Ahmad Jamal's music was a gift to the world, a brilliant fusion of Jazz and classical influences that spoke to the very soul of his listeners. From his early days with George Hudson’s Orchestra, to the Ahmad Jamal Trio, to The Awakening, this Jamal’s passing is a profound loss for the Jazz community.
In a New York Times interview, Ahmad Jamal admitted, "I used to practice and practice with the door open, hoping someone would come by and discover me.” It seems funny, in a way, that such a giant had been, at one point in his life, so concerned to be heard by someone–anyone. Thankfully, we heard. And will continue to weave his music into the future of Jazz. May his legacy continue to inspire and enrich our lives, and may he rest in peace knowing that his contributions to the art form will never be forgotten.
In the wake of his passing, let’s take a walk down memory lane and listen to some of Jamal’s greatest contributions to Jazz.
For All We Know (Happy Moods)
But Not for Me (At the Perishing: But Not for Me)
Eclipse (Jamal Plays Jamal)
Poinciana (At the Top/Poinciana Revisited)
Rossiter Road (Rossiter Road)
Jamal at the Penthouse (Seleritus)
The Awakening (Full Album)
Blue Moon (Full album)
Rest in power, Mr. Ahmad Jamal.
Written by Colleen Walker on behalf of Savage Content
Credit to the feature image used: WBSS