Monday, October 13, 2008

Ahmad Jamal - "Steppin Out With a Dream" (1976)





"Handicapper" excerpt


"Tucson" excerpt

More info and downloads for this album further down ...

****** ELECTRIC JAMAL ******

Steve Huey's bio of Ahmad Jamal at AMG contends that "Jamal's manipulations of space and silence, tension and release, and dynamics all broke new ground, and had an impact far beyond Jamal's favored piano trio format. As an arranger, Jamal made the most of his small-group settings by thinking of them in orchestral terms: using his trademark devices to create contrast and dramatic effect, and allowing the rhythm section a great deal of independence in its interplay."

In the early 1970s, Jamal began to broaden this experimentation both instrumentally and stylistically, moving beyond the trio format to include actual orchestral textures, vocal choruses and electric instrumentation, including the incorporation of a fender rhodes.

Like many jazz artists of the time who reached across the RnB and pop dividing walls and plugged in electric instruments, he faced a lot of flak from most jazz critics, many of whom continue to bypass or disparage this electric period.

These 70s albums are worth a closer look, so let's check them out ...




'Stolen moments' excerpt

Jamal started the decade with "The Awakening" in 1970. No electric keyboards here, but this acoustic piano trio album, some twenty years into his career, has the pianist wringing every edge of tonality from his instrument - he's creating denser textures than before, but simultaneously he's using silence and space to create drama as as alternately pounds and caresses the keys. It's as if he's reached some sort of epiphany as to the textures he can create with just one instrument at this time, and it's not surprising that he soon began to expand his instrumental palette.




'Effendi' excerpt

For a few tracks on his 1971 live trio album "Freeflight", recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival on June 17th of that year, Jamal establishes the main themes on acoustic piano then begins to solo on rhodes. He's somewhat enamoured with the instrument's on-board tremelo/LFO (the "pulsing" effect) and you can hear drummer Frank Gant setting complex snare drum patterns against the effect.

The dense, mid-range clouds of rhodes chords allow space for bassist Jamil Suleiman Nasser to improvise in his upper range. Jamal returns to the piano for more percussive sections and theme reprisals. The engineers are clearly not used to amplified instruments and are slightly 'off' the rhodes amp with their microphone placement.




'Bogota' excerpt

Released in 1972 but coming from the same 1971 Montreux concert, 'Outertimeinnerspace' contains two long live tracks. On the first of these, "Bogota", Jamal's increasingly utilising the individual strengths of acoustic and electric piano to widen the overall dynamic range of his compositions.Three minutes into the track, he turns away from his acoustic piano and begins to create clouds of tremelo rhodes chords, alternating with fast solo blues runs. Six minutes later, the acoustic piano returns with a percussive attack, then as the dynamics soften, he returns to the rhodes again.

Even as early as this concert, Jamal seems to have refined his "orchestration" of the two instruments to fit into the subtlety of his compositional dynamics.



'Superstition' excerpt
download : WAV of "Superstition"


Jamal's 1973 move from Impulse to 20th Century Records for the album "Ahmad Jamal '73" was a radical step in many different ways. He's on rhodes throughout, and working with full orchestral arrangements and vocal chorus, courtesy of arranger Richard Evans of Soulful Strings and Marlena Shaw fame.

Like Herbie Hancock and others before him, Jamal moves on from his initial fascination with the rhodes' effects panel and begins to explore the nuances of the instrument's dynamic colours, in particular exploring bell-like tones from careful manipulation of the tines, at times producing soft tones almost like a vibraphone.

Tracks such as "Superstition", "The World is a Ghetto" and "Children of the Night" continue to live on in many a beatmaker's MPC, and the album launched Jamal into a new RnB market.




'Ghetto Child' excerpt

The commercial success of the previous album led to 1974's "Jamalca" (DOWNLOAD) another album with Richard Evans' orchestral and vocal arrangements of well-known tracks, with Jamal on both rhodes and acoustic piano.

