8:30 jazz podcast #75 Ahmad Jamal Essentials

We celebrate Ahmad Jamal by following his sound from a 1958 Chicago club recording to later-era gems and a 2012 “Ponciana” performance in Paris. We focus on his signature use of space, the trio’s feel, and why his touch influenced generations of jazz musicians. 
• the backstory of “Ponciana” and the Pershing Hotel recording 
• how Jamal uses space and why Miles Davis admired it 
• “New Rumba” and Jamal’s connection to the Miles repertoire 
• a jump to later recordings and the smooth orchestration on “Hello” 
• why “The Awakening” hit Ray so hard and the magic of Jamal’s presence 
• crate-digging “Genetic Walk” and exploring albums beyond Spotify 
• shout outs plus March jazz birthdays and community notes 
Go back and listen to them all. Listen to them from the beginning.

Transcript

elcome And Why Ahmad Jamal

SPEAKER_01 0:50

When you hear that music, you know what time it is. You know what time it is, people. Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of 830, a jazz podcast, with your podcast host, Herman Hollywood Dawkins. And Ray the Jazz Man. Yes, glad to be back with you. Welcome, and uh today we got a very special episode, as we always say. As always. Today we'll be exploring the music of the great pianist Ahmad Jamal. Jamal, the legendary. I was telling Ray, I don't know much about him, but I'm gonna learn today, right along with you guys. I just know Ahmad Jamal from my dad, because my dad loved the first song we're about to play. It's a song called Pansiana.

SPEAKER_03 1:33

One of his most popular songs. It was a hit back then, too. Yes. It sure was. This album was what, 1959? Yeah. 1959. Got the album right there.

SPEAKER_01 1:44

You're looking at it. Raid the Jazz Man brought over his vinyl. This is on a label called Argo. Exactly. Not one of like the major labels, but Argo did some things. Oh, they did something. Based out of Chicago, right? Right. Let's hit it off. This was recorded January 16th, 1958. This is the first song on the second side. It became a hit. And I just remember my dad loved this song. This song, the album features, it's a trio album. Am I correct? That's correct. The Ahmad Jamal Trio at the Pershing. I guess that's a club. I don't know where that is located. The tapes were made on January 16th, 1958. And each set that night was recorded. Ooh, and they picked eight songs out of 43 songs to put on this album. It's a Chicago Pershing Hotel. Oh, okay. Well, cool. Everybody should know this song if you're a jazz fan, jazz lover. If not, enjoy Passiana. And I'm looking to see who the other members of the band are, but I don't see it listed.

SPEAKER_03 2:48

Israel Crosby on bass and Vernel Portner on drums.

Ponciana” Live At The Pershing

pace In The Groove And Hit Album

SPEAKER_01 2:53

Oh, there we go. Original trio. Original trio. All right, let's check out the classic Ponciana live at the Pershing Chicago nineteen fifty-eight. Yeah, you can hear like the audience in the background talking. Glasses clinkling.

SPEAKER_03 11:21

I love the drama, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:23

That's what I was thinking. Like the drama is doing a fabulous job.

SPEAKER_03 11:41

Oh, that was funny. Well done. You know. One thing about his plane, he left a lot of space in his plane. That's what Miles Davis loved about him. And that's where he kind of started his point off with playing within a lot of space. The notes were just right.

SPEAKER_01 12:08

Yeah, I was I just watching the YouTube video about the saxophone player. I forget his name, but he was playing with Miles, and Miles told him he said play half of what you normally would play. And then you'll be in the pocket. Right. You know, I was reading on Wikipedia about this album at the Pershing, uh the album is called Button Out for Me, it's a classic song. Um this was recorded once again January 16, 1958, at the Pershing Hotel in Chicago. And uh this was in January, so by August 1958, Jet magazine referred to the album as a nationwide hit.

