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Ahmad Jamal: Ballades
And what we're going to do is sit back and revel in the splendid majesty and magic of the man and his instrument, deftly probing classics of his own making and those of others. At once emotionally expressive while retaining the spacious economics of Jamal's imitable style, Ballades isn't about bebop or cool, riff or runs. No, these ten luxuriating performances are meant to be a communal appreciation of the beauty humankind is most capable of, even in the darkest of times.
"Marseille," one of Jamal's latter-day beauties and his first duet with Cammack, opens his solo album with a restrained, elegant resonance. Composed on the spot, "Because I Love You" plays his left hand against his right, then shades the two gently, reflectively, creating six ideal minutes of transcendence. Without its iconic groove, "Poinciana," the hit of Jamal's youth, is revisited and revitalized here with a surer, darker lyrical wisdom. Brilliantly coloring the whole of Ballades is Jamal's yearning romanticism which serves to instill new illumination and beauty to such oft-recorded, though no less necessary, chestnuts as "Spring Is Here," "What's New," and a shimmering "Emily."
Track Listing
Marseille; Because I Love You; I Should Care; Poinciana; Land Of Dreams; What's New; So Rare; Whisperings; Spring Is Here/Your Story; Emily.
Personnel
Ahmad Jamal
pianoAhmad Jamal: piano; James Cammack: bass (1, 7, 9).
Album information
Title: Ballades | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Jazzbook Records
About Ahmad Jamal
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