Tracks covered include Foster Sylvers' "Misdemeanour", Gaye's "Trouble Man" and a then-popular version of the "M.A.S.H." theme. I tend to find the acoustic piano tracks a little overblown here, with the orchestral flourishes competing directly with Jamal's equivalent ornamental keyboard "sweeps" and arpeggios in the arrangements, whereas the rhodes tracks "sit" better with the orchestra. Nevertheless, there's some great stuff here and it's well worth grabbing.




'Spanish Interlude' excerpt

Both the title and the style of "Jamal Plays Jamal", his 2nd album in 1974, seem to point to Ahmad Jamal taking some control back in the overall orchestration of his sound - he's co-credited with Richard Evans for the arrangements of the six original tracks that make up the album.

This time, both the acoustic piano and rhodes sit well alongside the rich string arrangements and occasional horns, and the voices are gone. His trio partners Jamil Nasser and Frank Gant, who'd been somewhat buried on the previous two albums, are both given space to breathe in the (relatively) sparser lineup, to which percussionist Azzedin Weston is added.

Several great tracks, "Eclipse" and "Swahililand" are personal favourites.



'Chaser' excerpt

Things are smoothing out a little (too much) in the electric tracks for the last of the big Evans productions, "Genetic Walk" (recorded in '75 but released much later) and the vocal choruses are back. Nevertheless, some interesting chords and textures in the string and brass arrangements carry over from the last album. There's a lot more acoustic piano than rhodes. and there are also three piano trio tracks that hark back to his earlier work.

With clashing styles and three or four different lineups recorded over several sessions, one could conjecture that there may have been some disagreement over Jamal's direction at this stage, with the pianist obviously eager to spend more time on his original instrument. This was his last album to hit the RnB charts.



"Handicapper" excerpt

The cover of 1976's "Steppin Out With a Dream" (links in comments) looks like Ahmad's taken a few snorts from Van McCoy's drug pouch before indulging in some art director's equestrian fantasy, and we've got a ripe candidate for Greg's new crap jazz covers blog.

Nonetheless, the music is really good - three small combo tracks with rhodes and acoustic piano : "Handicapper", "Tucson" and "Crossfire" - and two piano standards with simple bass accompaniment : "My One and Only Love" and "Prelude to a Kiss".


"Tucson" excerpt

It's great to hear Jamal playing rhodes in a studio album without an orchestra, allowing more space for the instrument's full tonality. Jamal's longtime drummer Frank Gant is supported by percussionist Seldon Newton and bassist John Heard, a veteran of several solid George Duke, Cal Tjader, Joe Henderson and Moacir Santos albums, and who had appeared on a few tracks on "Genetic Walk".


"Crossfire" excerpt

The most significant new presence on this album is guitarist Calvin Keys, who'd released a few of his own albums on the Black Jazz label, such as 1971's "Shawn-Neeq", and appeared on others by Gene Russell and Doug Carn. Although he'd been buried on a few tracks on "Genetic Walk", in this smaller lineup his Grant Green-style guitar lines are the perfect soul-jazz foil for Jamal's keyboards. It's a pity that there aren't too many albums featuring the two of them.

Jamal produced the album himself, under supervision from Paul Gayten, a former New Orleans band leader who had turned to production.

sample trainspotter's alert :
Ahmad Jamal's been heavily sampled in hip hop - see the collections of originals-vs-flips in the miscellaneous section below. Anyway, the sample I noticed when listening to this album was the opening track "Handicapper". There's a few chords there that make up the body of a Marc Mac track called "Atlanta Walking" on his beats-and-civil-rights album "It's Right To Be Civil", which is worth checking out. I've also read that "Crossfire" is sampled in Dilated People's "Pay Attention".

(album credits further down )



'Bellows' excerpt

Later in 1976 Jamal recorded a live album with the same lineup, "Live at Oil Can Harry's". Jamal's just on acoustic piano, apart from some brief rhodes comping behind Calvin Key's solo in "Bellows", a track from "Genetic Walk".

There's another version of McCoy Tyner's "Effendi", an extended version of Jamal's best known song "Poinciana", and an original called "Folklore". Once again it's great to hear the chemistry between Jamal and Calvin Keys, and Seldon Newton's conga work drives this one along quite differently from Jamal's earlier live albums.