SPEAKER_02 12:48

Right.

hmad Jamal Biography And Influences

SPEAKER_01 12:49

And that same month, Down B posted the album sales at over 47,000 copies. That's a lot back then. That's a lot back then, that's correct. Um yeah, the number one jazz best seller, and it stayed on the Billboard album charts for 107 weeks. That's a long time. That was over two years. Yeah, that's incredible. Yes. Mm-hmm. Put him on the map. That's right. He was uh the success of this album allow allowed uh Ahmad Jamal to open up his own club and restaurant, the Alhambra, where his band had held a residency when they were not on tour. So it was a big smash hit for him, you know, and just love the way he plays. You know, you're gonna hear some tinkling today. Oh yeah. Let's talk a little bit about Ahmad Jamal. Who is he? Yes, Ahmad Jamal, he was born Frederick Russell Jones. Uh he was born on July 2nd of 1930, and passed away April 16th, 2023. So just a few years ago. A few years ago. Yeah, American jazz pianist, composer, band leader, and educator. For six decades, he was one of the most successful small group leaders in jazz. He won a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award and a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award for his contributions to music history. You know, that's why we're talking about him here on 830. Exactly. And he was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 2nd, like I said, uh in 1930. He began playing piano at the age of three when his uncle Lawrence challenged him to duplicate what he was playing. And he started formal piano training at the age of seven. And uh, you know, the rest of the rest is history, huh? Yeah, exactly. Yeah, he was influenced by jazz artists such as Earl Father Hines, Billy Strayhorn, Mary Lou Williams, and Earl Garner. And uh man, he what did he say about Ahmad Jamal? You know, Miles really.

SPEAKER_03 14:55

He really loved him. Yeah. When on the days that he wasn't playing, he would go see him in clubs, you know, and he just really influenced him a lot of his plan. And it went through his plan too, Miles playing.

SPEAKER_01 15:09

Yeah. And speaking of Miles, the next song we're about to do is f I remember that I know this song is called New Rumba from the album Chamber Music of the New Jazz. And I know Miles did a version of it on his Porgy and Bass album.

SPEAKER_03 15:24

Right, Gil M.

SPEAKER_01 15:25

No, no, not Porgy and Bass. I'm sorry. Miles Miles and Heads. Thank you, yeah. From 1958. Yep. Yes. And uh it's a great song. Let's check out New Rumba by Amar Jamal.

New Rumba” And The Miles Link

SPEAKER_00 15:39

Sit back and relax and let the 830 crew take you on a journey.

ump To 1989 With “Hello”

SPEAKER_01 20:26

Yes, that was nice. So the the guitar player's name was Ray Crawford. Ray Crawford. Yes. Interesting playing, huh? Yes, and uh the jazz man told me that was 1955. Right. Also on the Argo label, and uh Jamal is just smooth. Smooth. Notes just right. You know, kind of kinda reminds me a little bit of Bob James a little bit. You know, you know, a lot of people probably got his listen to him a lot. Oh, yeah. Yes, well, man. Really nice. Very nice. Thank you for that selection, Jasmine. Yeah. What are we gonna go to now? Now we're gonna go to an Ahmad Jamal album called. That's right. It was recorded and released in 1989 on the Atlantic label. So we're gonna jump quite a few years ahead now. And uh this album features Amar Jamal on piano on bass and David Bowler on drums. Right and the arranger credit was given to Richard Evans, who worked with uh Ahmad Jamal a lot. Yeah, so this is just a song that I got hit to on the only Ahmad Jamal album that I owned. An album called Genetic Walk, which we'll play later. Um but this is one of the songs on the album, and I've got it. It's just a beautiful composition, and it'll show just how smooth Ahmad Jamal really is. I can hear this. I haven't heard it. Yeah, so let's check it out. The song Hello from Amar Jam's album picture. Alright, here we go.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

8 30 of the Jazz Podcast. Time to let the music take you away.

SPEAKER_03 31:00

Beautiful composition. Oh wow, that's the first I've ever heard of that.

he Magic Of “The Awakening”

SPEAKER_01 31:04

That was nice. Yes. Really nice. Orchestration was beautiful. Yep. And now, since this episode is aired, the piano sales have skyrocketed. Everybody wants to play the piano. Really, really nice. Yeah, that's from the album Pittsburgh, the song called Bellows. Beautiful. Now, we're gonna go to a song chosen by the Jazzman called The Awakening. What can you tell us about this song? This album did it for me.

