AHMAD JAMAL — Saturday Morning - La Buissonne Studio Sessions (review)

AHMAD JAMAL — Saturday Morning - La Buissonne Studio Sessions album cover

Album · 2013 · Post Bop

4/5 · 2013-11-26
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At age 83 Ahmad Jamal has seen many musical styles come and go and has been a part of many of these changes, while also always maintaining his own personal sound. On his latest CD, “Saturday Morning”, Ahmad's piano solos seem to reflect this world of experience with musical quotes from earlier in Jamal’s career mixing with phrases from practically the entire history of music. 60s pop songs, Ellington, Chopin and others all mix with Jamal’s whirlwind of original ideas as each phrase always takes the unexpected turn. What we have on “Saturday” is eleven tunes (title track “Saturday Morning“ is played twice), nine are originals and two are standards given very Jamal makeovers. Two of the originals have appeared on previous albums, but with a totally different sound. The approach on here is typical Ahmad Jamal in that there are no pretentious gimmicks or trendy diversions, just one of the best pianists alive playing with a very responsive rhythm section that has a great feel for fusing modern rhythms with jazz.

Its interesting how things can eventually come full circle. In the mid 50s Jamal was a pioneer in the “less is more” approach to music, an approach that found a place in popular culture with the 50s relaxed hip sounds of cool jazz and exotic lounge music. During the 70s and 80s Jamal got with the more extroverted and extravagant culture and often played in an aggressive post bop/fusion jam band style like many others. Flash forward to the mid-90s and the ‘lounge’ aesthetic has returned via trip-hop and chill room exoticism, and it would seem that this cultural return has not been lost on Jamal. Fortunately “Saturday Morning” is not some overly trendy misguided stab at trip-hop, but percussionist Manolo Badrena and drummer Herlin Riley’s use of laid back hip-hop beats and Caribbean dub grooves mixes well with Jamal’s return to a more relaxed approach to the piano and the end result is a nice blend between a modern chill room vibe and virtuoso piano playing that really gives you something to listen to. Jamal has returned somewhat to his early “lounge” sound in some respects, but the Jamal of today is much busier with wild flourishes and occasional hectic rapid fire sequences. There is a surprise lurking around every corner and when he cuts loose, Ahamd has no problem showing he can hang with the Tyners and Cecil Taylors of physical piano assault. Some tunes, such as “Firefly”, definitely work their way into more high energy territory.

There is no resting on his laurels for Ahamad Jamal, “Saturday Morning” is proof that he remains current and creative to the minute. Its great to hear him and his band incorporate modern approaches and rhythms in subtle ways. When the title cut “Saturday Morning” rolls around the second time, towards the end there is a section where Jamal plays a repeating floating chord over a sparse beat, sounds like he’s imitating a DJ manipulating a sample, either way, Jamal keeps his ear open to the present and the past.