'Black Cow' excerpt

"One" 
(also on this blog) was recorded from May-July 1978, and has three producers : Richard Evans; 'Partridge Family' arranger/keyboardist Mike Melvoin and Sigidi (S.O.S Band) individually produce and arrange a large group that includes synthesisers (Melvoin), horn sections, vocal groups (Eloise Laws and others), and several percussionists (Paulinho da Costa, Bill Summers, Hal Blaine and others). My favourite track is a cover of Steely Dan's "Black Cow", with girl chorus vocals and Jamal on the clavinet. Check it out. Not one for the jazz purists!





'You're Welcome, Stop On By' excerpt



'Boatride' excerpt

On 1979's "Intervals", now also posted on this blog. Jamal is still on rhodes and occasional synth on a few tracks, but clearly headed back towards smaller acoustic groups. Half the album's produced by Paul Gayten, the other half by "Fifth Dimension" mastermind Bones Howe. AMG's Scott Yanow hates it, which for some of us counts as a recommendation. Other tracks are 'Jordie', 'So in Love' , 'Reggae', 'The Tube' and 'Bones'. This was Jamal's last release for 20th Century Records.

With the exception of some keyboard work on 1980's "Night Song" and 1985's "Digital Works", Ahmad Jamal primarily returned to the acoustic piano after the 1970s, and has gone on to release at least another thirty albums.


AHMAD JAMAL - STEPPIN OUT WITH A DREAM (1976)

TRACKLIST

01.
'Handicapper' (7:37) - Jamal 
02. 'Prelude To A Kiss' (7:50) - Ellington, Gordon, Mills 
03. 'My One And Only Love' (8:48) - Mellin, Wood
04. 'Tucson' (9:10) - Jamal
05. 'Crossfire' (9:56) - Jamal

MUSICIANS 


Bass - John Heard (misspelt "Hurd" on cover)
Drums - Frank Gant
Guitar - Calvin Keys
Keyboards - Ahmad Jamal
Percussion - Selden Newton

 
PRODUCTION INFORMATION


Released 1976
Produced by Ahmad Jamal under the supervision of Paul Gayten
20th Century Records
Catalogue # T-515
Recorded & Mixed at Village Recorders, Los Angeles, California
Engineer - Neil Brody
Photography - Michael Paladin
Art Direction - Jamico
Cover & Liner Design - Michael Levy
Illustration - Trici Venola


AHMAD JAMAL DISCOGRAPHY from Blogopolis

1951-55 "The Legendary Okeh & Epic Sessions" (APE) at
vzdora.net / alternative
1951-55 "Poinciana" (compilation) at farofa moderna

1955 "Chamber music of the New Jazz" donated by Green (thanks!)
1956 'Count 'em 88' at Hook's Gems
1958 "Ahmad's Blues" at Buns o Plenty / alternate
1958 "The Legendary Ahmad Jamal Trio Live" at vzdora.net / alternative
1958-61 "Cross Country Tour" (Argo comp, FLAC) at
CIA Contributions #5
1958 "At the Pershing" Vol 1/2 in comp at
My Jazz World
1958 "Volume 4" at Sun Ship
1958 "Portfolio of Ahmad Jamal" at Sun Ship
1959 "Jamal At The Penthouse" (MP3) at
Musica Desde Las Antipodas
1959 "Jamal At The Penthouse" (FLAC) at Call It Anything
1960 "Happy Moods" at Sun Ship
1961 "Alhambra" at Musica En Harmonia group
1962 "Ahmad Jamal at the Blackhawk" at Sun Ship / alternate comp
1962 "Naked City Theme" at Sun Ship

1963 "Naked City Theme" at Sun Ship
1965 "Rhapsody" (MP3) at My Favourite Sound
1965 "Rhapsody" (FLAC) at CIA Contributions #4
1966 "Heatwave" at Sun Ship
1967 "Standard Eyes" at My My Jazz World
1967 "Alhambra" at Best of Both Worlds
1967 "Cry Young" at Sun Ship

1968 "The Bright, The Blue and The Beautiful" at Sun Ship
1968 "Tranquility" (FLAC) at Call It Anything
1969 "At The Top : Poinciana Revisited" at The Musik Lounge
1970 "The Awakening" (MP3) at Oufar Khan / alternative
1970 "The Awakening" (FLAC) at Flaclossless or CIA
1971 "Freeflight" also on this blog. 