SPEAKER_03 31:38

I mean, I heard some of the songs in the past before, but when this came out, this was it for me. Just enlightening. You know, as playing his compositions on it. I told you the first time I saw it was in um White House. I'm telling you. I felt it when I saw him there. It was just something about him, you know. I couldn't really see his hands or anything. But just his whole presence of how he was playing. And then afterwards, you know, I thought you know, I was sitting at a table with my big girlfriend and a couple of other people. And he would step aside into the back and just his presence and just how he just presented himself. You can just feel something. Yeah, that was that was it for me when I saw him. That was it.

SPEAKER_01 32:34

Is there anybody else that you've ever met that you've ever had? Yeah, like that. Herbie got that presence.

SPEAKER_03 32:43

Yeah. But mostly Ramon when I saw him that time. I mean, I just looked in the paper, you know, back then. I just used to look in the jazz in the paper because he was playing around. Oh my god. Okay, I'm going. And I went. And it was just it was magical. It was really the lighthouse. I would say that was probably around eighty three. Okay. Yeah, about eighty-three, very early on. And he played the awakening song coming out. Yeah, it's that was a good one.

SPEAKER_01 33:15

This is also a trio, right? This is a trio. What year did this album? 1970. 1970. Does it mention the the uh other members of the trio? Right there. Let's see. We've got Jamal, piano, Jamil Nasser. He must be the bass player, right? Okay, and then Frank Grant on drums. Right. This is a reissue copy on Verb Records.

SPEAKER_03 33:44

I think originally it was on um Impulse. Impulse, okay, gotcha.

SPEAKER_01 33:48

All right, well, let's check out this was recorded at Plaza Sound Studios, New York City, February 2nd and 3rd in 1970. And let's check out the song called The Awakening.

SPEAKER_03 33:58

The Awakening, the title trap. Very nice. Beautiful.

hout Outs And Listener Thanks

SPEAKER_01 40:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 40:23

Okay, so we're gonna go to some shout outs on some birthdays.

SPEAKER_01 40:27

Yes, I'd like to do a shout out to Aaron Vincent and his beautiful wife. I know you guys are listening in Ju. I hope you're enjoying this celebration of the music we call jazz. All the way. You know, because Ray, the jazz man and I we love us some jazz.

SPEAKER_03 40:47

American music. All the way. Yes, morning bread here.

SPEAKER_01 40:51

Yeah, how about you? Any shout out to the boss.

SPEAKER_03 40:53

I'm gonna give a shout out to Rochelle, my girl. Rochelle. With all my music all the time. She loves it too. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:02

You know. And hanging out with you, she probably knows jazz. Oh, she gets a she gets a mount of it. Believe me. Believe me. Yes. And uh, you know, we want to thank all you listeners from around the world. We know you're listening. Oh, yeah. Keep it on because we got a lot more to present to you. Yeah, and Ray and I were talking earlier that this is actually our 75th episode today. 75 of these. Go back and listen to them all. Listen to them from the beginning. Exactly. Yes. Uh-huh. The first one that I think we released was the way shorter episode. Of course. Back in what, 2022? Three. Years going by fast.

SPEAKER_03 41:45

You can tell by the gray hairs on my hand. But we still got a lot more to come.

SPEAKER_01 41:51

I don't see any gray hairs.

arch Jazz Birthdays Rundown

SPEAKER_03 41:53

Oh, yeah, better than we shoot. All right, well, let's do some birthdays. All right. Of the month of March. Okay, we got March 1st. We got Glenn Miller. Glenn Miller. We got Ralph Towner, who just passed away a couple months ago to pick guitars from ECM Records.

SPEAKER_01 42:12

I had a Ralph Towner album with a group. He was with a group called Oregon. Yeah. Of course, of course. I had this album called Roots in the Sky that I won from a radio, jazz radio station, right? Really? I used to wear it out. Yeah, he's a master.

