Jazz Detective/Elemental Music release the final album in the Ahmad Jamal Live At The Penthouse trilogy for Record Store Day 20203.
Ahmad Jamal – Emerald City Nights: Live At The Penthouse 1966-1968 – Jazz Detective/Deep Digs Music group/Elemental Music DDJD-003 Record Store Day Black Friday [11-24-2023] 180-gram stereo double vinyl + full-sized booklet with photos, 93:58 *****:
(Ahmad Jamal – piano; Jamil Nasser – double bass; Frank Grant – drums)
The Jazz Detective label (part of Deep Digs Music group) in partnership with Elemental Music is releasing a third live recording from pianist Ahmad Jamal. Emerald City Nights – Live At The Penthouse 1966-1968 features another previously unreleased performance. Available as a 2-LP 180-gram vinyl (in conjunction with Record Store Day Black Friday) and a subsequent 2-CD set and download), Jamal is joined by Jamil Nasser on double bass and Frank Grant on drums. The Pittsburgh native was very involved in the production of his last album before he passed away.
This limited edition 2-LP has been produced by Zev Feldman and mastered by Bernie Grundman from the original analog tapes. The set was recorded at the famous downtown Seattle club and the trio is in great form. Side A opens with an atmospheric ballad, “Gloria”. With a smoky late-night vibe, Jamal executes his minimalist phrasing with pulsating bass notes and halting chords that have a dream-like resonance at times. “Fantastic Vehicle” has an up tempo syncopated introduction with a strong left-hand vamp. Nasser comes in and takes over the vamp, while Grant’s forceful drumming (with breaks) propels the jam. After a loping interlude, there is a high-energy transition into medium swing with right hand flourishes and chord changes. Jamal reinvent’s Errol Garner’s eternal classic “Misty” into a Latin-infused romp with melodic articulation and some repetition that builds with momentum. Jamal is comfortable in various styles. On “Mr. Lucky”, he revs things up with grandiose flourishes and intense notation. Both Grant and Nasser contribute lively solos and Jamal combines left-hand blues with right hand trilling in this fierce performance. On “Autumn Leaves”, the trio adopts a finger-snapping cool. The pianist adds his trademark quirky riffs in a complex improvisational mode. The familiarity of the melody doesn’t reveal itself until the midpoint os the cut.
Side C kicks off with an interesting version of Jobim’s “Corcovado (Quiet Night Of Quiet Stars)”. Following the meditative opening, the trio shifts up tempo. Nasser and Grant percolate and anchor Jamal’s sprightly run. He does some interesting lower-register bass notation and right hand work. The rhythm section combines on a piano-less solo with great precision. Shifting gears, “Where Is Love” is tender and sentimental with a relaxed groove. Seamlessly, the ensemble transitions to medium swing 3/4 time on “Dance To The Lady”. There are many crescendos and drum fills that counter the smooth aesthetic. In accelerated waltz-time, “Naked City Theme” is breezy and showcases the trio in lockstep. A certain highlight is a piano solo of the movie theme “Alfie”. Jamal distills the melodic essence and innate sentiment of this perennial standard. In under three minutes, the artistry of this legendary performer is presented in an elegant manner. The finale (“Alfie”) has become a jazz standard with many worthy covers. This one is among the finest and captures Jamal’s unique approach to revamped arrangements.
Kudos to Jazz Detective for this third installment of Emerald City Nights – Live At The Penthouse. The detailed restored sound (Sheldon Zaharko/Zed Productions) is vibrant with excellent stereo separation. Top notch gatefold packaging (including protective album sleeves) add to the quality of this release. Bernie Grundman’s vinyl mastering is pristine with very little crowd or surface noise. The booklet contains rare photos, “reflections” by Jamal and interviews with Les McCann, Emmet Cohen, Monty Alexander and Joe Alterman in addition to Zev Feldman and Eugene Holley Jr. This Record Store Day vinyl would be a valuable addition to any jazz library.
—Robbie Gerson
Emerald City Nights: Live At The Penthouse 1966-1968
TrackList:
Side A: Gloria; Fantastic Vehicle; Misty
Side B: Mr. Lucky; Autumn Leaves
Side C: Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars); Where Is Love; Dance To The Lady
Side D: Naked City Theme; Emily; Alfie.
More information through Record Store Day