1971 "Outertimeinnerspace' (MP3) - thanks Gildas!
 1971 "Outertimeinnerspace" (FLAC) at Call it Anything
1972 "Inspiration" (comp of 65-68 material) at My Jazz World
1973 "Ahmad Jamal 73" at
My Jazz World
1974 "Jamal Plays Jamal" at Baby Grandpa
1974 "Jamalca" DOWNLOAD
1976 "Live At Oil Can Larry's" at
Pharoah's Dance
1976 "Steppin out with a Dream" see base of this post

1978 "One" also on this blog
1979 "Intervals" also on this blog
2001 'Picture Perfect' at Free4Downloads
2001 "Live at Jazz Baltica" (bootleg) at Kingcake Krypt
2002 "In Search Of Momentum" MP3 at Musica Desde Las Antipodas
2002 "In Search Of Momentum" FLAC at Call It Anything
2003 'Live In Paris" (APE) at vzdora.net / alternative / alternative
2008 "It's Magic" at Jazz a Gogo / alternative

MISCELLANEOUS

Ahmad Jamal Samples (4 volumes)
at
T.R.O.Y. or SL Saico
originals and hip hop flips

POST CREDITS 


"Steppin out with a Dream"
vinyl rip and scans by
Simon666
"Superstition" track CD rip by Simon666.

The "Jamalca" rip is a 224kbps soulseek find from pre-blog days that I've re-upped for this post.

Apart from the blogs noted in the discography, album links within this post go to :
My Jazz World, Pharoah's Dance, Oufar Khan, Funky Disposition, Baby Grandpa, Rock Savage, My Favorite Sound, J Thyme Kind, Blak's Lair, Things and Stuff and Music, and Inconstant Sol.Thanks to Wallofsound for the series of Jamal posts at Inconstant Sol prompted by this post.

Please thank and support any blogs you click through to.



DOWNLOADS
(please leave a comment if you grab these)

ALBUMS :

“Stepping out with a dream” – Ahmad Jamal (1976)

DOWNLOAD WAV - MP3

"Jamalca" - Ahmad Jamal (1974)

DOWNLOAD MP3

TRACKS:

"Superstition" (from '73") - WAV


74 comments:

  1. another lesson in how to post!
    awesome stuff simon.

    unlike that suit of his ... ouch

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  2. Thanks for sharing, I was missing this Ahmad Jamal from my collection. For discography completeness, I also have copies of:

    Digital Works 1985
    Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival 1985
    The Essence, Part 1 1995
    With The Assai Quartet 1998
    Waltz For Debby 1999
    Rossiter Road 2000
    Picture Perfect 2001

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  3. hey katonah, yep when I've had a rest I think i'll send the cover over to jazz cover hell :)

    Hi Wall of Sound -
    Glad that this could add to your collection ...I searched his entire discography pretty thouroughly and decided just to post what was out there on blogs and forums. If you upload some of those I'm sure everyone will love you :)

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  4. I've no idea how you do it all but another great post!
    Fantastic stuff - this will keep me going for ages.

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  5. Quite a few of these are currently OOP, so I'll post those up as soon as I can at http://inconstantsol.blogspot.com/.

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  6. that's simon.....really appreciate the effort put into these amazing post.....Peace



    Messiah

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  7. very nice! (as usual - you've got me spoiled simon!)

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  8. yes,
    I agree with katonah:
    thanks Simon for this new lesson in high quality music.
    I love your blog Simon.
    I love your blog!

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  9. Me too, a big big fan of your blog Simon. That night at Cafe Lounge must have been great. Please let us know if you're coming to perform in England!!

    There's a night in London that I absolutely recommend you if you ever visit the city.. It's called jazz refreshed (http://www.jazzrefreshed.com) and this guys are always the first to present the best soulful jazz that city gets to see..