SPEAKER_03 42:26

So the second, we got Eddie Lockjaw Davis. We got the bass player Doug Watkins. Third, we got Jimmy Garrison, another great bassist, of course. Fourth, we got Jason Marcellus. And the trumpeter Bobby Shu. You know, I used to take lessons from one of his um his students. Really? When we lived in Monrovia, he used to come by the house and give me lessons. Yeah, Bobby Shu. He was a teacher at USC. I see.

SPEAKER_01 42:56

That's how you learn how to hit the high notes. Uh, some of them.

SPEAKER_03 43:00

Okay, the fifth, we got Wilbur Little. The sixth, we got Mr. Wes Montgomery, Howard McGee. Seventh, we got uh we got uh Lee Young, eighth, we got Billy Charles, the great pianist, George Coleman, and Gabar Zazo, the great Hungarian guitarist. The ninth, we got Ornette Coleman, Roy Brooks, the tenth, we got Bex Beredick. The eleventh, we got Mercer Ellington, Bobby McFerron, which is today. The 12th, we got Hugh Lawson and Aldre Rowe. And the 13th, we got Terrence Blanchard, Roy Haynes, Billy Mitchell. That's a great that's a great month, right? That's a great day, right there. And the 14th, we got Quincy Jones and Shirley Scott, the name of you.

SPEAKER_01 43:57

Billy Mitchell, our buddy. Yeah. If you're listening, Billy, happy birthday. Yeah, happy birthday. Yes, we worked on a project with him not too long ago. Uh, Pam and I, Pam Vincent. No, his wife is playing at Catalina tonight. That's tonight? It's tonight. Yukonabuji.

SPEAKER_03 44:15

Yeah, she's playing there tonight. Oh boy. I know. I know. Yeah. We saw him in my rage.

igging Up “Genetic Walk”

SPEAKER_01 44:22

He was fabulous. Fabulous. I mean, fabulous. Yes. And I still can't get over that song she wrote. If you can ever get your hands on that, listen to that song. It blew me away. Oh, what a great composer. And piano player. Exactly. Now, speaking of piano players, we're gonna get back to Ama Jamal. Thank you for that, Ray. Okay. What are we going to next, Harwood? Now, we actually have to go to YouTube because um these songs are not on Spotify. So it was like this is an album, the only Ama Jamal album that I ever had called Genetic Walk. I think I bought it because I like the cover. The cover is really deep. I see that.

SPEAKER_03 45:10

I've never seen it before.

SPEAKER_01 45:11

Yeah, and uh it's a great album. And he did a cover of the emotion song, Don't Ask My Neighbor. So I was like, okay, I like that song, so I'll check it out, I'll give it a try. And this is the title track, it's called Genetic Walk. And it's this 1975. Oh wow. Uh-huh. Uh yeah, it's a it's an interesting album. And uh just check this song out. It's deep, Genetic Walk by Ma Jamal. All right, let's hear it.

SPEAKER_00 45:42

We're digging into the crates for something special. Stay tuned.

SPEAKER_01 51:52

They're coming to take me away. Oh interesting. Very interesting. Yeah, that's a super nice album. Very nice album. That's very I'm gonna have to check that out. That's what we want. We want you to check out stuff.

SPEAKER_03 52:08

Right.

losing With “Ponciana” In Paris

SPEAKER_01 52:09

Man, yeah, we're gonna end this episode with a uh the song we started out with, Pontiana, but this is a live version. Yes, in Paris. Uh-huh. And what year? 2012. Okay. It's nice. Check out Ama Jamal Live with Pontiana in two thousand twelve. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:21

Brilliant.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:22

And then you have it the brilliant Among Jamal. All the way. We want to thank you guys for another trip with this music called J the 830 crew.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:38

That's a lot to present in here in Hollywood.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:41

That was beautiful. Yes. Yes. And then next week we're going to do some Donald Birds. So get ready for that. Donald Bird. And thanks again for listening. We love you guys. And we'll catch you on the next eight thirty.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:59

So stay jazz out there.