Rare And Obscure Argo Recordings (V)

Ahmad Jamal Trio

Count 'Em 88

It was in the spring of 1952, when Jamal played the Embers, that noted critic John Hammond hailed the Jamal trio as "prodigious" and "Unbelievably subtle". 

Jamal is indeed subtle, and he is dartquick in facility, with a firm-yet-delicate touch that enables him to skim through figures that is charted on graph paper would look like the ups and downs in the career of Yellow Kid Weil.

It is obvious at first hearing that Ahmad approaches a piano as a skilled fisherman might a mile-long lake teeming with fish. He has a lot of room to get a lot out of it, and he casts about with sure skill, utilizing the entire area to achieve his results.

This is a long way to go about saying that Jamal is a two-handed pianist, a species sometimes difficult to find. It is demonstrated neatly here, however, as is his good taste and droll sense of humor. You might be as happy as I am that he chose to include "I Just Can't See for Lookin", a Nat Cole vocal effort a decade ago. 

"Easy to Remember" is a good example of the unit feel the trio achieves, and their romping qualities come out on "Beat Out One".

Ahmad is offered the sturdy support here of bassist Israel Crosby, for years a well-known figure in jazz, and drummer Walter Perkins, whose credits include work with Ben Webster. He frequently was the drummer for Jutta  Hipp when he was stationed in Germany a couple of years ago.

They provide friendly atmosphere for Jamal, who is content that this is the best set of sides he has yet recorded.

I will have to agree with him. *Jack Tracy (liner notes)*

This LP was pianist Ahmad Jamal's first with his new group, a trio also including bassist Israel Crosby and drummer Walter Perkins. Although he was reasonably popular around the Chicago area at the time, Jamal's major breakthrough would be the following album, >But Not for Me<, recorded more than a year later. The "Jamal sound", with its expert use of dynamics, close interplay, space and subtle surprises was very much in place, and this out-of-print set is on the same level as his better-known hits to come. Highlights include "Green Dolphin Street", "How About You" and "Easy To Remember." Well worth searching for. *Scott Yanow*

That's right, count 'em — 88 keys on the piano in all, and Ahmad does a pretty good job of hitting them all in this early album of piano virtuosity! The album's amazing — set the pace for a whole new generation of piano expressiveness, with a cool and earthy approach that also still has quite a bit of poise. The group features Walter Perkins on drums and Israel Crosby on bass — fantastic rhythm players both of them, giving the album a pulsating live that goes way beyond the simple format of the tunes! *Dusty Groove, Inc.*

Side 1

1 - Volga Boatman

(Public Domain)

2 - Green Dolphin Street

(Bronisław Kaper, Ned Washington)

3 - How About You

(Ralph Freed, Burton Lane)

4 - I Just Can't See For Lookin

(A. Stanford, N. Robinson)

5 - Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year

(Frank Loesser)

Side 2

6 - Beat Out One

(Ahmad Jamal)

7 - Maryam

(Ahmad Jamal)

8 - Easy To Remember

(Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers)

9 - Jim Loves Sue

(Ahmad Jamal)

Ahmad Jamal (piano), Israel Crosby (bass), Walter Perkins (drums).

Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, September 27 and October 4 (#4), 1956.