    An amazing album to be released and that has links with this post is Kaidi Tatham's new album.. This amazing musician is a kind of herbie hancock himself, being as good producer as a musician. So, not only you'll find Kaidi in the electronic broken beat department producing as part of Bugz in the Attic, together with 4 Hero or IG Culture but you'll also finding him doing Roy Ayers http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wDBMnCBcAGc

    soloing like there's no tomorrow
    http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=W4VJ23Nt3ac

    or playing straight ahead jazz, material from his new album that will be released this November
    http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=68rCH4hzBww

    I've seen him live a couple of times and I'm sure you're going to feel it :)

    Thanks again

    makuma

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  10. Thanks as always, Simon. I don't know Jamal's stuff well and I look forward to hearing this one. I will just have to avoid looking at the cover!

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  11. I love Ahmad Jamal! Thank you! I didn't even know this existed.

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  12. Such a great post! Loved reading it and listening to the tracks, so much was new to me. Thanks so much!

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  13. I've just posted the first in a series of Ahmad Jamal records that seem to be currently OOP, and not available on any other blog. Rush now to inconstantsol: http://inconstantsol.blogspot.com/2008/10/ahmad-jamal-digital-works.html

    ReplyDelete
  14. Many thanks Wallofsound, I'm downloading now.

    In the meantime, I've added a link in the discography, switched the link in the main text to your site, and added you to the blogroll (which I thought I'd already done, but obviously not).

    Thanks again!

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  15. Here's the essence volume 1:
    http://sharebee.com/1fdf7979

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  16. Thanks a lot Art!
    Added to discography.

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  17. Simon, Any fan of this very fine session & a chance to learn more about this era can mean only one thing...you are linked!!!
    Thanks for schooling me on Ahmad Jamal.

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  18. Hello Simon,


    Thanks for highlighting my post of Jamal Plays Jamal in yours!

    Peace,

    BG

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  19. no problems BG, i love that album ...

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  20. yeah..good lookins on the steppin out album..didn´t even knew it exists..jamal is great thankyou

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  21. Simon have you ever thought of putting out a book , you'd only have to print out these pages , utterley fantastic research, go see a publisher .. seriously

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  22. My second Jamal post is the unmissable Ahmad Jamal with the Assai Quartet.

    You'll find it at:

    http://inconstantsol.blogspot.com/2008/10/ahmad-jamal-with-assai-quartet.html

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thanks for the comments guys.

    Reza -
    maybe one day! But I'm really meant to be writing music at the moment, not writing about it ... some of this research and blogging is classic avoidance stuff for me :) A book would tip the balance too far ...

    Wallofsound -
    thanks again! A fascinating album, wrote about it on your blog, and have added to the discography here. I've also added a note here in the 'post credits" section about your Jamal posts - the link there goes to an "Ahmad Jamal" search at Inconstant Sol, so will be up to date whenever people click it.

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  24. incredible post on one of my all time favorite jazz artists. You do sooo much good work here, Simon. I hope you know just how much it's appreciated. Thanks so much for all the knowledge you drop and music you share. Cheers.

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  25. Thanks for another great post Simon--your work is truly amazing.

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  26. Thanks Black Moses and johnv.

    OK, the previous upload of "Jamaica" (1974) in the Jamal discography was missing two tracks. So ....

    Ok here you go :

    JAMAICA (1974) – just the 2 missing tracks from previous upload :

    Mediafire-13mb

    JAMAICA re-up (full album) :

    Rapidshare or Mediafire

    Discography also has the full album now

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  27. Thanks for the missing track.. Thought I should point a little mistake, I think the album is called Jamalca and not Jamaica, lol!!

    Please correct me if I'm wrong and thanks again for all the wonderful work, you could really write a book man :)

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  28. Unbelievable that I could have misread that 20 years ago and never, ever noticed that I had it wrong .... how strange! Anyway, corrected in the post :)

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  29. Eh eh, cool.. Here's my last.fm page if you want to stop by :)

    http://www.last.fm/user/makuma79

    It's quite a cool website even though a lot of our vintage favorite music is still missing/or will never be available to stream.

    P.S. I'll delete the comment afterwards..

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  30. Wow. Finally got around to reading the Ahmad Jamal posts. Exceptionally well-written as always, Simon! IMHO no one illustrates a career arc like you.

