O pianista de jazz Ahmad Jamal, batizado como Frederick Russell Jones, nasceu no 2 de julho de 1930 em Pittsburgh, na Pensylvania, e ao voltar grande parte de sua brilhante carreira, para trilha do lado mais obscuro do jazz, conquistou fãs ilustres, como o tempestuoso Miles Davis, que via na figura de Jamal mais do que inspiração e referência e dizia: "Quando as pessoas dizem que Jamal me influenciou muito, elas estão certas...". O pianista também é comparado a nomes de peso como Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Art Tatum e seu companheiro de instrumento, o "matemático" pianista Thelonious Monk.
Começou no piano ainda criança e aos 11 anos de idade já se apresentava em sua cidade natal . Sob a alcunha de Fritz Jones (que logo seria mudada para Freddie Jones) e após completar seus estudos na escola, Jamal saiu em sua primeira turnê acompanhando a orquestra de George Hudson.
Na década de 50 ele lançou seu primeiro (e clássico) disco "Poinciana" e se firmou como uma das promessas do cool, pós-bop e free jazz. Foi nessa época que ele se converteu para o islamismo e ganhou o nome de Ahmad Jamal. Desde então o pianista vem sendo considerado um "maestro", e o seu trio, uma "pequena orquestra", devido à complexidade e à audácia presentes nas músicas, que ao mesmo tempo são sutis, leves e frescas.
O trabalho mais recente de Jamal é o registro ao vivo "After Fajr", gravado por ele e seu trio em 2004 durante uma apresentação em Paris. "Um de seus melhores discos", segundo o crítico Ben Ratliff do "New York Times".
No Brasil, Jamal já tocou duas vezes, a ultima em 2006, em São Paulo e no Rio de Janeiro.
Nota do Blog - Da discografia co pianista recomendo os seguintes discos: "Poinciana" (1951)"Piano Scene" (1951)"Chamber Music of the New Jazz" (1955)"Ahmad Jamal Trio" (1955)"But not for Me" (1958)"Ahmad's Blues" (1958)"Listen to The Ahmad Jamal Quintet" (1960)"At The Top: Poinciana Revisited" (1969)"Pittsburgh" (1989)"Big Bird: The Essence, Pt. 2" (1997)"In Search of Momentum" (2003)"After Fajr" (2005)
Clique para desfruta-lo tocando "Poinciana"
Ahmad Jamal is an acclaimed virtuoso jazz piano and keyboard master, composer, and innovative trio leader. He was born july 02, 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. He began playing piano at the age of three, when his uncle Lawrence challenged him to duplicate what he was playing on the piano. Jamal began formal piano training at the age of seven with Mary Cardwell Dawson, whom he describes as greatly influencing him.
His first album Ahmad's Blues was recorded in 1951 on the Okeh label. He soon began touring with another group known as The Four Strings, which was soon disbanded. Following this, Jamal created The Three Strings in 1951, with bassist Israel Crosby and guitarist Ray Crawford. Crawford was replaced with drummer Vernel Fournier in 1958, and the group worked as the "House Trio" at Chicago's Pershing Hotel. The trio released the live album But Not for Me which stayed on the Ten Best-selling charts for 108 weeks. Jamal's well known song "Poinciana" was first released on this album. The financial success of the album allowed Jamal to open a restaurant and club called The Alhambra.
Jamal typically plays with a bassist and drummer; his current trio is with bassist James Cammack and drummer Idris Muhammad. At the Toronto Jazz Festival (June 2008) and perhaps elsewhere, Jamal's group included innovative percussionist Manolo Badrena.
Jamal has also recorded with saxophonist George Coleman on the album The Essence; with vibraphonist Gary Burton on the recording "In Concert"; with the voices of the Howard A. Roberts Chorale on the recordings "Bright, Blue and Beautiful" and "Cry Young"; with brass, reeds, and strings celebrating his hometown of "Pittsburgh"; and with "The Assai Quartet", among other non-trio achievements.
In 1994, Jamal received the National Endowment of the Arts American Jazz Masters award and also named a Duke Ellington Fellow at Yale University.
Ahmad Jamal is also known to be a Steinway Artist since 1960. It is rumored that his pianos sometimes needed to be tuned between sets due to the percussive nature of some of his playing. He also became a premier player of the Fender Rhodes piano in the 1980's as on the recordings "Digital Works" and on "Jamaica". Mr Jamal is also noted for his flowing lyrical lines, thundering crescendos, ability to run arpeggios from end to end of the 88 keys, and lush, beautiful ballad and latin jazz playing.
Of special note is the influence of Ahmad Jamal on innovative musician and trumpeter Miles Davis who at one point said that all of his inspiration came from Ahmad Jamal; not only on his trumpet playing, song selection, and pianists, but in the area of "modes". Jamal was an early exponent of extended 'vamps' allowing him to solo at great length adding fresh colorations and percussive effects, which Davis was keen to imitate, setting Miles Davis up perfectly for the entrance of true modal music into his groups with the recording "Kind of Blue".
Miles Davis, Randy Weston, Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette, and Gary Peacock all cite Jamal as a major influence in use of rhythm and space as well as his innovative use of multi-tonal melodic lines and his unique extended 'vamps'. The element of surprise is an important part of Jamal's improvisations to them all.
Miles Davis, Randy Weston, Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette, and Gary Peacock all cite Jamal as a major influence in use of rhythm and space as well as his innovative use of multi-tonal melodic lines and his unique extended 'vamps'. The element of surprise is an important part of Jamal's improvisations to them all.
At the Pershing: But Not for Me (1958) is considered a jazz classic. The Ahmad Jamal trio played on it and featured Jamal on piano, Israel Crosby on bass, and Vernel Fournier on drums.
Clint Eastwood featured two recordings from Jamal's But Not For Me album — "Music, Music, Music" and "Poinciana" — in the 1995 movie The Bridges of Madison County.
Clint Eastwood featured two recordings from Jamal's But Not For Me album — "Music, Music, Music" and "Poinciana" — in the 1995 movie The Bridges of Madison County.
The French government has inducted Ahmad Jamal into the prestigious Order of the Arts and Letters by French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, naming him Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on June 2007. Mr Jamal continues to tour extensively with his trio.
Reference - Wikipédia
Tradução - Humberto Amorim
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