New? (B) 4:06 (B. Haggart-J. Burke) 9. Too Late Now (B) 2:31 (A. J. Lerner-B. Lane) 10. All The Things You Are (B) 3:13 (J. Kern-O. Hammerstein) 11. Cherokee (B) 3:43 (Ray Noble) 12. It Might As Well Be Spring (B) 3:27 (R. Rodgers-O. Hammerstein) 13. I'll Remember April (B) 2:41 (Raye-DePaul-Johnston) 14. My Funny Valentine (B) 3:27 (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) 15. Gone With The Wind (B) 3:25 (H. Magidson-A. Wrubel) 16. Billy Boy (B) 3:03 (arr. by Ahmad Jamal) 17. It's You Or No One (B) 3:34 (J. Styne-S. Cahn) 18. They Can't Take That Away From Me (B) 4:45 (G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin) 19. Poor Butterfly (B) 3:37 (R. Hubbell-J. Golden) DISC THREE 1. Taboo (D) 4:06 (Margarita Lecuona) 2. Should I (D) 3:43 (H. Brown-A. Freed) 3. Stompin' At The Savoy (D) 4:15 (Sampson-Webb-Goodman-Razaf) 4. The Girl Next Door (D) 3:29 (H. Martin-R. Blaine) 5. I Wish I Knew (D) 3:43 (M. Gordon-H. Warren) 6. Cheek To Cheek (D) 4:51 (Irving Berlin) 7. Autumn In New York (D) 3:22 (Vernon Duke) 8. Secret Love (D) 3:53 (S. Fein-P. Webster) 9. Squatty Roo (D) 2:19 (Johnny Hodges) 10. That's All (D) 2:38 (A. Brandt-B. Haymes) 11. This Can't Be Love (D) 5:00 (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) 12. Autumn Leaves (D) 7:45 (Prevert-Mercer-Kozma) 13. Ahmad's Blues (D) 3:55 (Ahmad Jamal) 14. Old Devil Moon (D) 3:56 (E. Y. Harburg-B. Lane) 15. Seleritus (D) 3:08 (Ahmad Jamal) 16. It Could Happen To You (D) 4:14 (J. Burke-J. Van Heusen) 17. Ivy (D) 2:56 (Hoagy Carmichael) 18. Tater Pie (D) 3:04 (Irving Ashby) DISC FOUR 1. Let's Fall In Love (D) 4:59 (T. Koehler-H. Arlen) 2. Aki And Urkthay (Brother And Sister) (D) 3:16 (Ahmad Jamal) 3. You Don't Know What Love Is (D) 3:30 (D. Raye-G. DePaul) 4. I Didn't Know What Time It Was (D) 4:36 (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) 5. So Beats My Heart For You (D) 3:40 (Ballard-Henderson-Waring) 6. Gal In Calico (D) 4:46 (L. Robin-A. Schwartz) 7. Our Delight (D) 2:58 (Tadd Dameron) 8. Too Late Now (D) 4:14 (B. Lane-A.J. Lerner) 9. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (D) 3:31 (B. Bernier-J. Brainin) 10. Little Old Lady (F) 5:14 (H. Carmichael-S. Adams) 11. For All We Know (F) 2:45 (J. F. Coots-M.Lewis) 12. Pavanne (F) 5:45 (Morton Gould) 13. Excerpts From The Blues (F) 3:01 (Ahmad Jamal) 14. Easy To Love (F) 3:18 (Cole Porter) 15. Time On My Hands (F) 1:34 (Adamson-Youmans-Gordon) 16. Raincheck (F) 4:41 (Billy Strayhorn) 17. I'll Never Stop Loving You (F) 3:00 (S. Cahn-N. Brodszky) 18. Speak Low (F) 4:50 (K. Weill-O. Nash) 19. Rhumba No. 2 (F) 2:37 (Ahmad Jamal) DISC FIVE 1. Comme Ci, Comme Ca (E) 2:09 (Coquatrix-Dudan-Whitney-Kramer) 2. Ivy (E) 3:56 (Hoagy Carmichael) 3. Never Never Land (E) 3:06 (Styne-Comden-Green) 4. Tangerine (E) 2:40 (V. Schertzinger-J. Mercer) 5. Ahmad's Blues (E) 4:18 (Ahmad Jamal) 6. Seleritus (E) 2:59 (Ahmad Jamal) 7. I Like To Recognize The Tune (E) 1:40 (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) 8. I'm Alone With You (E) 3:08 (Lewis Estes) 9. Sophisticated Gentleman (E) 4:10 (J. Kennedy-T. Bennett) 10. Ahmad's Waltz (G) 4:42 (Joe Kennedy) 11. Valentina (G) 2:19 (Christine Reynolds) 12. Yesterdays (G) 2:54 (J. Kern-O. Harbach) 13. Tempo For Two (G) 3:25 (Joe Kennedy) 14. Hallelujah (G) 2:05 (Youmans-Robin-Grey) 15. It's A Wonderful World (G) 2:49 (Adamson-Savitt-Watson) 16. Baia (G) 3:58 (Ary Barroso) 17. You Came A Long Way From St. Louis (G) 3:36 (J. B. Brooks-S. Russell) 18. Lover Man (G) 4:04 (Davis-Ramirez-Sherman) 19. Who Cares (G) 3:10 (G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin) DISC SIX 1. I'm Old Fashioned (H) 5:02 (J. Kern-J. Mercer) 2. We Kiss In A Shadow (H) 8:15 (R. Rodgers-O. Hammerstein) 3. Chi-town (aka Gem) (H) 2:14 (Bill Lee) 4. We Kiss In A Shadow (I) 5:00 (R. Rodgers-O. Hammerstein) 5. Sweet And Lovely (I) 4:00 (Arnheim-Daniels-Tobias) 6. The Party's Over (I) 3:59 (Styne-Conden-Green) 7. Love For Sale (I) 4:02 (Cole Porter) 8. Snowfall (I) 2:30 (Claude Thornhill) 9. Broadway (I) 7:41 (Woode-McRae-Bird) 10. Willow Weep For Me (I) 3:59 (Ann Ronell) 11. Autumn Leaves (I) 3:52 (Prevert-Kosma-Mercer) 12. Isn't It Romantic (I) 4:28 (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) 13. The Breeze And I (I) 2:19 (E. Lecuona-A. Stillman) DISC SEVEN 1. Time On My Hands (I) 6:20 (Adamson-Youmans-Gordon) 2. Angel Eyes (I) 4:15 (M. Dennis-E. Brent) 3. You Go To My Head (I) 10:58 (J.F. Coots-H. Gillespie) 4. Star Eyes (I) 5:57 (D. Raye G. DePaul) 5. All Of You (I) 4:59 (Cole Porter) 6. You're Blasé (I) 3:30 (B. Sivier-O. Hamilton) 7. What Is This Thing Called Love (I) 6:12 (Cole Porter) 8. Poinciana (I) 9:33 (B. Bernier-N. Simon) 9. We Kiss In The Shadow (alternate take) (I) 5:08 (R. Rodgers-O. Hammerstein) 10. Stella By Starlight (I) 5:33 (V. Young-N. Washington) 11. The Lady Is A Tramp (I) 3:09 (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) DISC EIGHT 1. Medley: (J) 6:13 a. I'll Take Romance (B. Oakland-O. Hammerstein) b. My Funny Valentine (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) 2. Like Someone In Love (J) 5:14 (J. Burke-J. Van Heusen) 3. Falling In Love With Love (J) 4:20 (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) 4. The Best Thing For You (J) 4:36 (Irving Berlin) 5. April In Paris (J) 6:14 (E. Y . Harburg-V. Duke) 6. The Second Time Around (J) 4:13 (J. Van Heusen-G. Kahn) 7. We Live In Two Different Worlds (J) 5:08 (Fred Rose) 8. Night Mist Blues (J) 6:59 (Ahmad Jamal) 9. Darn That Dream (J) 4:32 (E. DeLange-J. Van Heusen) 10. On Green Dolphin Street (J) 4:02 (B. Kaper-N. Washington) DISC NINE 1. Like Someone In Love (first alternate take) (J) 6:53 (J. Burke-J. Van Heusen) 2. The Second Time Around (first alternate take) (J) 5:31 (J. Van Heusen-G. Kahn) 3. Angel Eyes (J) 6:51 (M. Dennis-E. Brent) 4. Medley: (J) 6:42 a. Alone Together (H. Deitz-A. Schwartz) b. Love Walked In (G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin) 5. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (J) 3:36 (O. Harbach-J. Kern) 6. I'm Old Fashioned (J) 3:49 (J. Kern-J. Mercer) 7. We Kiss In The Shadows (J) 10:32 (R. Rodgers-O. Hammerstein) 8. The Second Time Around (second alternate take) (J) 4:51 (J. Van Heusen-G. Kahn) 9. Like Someone In Love (second alternate take) (J) 7:26 (J. Burke-J. Van Heusen)

Personnel

Additional Instrumentation

Ahmad Jamal: piano; Vernel Fournier: drums; Israel Crosby: bass; Walter Perkins: drums; Joe Kennedy: violin; Ray Crawford: guitar.

Album information

Title: The Complete Ahmad Jamal Trio Argo Sessions 1956-62 | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Mosaic Records

Comments

Tags

News

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.