A child prodigy who began to play the piano at the age of three, he began formal studies at age seven. While in high school, he completed the equivalent of college master classes under the noted African-American concert singer and teacher Mary Cardwell Dawson and pianist James Miller. He joined the musicians’ union at the age of 14, and he began touring upon graduation from Westinghouse High School at the age of 17, drawing critical acclaim for his solos. In 1951 he formed his first trio, The Three Strings. Performing at New York’s The Embers club, Record Producer John Hammond “discovered” The Three Strings and signed them to Okeh Records (a division of Columbia, now Sony, Records.)
In 1956, Jamal, who had already been joined by bassist Israel Crosby in 1955, replaced guitarist Ray Crawford with a drummer. Working as the “house trio” at Chicago’s Pershing Hotel in 1958, drummer Vernell Fournier joined this trio and Mr. Jamal made an on-location recording for Argo (Chess) Records entitled But Not For Me. The resulting hit single and album, which also included Poinciana - - his rendition, now Mr. Jamal’s “trademark, “ remained on the Ten Best – selling charts - - amazingly for a jazz album - - an unprecedented 108 weeks! This financial success enabled Mr. Jamal to realize a dream, and he opened a restaurant/club, The Alhambra, in Chicago. Here the trio was able to perform while limiting their touring schedule.
Considering his trio "an orchestra", Jamal not only achieves a unified sound, but subtly inserted independent roles for the bass and drums. The hallmarks of Jamal's style are rhythmic innovations, colorful harmonic perceptions, especially left-hand harmonic and melodic figures, plus parallel and contrary motion lines in and out of chordal substitutions and alterations and pedal point ostinato interludes in tasteful dynamics. He also incorporates a unique sense of space in his music, and his musical concepts are exciting without being loud in volume. Augmented by a selection of unusual standards and his own compositions, Mr. Jamal would notably impress and influence, among others, trumpeter Miles Davis.
In 1951, Jamal first recorded Ahmad's Blues on Okeh Records. His arrangement of the folk tune Billy Boy, and Poinciana (not his original composition), also stem from this period. In 1955, he recorded his first Argo (Chess) Records album that included New Rhumba, Excerpts From The Blues, Medley (actually I Don't Want To Be Kissed), and It Ain't Necessarily So, -- all later utilized by Miles Davis and Gil Evans on the albums Miles Ahead and Porgy and Bess.
In his autobiography, Miles Davis praised Jamal's special artistic qualities and cites his influence. In fact, the mid-to-late 1950s Miles Davis Quintet recordings notably feature material previously recorded by Jamal: Squeeze Me, It Could Happen To You, But Not For Me, Surrey With -The Fringe On Top, Ahmad's Blues, On Green Dolphin Street and Billy Boy
In 1994, Jamal received the American Jazz Masters fellowship award from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year he was named a Duke Ellington Fellow at Yale University, where he performed commissioned works with the Assai String Quartet.
In 1970, Jamal performed the title composition by Johnny Mandel for the soundtrack of the film MASH!; and in 1995, two tracks from his smash album But Not For Me--Music, Music, Music, and Poinciana were featured in the Clint Eastwood film The Bridges of Madison County.
Jamal's 1996 release, The Essence (Verve 529 327-2) features a first -- a recording made with a horn, tenor saxophonist George Coleman. Already released in Europe, the album has received such critical comments as "Historique!" as well as the resulting outstanding sales and the"CHOC" award in France. The album has also received the D'jango award, and a concert at Salle Pleyel was sold out.
Hal Leonard Publications issued The Ahmad Jamal Collection Piano Transcriptions in 1998.
In 1994 Mr. Jamal received the National Endowment of the Arts American Jazz Masters award and also was named a Duke Ellington Fellow at Yale University.
In June of 2007 the French Government inducted 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. Former recipients being William Faulkner, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Jackson Pollack, Ella Fitzgerald, Alan Ginsberg and Tony Morrison.
His 2008 recording, “It’s Magic”, hit the US charts at #13 immediately after its release. It graced the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart, the iTunes Jazz Top 10, and it recently peaked at #2 on the Jazz Week Radio Chart In France. Jamal was awarded Best International Album (Album International de Production Francaise) by Les Victoire du Jazz, the French version of the Grammys. The album also garnered Record of the Year by Jazz Man magazine.
