Ahmad Jamal: Allison
Musicians:
Ahmad Jamal (piano), Jamil Sulieman Nasser (bass), Frank Gant (drums).
Recorded: Washington, D.C., February 17-18, 1966
Rating: 100/100 (learn more)
I’m sure people would try to compare Jamil and Frank to the earlier group with Vernel and Israel, but with Ahmad Jamal as the common denominator, there’s obviously some consistency. “Allison” shows an example of how Ahmad redefines the art of soloing by the way he restated phrases. He would pick a phrase, or a lick, if you will, and keep placing that lick throughout different portions of the piece. Sometimes he wouldn’t even play single-note lines, but just vamp on some chordal motifs. This kind of thing makes him not just a musician’s musician, because of his tremendous facility, but also a people’s musician. He was tapping into the layman’s need and desire for something memorable by saying, ‘Hey, this is still the piece we’re playing,’ whether by quoting the melody outright or just hinting at it.
Reviewer: Eric Reed
Tags: 1960s jazz · piano trio
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