    Thanks for the guidance and all of the links. You are a treasure!

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  31. Ahmad Jamal's 20th Century Records work is some of my favorite from him. Thanks for the great links and posts!!! Peace

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  32. Thanks for the comments, guys ...
    I've added a link within the album review to Marc Mac's "It's Right to Be Civil", which samples the Jamal track "Handicapper" from here in the track "Atlanta Walking" there. It's actually an interesting album that mixes tight MPC beats/samples with civil rights speeches - an old idea, but done really nicely by Marc Mac (of 4hero fame).
    Anyway here's a direct link :

    http://blakslair.blogspot.com/2009/01/marc-mac.html

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  33. Thanx to fslmy for the Calvin Key´s "Shaw-Neeq". It´s a Blak Jazz label and i´ts a very good music promise for me. Great job, dear fslmy!!!

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  34. Hey Simon666

    thank you for this great blog. your work is simply amazing. i can easily spend hours here.

    i might be wrong but i didn't see this one on the discography.

    Chamber Music of the New Jazz (1955)
    Ahmad Jamal (piano)
    Ray Crawford (guitar)
    Israel Crosby (bass)

    MP3@320
    http://rapidshare.com/files/187414241/Chamber_Music_Of_the_New_Jazz.zip

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  35. Discography link added :

    1960 "Happy Moods" / "Listen to the Ahmad Jamal Quartet" at Call It Anything

    http://andifyouhadtwocoats.blogspot.com/search?q=Ahmad+Jamal+-+1960+Happy+Moods

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  36. Discography link added :

    1999 "Live In Germany" (bootleg) at Bogard's Jazztapes

    http://bogardjazz.blogspot.com/2009/02/ahmad-jamal-trio-live-in-germany-1999.html

    Ahmad Jamal, piano
    James Cammack, bass
    James Johnson, drums

    recorded live at Jazzfestival Viersen/ Jazzweek Burghausen, Germany 1999

    Tracklist:
    1. Bellows
    2. Acorn
    3. Then I´ll Be Tired of You
    4. High Fly
    5. The Tube
    6. Mystifying
    7. Spanish Interlude
    8. Sun Lililand
    9. Ultraviolet

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  37. Hey Simo666,

    Simply love the blog and thanks so much for putting all of this Ahamad Jamal together.

    Here's my contribution - something I picked up a torrent awhile back

    Ahmad Jamal - Extensions (Argo 758, 1965)

    http://www.mediafire.com/?nuzcyjgjdzj

    best
    t

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  38. Added to discography :

    "Inspiration" (1972)
    Compilation of 1965-68 material

    At My Jazz World :

    http://myjazzworld.blogspot.com/2009/02/ahmad-jamal-inspiration.html

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  39. thx for sharing this great post.

    jontowel, indonesia

    ReplyDelete
  40. Hi guys,
    I’ve posted a new vinyl rip of Ahmad Jamal’s “Intervals” (1979), come check it out.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Hi guys –
    New post :
    Ahmad Jamal – “One” (1978), donated by Hanimex3000, come get it.

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  42. Superb work,thank you for sharing your sweat.Much appreciated

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  43. Check the Jamal discography at the base of this post for a new donation of "Night Song" (1980) by Trevor.

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  44. Added to discography :

    1968 "The Bright, The Blue and The Beautiful" at Sun Ship

    http://thesunship.blogspot.com/2009/06/ahmad-jamal-with-voices-bright-blue-and.html

    Ahmad Jamal with Voices - The Bright, The Blue, and the Beautiful (Cadet 807, Canadian Pressing)

    Ahmad Jamal - Piano
    Jamil Sulieman - Bass
    Frank Gant - Drums
    Howard A Roberts Chorale

    Recorded: February 12 & 13 1968, Fine Recording Studios, New York

    Dusty Groove's Review:

    "Sounds cheesy -- but this is a pretty wonderful album, the kind that really gets at the dark genius of Jamal! Ahmad's trio with Frank Gant and Jamil Sulieman is joined by the Howard A Roberts Chorale, set to arrangements by Jamal and Joe Kennedy that create these dreamy pillows of sound, pushing the voices forward like piles of feathers, supporting Ahmad's lines on piano with amazing subtlety, evoking a really moody late night sound. Richard Evans produced, and the whol thing has that sophisticated groove of the best late 60s Cadet work. Titles include "Never Let Me Go", "Wild Is The Wind", "Yesterdays", "Of Bass I Love", and "By Myself""

