Ahmad Jamal Live

[deepakgang]

Just wanted to know who all are going to Ahmad Jamal concert - Bangalore on 5th Jul

Bookmyshow

 

[panditji]

What??????????????? Ahmad Jamal is coming to Bangalore???? This is awesome....super awesome

 

[deepakgang]

Yeah.. pretty excited to watch him live. Its not much advertised as well I believe

 

[panditji]

Very disappointed that he is not coming to Delhi but i understand the reasons...Would have loved to watch him perform ..probably would be the only opportunity I would have got but I am travelling for work this weekend....

 

[abhijitnath]

I'm going to be there. The show's almost sold out, which is very heartening news!

 

[panditji]

Happy for you Abhijit.... please do take snaps and try and get a CD autographed by the legend...extremely disappointed at not being able to make it.....

Have fun and post your experience for us on the forum please

 

[Absolute Phase]

Went for the show. Was a fantastic show. What a performer and artist at the age of 85. Wow he played Poinciana with such variations , was wonderful. Nothing to ever beat live music.

 

[ANILKUMAR]

AHMAD JAMAL LP RECORD.
"Listen to the Ahmad Jamal Quintet" is an album by American jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal featuring performances recorded in 1960.

Track listing
"Ahmad's Waltz" (Ahmad Jamal) - 4:44
"Valentina" (Christine Reynolds) - 2:19
"Yesterdays" (Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern) - 2:57
"Tempo for Two" (Joe Kennedy) - 3:26
"Hallelujah" (Vincent Youmans, Leo Robin) - 2:06
"It's a Wonderful World" (Harold Adamson, Jan Savitt, Johnny Watson) - 2:50
"Baa" (Ary Barroso) - 4:04
"You Came a Long Way from St. Louis" (John Benson Brooks, Bob Russell) - 3:53
"Lover Man" (Jimmy Davis, Ram Ramirez, James Sherman) - 4:04
"Who Cares?" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) - 3:05

Musicians:
Ahmad Jamal - piano
Joe Kennedy - violin
Ray Crawford - guitar
Israel Crosby - bass
Vernel Fournier - drums

 

[abhijitnath]

I hate to be the odd one out, but I thought the show didn't live up to the billing. His backing band was not the greatest, and I felt like he wasn't feeling the groove too much. It was also a fairly short set (but I guess that's ok, given his age). Very appreciative audience, though.

 

[kriant]

Interesting.

What exactly did you find lacking?

 

[abhijitnath]

The backing band was very average, and of the kind easily available in any New York jazz club. I would expect a lot more at an Ahmad Jamal show. Secondly, very little of the harmonic sophistication you can hear on his records was on display at the show, I felt. The solos were either basic Rhythm changes oriented, or showboating runs up and down the scales. I've heard much better stuff on his recordings, hence the disappointment.

 

[kriant]

The backing band was very average, and of the kind easily available in any New York jazz club. I would expect a lot more at an Ahmad Jamal show. Secondly, very little of the harmonic sophistication you can hear on his records was on display at the show, I felt. The solos were either basic Rhythm changes oriented, or showboating runs up and down the scales. I've heard much better stuff on his recordings, hence the disappointment.

Hmmm.

So you thought that the rhythm section comprising of Messers James Cammack, Herlin Riley and Manolo Badrena, who have been playing with Ustad Jamal on and off for three decades were average. If you had a choice, who do you think would have been more appropriate?

When you use the term "harmonic sophistication", what do you mean?

Have you heard Ustad Jamal's latest albums- Blue Moon and Saturday Morning? If you have, you may have noticed that he has become very sparse in his playing. His new compositions (IMVHO) are not really songs in so much as they spare melodic ideas around which the band improvises.

Look forward to your views.