In his 80s, Jamal continued to make numerous tours and recordings, including albums such as Saturday Morning (2013), the CD/DVD release Ahmad Jamal Featuring Yusef Lateef Live at L'Olympia (2014), and Marseille (2017).
ahmadjamal.com
Autumn Leaves
Ahmad Jamal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold
Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all my darling
C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble
Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
Nous vivions tous deux ensemble
Toi qui m'aimais moi qui t'aimais
Mais la vie separe ceux qui s'aiment
Tout doucement sans faire de bruit
Et la mer efface sur le sable les pas des amants desunis
The lyrics to Ahmad Jamal's "Autumn Leaves" are full of emotion and imagery. The opening lines, "The falling leaves drift by the window, the autumn leaves of red and gold" create a powerful image of the changing seasons, as leaves fall from the trees and are carried past a window by the wind. The colors of red and gold are often associated with autumn and help to set a melancholy tone.
The song is about lost love, as the singer remembers the summer kisses and sun-burned hands of a past lover who is no longer with them. The lines "Since you went away the days grow long, and soon I'll hear old winter's song" suggest that the loss of this person has made the days seem longer and colder, while also hinting at the idea of death and the passage of time.
The second verse of the song is written in French, which adds a layer of international intrigue to the lyrics. The lines "C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble, toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais" translate to "This is a song that resembles us, you loved me and I loved you." The French lyrics add to the sense of nostalgia and loss, as well as creating a sense of romantic longing and a hint of regret.
Overall, "Autumn Leaves" is a powerful and emotional song that captures the sense of loss and longing associated with the changing seasons and lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
The falling leaves drift by the window
The leaves are falling and moving in the wind by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
The leaves that are falling are colored with autumn shades of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
I remember the softness of your lips and the love we shared during the summer
The sun-burned hands I used to hold
I remember the warmth of your sun-burned hands I held tightly
Since you went away the days grow long
The days seem endless now that you are no longer here
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
Winter is approaching, and soon I'll hear its cold and lonely tune
But I miss you most of all my darling
Out of everything, I miss you the most, my love
When autumn leaves start to fall
It is in the fall when I feel your absence the strongest
C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble
This song reflects us and our love
Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
You loved me, and I loved you
Nous vivions tous deux ensemble
We lived together in harmony
Toi qui m'aimais moi qui t'aimais
You loved me, and I loved you
Mais la vie separe ceux qui s'aiment
But life separates those who love each other
Tout doucement sans faire de bruit
Slowly, without making any noise
Et la mer efface sur le sable les pas des amants desunis
And the sea erases on the sand the footsteps of separated lovers
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Springstoff GmbH, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jacques Prevert, Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Victor Agnelli
What a huge loss! 😢
The world will always be greatful and happy to witness what you ever created to our music Ahmad!
Rest in Peace Lord Jamal! 🕊️
Callum Moodley
I love when musicians genuinely have fun while performing on stage , it adds another dimension to the music
wbr200
It is THE litmus test of real music: Do they enjoy themselves (without drugs)? (Or are they only posing?)
karenjones
Callum Moodley it takes you on a journey with the musicians when their is pure joy and fun going on. It’s contagious and it spreads throughout the audience until it’s at a Hugh pitch of “funtastic “ Joy!
Todd Davis
Agreed! If you watch old Live shows of Dave Brubeck Quartet... Dave just has a smile from ear to ear as he watches Paul play... or whoever he is turning to watch while they do their thing... can't help but smile seeing that.. You can tell its a genuine smile too... Just enjoying the hell out of what they are doing
Reginald Briggs
Ahh, when the musicians are having fun, the energy is infectious. Oh, how I miss true musical artistry.
John Ledford
thanks for that - and these guys do it across the stage and thru the house. At the end when Ahmad is laughing and crying - made me cry too
Kuntal Bhogilal
I love this rendition. I want to request that advertisements not be inserted into the middle of the music. It is truly a rude interruption and frankly makes me feel more like avoiding the products advertised than using them.
perfectbeat
You need YouTube Premium for that.
Emmanuel McIntosh
@perfectbeat worth every penny.