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  45. Added to discography :

    1967 "Alhambra"

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  46. Added to discography :

    1986 "Rossiter Road"

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  47. Hi all -
    added to discography :

    "The Roar of The Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd" (1965) and "Cry Young" (1967), check them out at :

    http://thesunship.blogspot.com

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  48. you are a musical messiah..trillion zillion thanks for all the great music in best possible format(unmastered,undenoising)to keep the original sound..

    Love and peace from INDIA
    Tanmoy

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  49. Ahmad Jamal is a musical legend who's inspired the masses, and other monster musicians of our time. He's still a powerhouse, and is still touring the world, releasing new albums, and winning awards and critical acclaim 50 years after the wild success of "But Not For Me". Thanks to the fans and music lovers around this world. You can check out his new site for the latest low-down as it unfolds.
    ~ Peace & Music ~ AhmadJamal.net

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  50. Good Morning!!! neverenoughrhodes.blogspot.com is one of the most excellent innovative websites of its kind. I enjoy reading it every day. neverenoughrhodes.blogspot.com rocks!

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  51. Thanks for nice quolity LP-rip of Jamal...So good works I've meet on "My Jazz World" only,,,
    Vel_Kam

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  52. mad dope!

    I love the sound of Ahmad Jamal and if i do remember right Miles Davis said Ahmad Jamal is the only Jazz musician with Trane that he listened to.

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  53. I found this Active link of 1980 "Night Song"
    http://rapidshare.com/files/312055553/Ahmad_JAMAL_-_Night_Song_1980.rar

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  54. Thanks a lot for this great AJ work; "Nature-Essence part 3" RS link above is dead;
    this one seems to work: http://route66sl.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/ahmad-jamal-naturethe-essence-part-three-1997/
    http://rapidshare.com/files/277170809/A_J_-_N_T_E_P_3-_7.rar

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  55. I found the "Picture Perfect" Album here (with PW!): http://free4downloads.over-blog.com/article-ahmad-jamal-picture-perfect-2001-44496524.html

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  56. excellent and informative write-up on great music. bravo

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  57. New link for Outertimeinnerspace (320kbps)

    http://depositfiles.com/en/files/g8p41lgvi

    The one from TheMonk is dead. Same for the hotlink one that you can found on usual blog

    Cheers
    Gildas

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  58. Thank you very much! Reading your blog is a delight!

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  59. Great sh*t as always Simon666 and everyone else!! Thanks.
    I was looking for a rip of one of his LPs and can't even remember which one now that I stumbled on this treasure of info and music. Lol.. You guys never stop blowing my mind with music I wasn't aware of from artists I dig.

    BTW, thanks for linking us up at T.R.O.Y. to the sample compilations that my buddy Roy Johnson did. It looks like that other site just stole our post and ran with it, but whatever. It's all good as long as people hear it. The more ears the merrier! Thanks again, I never sleep on this blog and never will. Please never retire, lol.
    Peace

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  60. Late thanks for the comments here guys!

    And thanks Gildas for the new link for 'Outertimeinnerspace', updated in the post a mere 18 months later :)

    I would hate to think how many other dead links there are here by now, but for the moment will have to rely on others finding them due to time pressures ;)

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  61. Many thanks for your great posts!!
    I'm looking for Genetic Walk in lossless, where can I have chances to find it?

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  62. Genetic Walk here :

    http://elmonjevivo.blogspot.com.au/2009/11/ahmad-jamal-genetic-walk-1980_288.html

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  63. Thanks so much for sharing! I loved One so I wanted to check out more Ahmad Jamal.

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  64. thanks for steppin' out with a dream! i can't find it anywhere, except on vinyl!
    i've discovered mr. jamal and am enamoured. his virtuoso playing makes me swoon. and the most enjoyable and truly innovative compositions he plays are his own pieces! thank you again.

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  65. thanks for sharing : )

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