Biography

Ahmad Jamal’s vibrant sound on the piano has made him one of the most celebrated jazz pianists of all time. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1930, Jamal demonstrated immense virtuosity from an early age. He began composing, orchestrating, and performing before the age of ten, and immersed himself in learning the music of Duke Ellington, Art Tatum, and many others. Ahmad Jamal started playing professionally as a teenager, and formed his own trio in 1951. With his trio, Ahmad Jamal played a much more toned-down style of jazz than that of beboppers like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Though some lambasted Jamal’s music as too inoffensive and not serious enough, many musicians and critics praised his awareness of musical elements like space, time feel, and texture. His soothing sound inspired the cool jazz movement, in particular artists like Miles Davis. Jamal’s lush piano voicings and relaxed melodies have also made him one of the most sampled artists in the world. Out of Jamal’s extensive recording resume, At the Pershing: But Not For Me (1958) has become his most popular, and features his legendary version of the song “Poinciana.” For his contributions to music, Ahmad Jamal has received accolades like the National Endowment for the Arts’ American Jazz Masters Award, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.