After Fajr [Live]

About the Artist
Ahmad Jamal was born on July 2, 1930, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A child prodigy who began playing the piano at the age of 3, he joined the musicians union at the age of 14 and began his touring career at 17, upon graduation from Westinghouse High School. In 1950, he formed his first trio, The Three Strings, and was "discovered" while performing at New York's The Embers club by record producer John Hammond who signed them to Okeh Records (a division of Columbia, now Sony, Records), thus beginning his recording career.

Mr. Jamal has continued to record his outstanding original arrangements of such standards as "I Love You", "A Time For Love", "On Green Dolphin Street" (well before Miles Davis), and "End of a Love Affair", his own classic compositions, "Ahmad's Blues" (first recorded on October 25, 1951), "New Rhumba", "Manhattan Reflections", "Tranquility, Extensions", "The Awakening", "Night Mist Blues" and most recently "If I Find You Again", among many others. In 1970, Mr. Jamal performed the title tune by Johnny Mandel for the soundtrack of the film Mash; and in 1995, two tracks from his hit album But Not For Me, "Music, Music, Music" and "Poinciana" were featured in the Clint Eastwood film, The Bridges of Madison County.

Dreyfus Records has released The Essence, his first recording made with a horn, featuring tenor saxophonist George Coleman; Olympia 2000, his 70th Birthday "live" concert recording; The Essence, Part II and Part III and Live in Paris 1992 and Live in Paris 1996; and 2003’s In Search Of. . .Momentum [1-10], an arresting amalgam of new compositions and treasured standards played by his trio of choice, with long-time collaborators James Cammack on bass and Idris Muhammed on drums. His most release, 2004’s DVD, Live In Baalbeck, filmed in Lebanon at the most magnificent and best preserved Roman temple in the world, presents the master and his trio in top form—the 82 minute concert include Jamal’s trademark song "Poinciana", Monty Alexander’s "You Can See" and "Spring Is Here", the joyful calypso "Island Fever", the complex "Topsy Turvy" and his inventive original, "In Search Of."

Product Description
As one of the leading pianists, arrangers and composers on the cutting edge of "American Classical Music" today and after 53 years in the recording industry, Ahmad Jamal continues to stake out provocative new territory on AFTER FAJR. Recorded in a "live" setting at the Centre des Arts in Enghien-les-Bains, France, at the Enghien Jazz Festival with long-time collaborators James Cammack on acoustic bass and Idris Muhammad on drums, Jamal explores the impressive bond between his religious beliefs (in the Islamic faith, ‘Fajr' is the obligatory salah before sunrise—the first of five prayers a day for a Muslim), his musical essences – jazz and classical music – and the understated approach to the piano.

As it is with any musician that has developed a major following among the general public, Ahmad Jamal continues to offer an uncompromising approach to his music with tasteful chord voicings, complex rhythmic tools, and with this recording - impressive vocal arrangements. His choice of repertoire continues to make him one of the most revered pianists on the international music scene.

Produced by Ahmad Jamal with Jean-François Deiber for Birdology Records, AFTER FAJR contains ten excellent compositions that attest to Jamal’s innovative multi-dimensional talents and his preference for the term American Classical Music. "I don’t call myself a jazz musician. I’ve studied too long for that. I consider my music to be American Classical Music. In fact, I personally coined that phrase because the term "jazz" ill-defines what we’re doing. In order to do what we’re doing, you must know Mozart, Duke Ellington, Franz Liszt, Beethoven, Count Basie, and Art Tatum. We’re not one-dimensional musicians and that is the challenging thing about American Classical Music and what they refer to as jazz," explains Jamal.

Now, well into the 21st Century, Ahmad Jamal’s award-winning musical roots continue to spread deeper across the oceans. The NEA Jazz Master and Duke Ellington Fellow is still swinging while retaining the most subdued dynamic level with his long-admired rhythm section of James Cammack and Idris Muhammad. With AFTER FAJR, a new generation of fans can now witness the substantive importance of this musical genius who is better than ever and shows no signs of slowing down.

Tracks:

I'm Old Fashioned
After Fajr
Milan
Yours Is My Heart Alone
Swahililand
My Heart Stood Still
Time On My Hands
Topsy Turvy
Manhattan Reflections

Album Description

As one of the leading pianists, arrangers and composers on the cutting edge of "American Classical Music" today and after 53 years in the recording industry, Ahmad Jamal continues to stake out provocative new territory on AFTER FAJR. Recorded in a "live" setting at the Centre des Arts in Enghien-les-Bains, France, at the Enghien Jazz Festival with long-time collaborators James Cammack on acoustic bass and Idris Muhammad on drums, Jamal explores the impressive bond between his religious beliefs (in the Islamic faith, `Fajr' is the obligatory salah before sunrise—the first of five prayers a day for a Muslim), his musical essences - jazz and classical music - and the understated approach to the piano.

Produced by Ahmad Jamal with Jean-François Deiber for Birdology Records, AFTER FAJR contains ten excellent compositions that attest to Jamal's innovative multi-dimensional talents and his preference for the term American Classical Music. "I don't call myself a jazz musician. I've studied too long for that. I consider my music to be American Classical Music. In fact, I personally coined that phrase because the term "jazz" ill-defines what we're doing. In order to do what we're doing, you must know Mozart, Duke Ellington, Franz Liszt, Beethoven, Count Basie, and Art Tatum. We're not one-dimensional musicians and that is the challenging thing about American Classical Music and what they refer to as jazz," explains Jamal.

Now, well into the 21st Century, Ahmad Jamal's award-winning musical roots continue to spread deeper across the oceans. The NEA Jazz Master and Duke Ellington Fellow is still swinging while retaining the most subdued dynamic level with his long-admired rhythm section of James Cammack and Idris Muhammad. With AFTER FAJR, a new generation of fans can now witness the substantive importance of this musical genius who is better than ever and shows no signs of slowing down.

Customer Reviews:

after fajr.......2006-06-25

When Ahmad Jamal releases a new album it is areal event in Jazz since he remains, for me, one of the few musicians that still plays jazz with an original voice.....for piano that's no small achievement.

This album has his signature all over it. However after the first listen I did not even try to listen to the entire album. I'm giving it another try as I write this review. I still hear the compassion and warmth in the groups playing that I long to hear. The tunes are not as arresting as some of his other albums but the cohesiveness of the groups playing is what comes accross.

The intricate interplay in the execution of the arrangements does not come through in this recording. It is such a shame that with an artist of Ahmad's stature a better quality recording process cannot be employed. The 'digitalness' of the sound subtracts form the great blending that the group clearly has honed more than any other -including the keith Jarrett trio. Maybe one day this album will be re-issued as a better quality format e.g. SACD which will make it far more listeneable.

If you do not have other Ahmad Albums then this is not the one to get, but certainly one to add to your collection.

By the way, I love the lyrics to the vocal track but I cannot listen to the over-honeyed vocal rendereing of the title track.

How the mighty have fallen.......2006-03-09

If you've heard Jamal's early work and are expecting something in that vein, you are bound to be most disappointed with After Fajr. I found this music difficult and unfulfilling.

In the 1950's and early 60's, Jamal was a jazz phenomenon. The main virtue of his work in those days was taking a popular song (or even one of his fine originals) and interpreting it in a simple, melodic, and powerful way. It was user-friendly to the non-jazz audience, and impressive to the mainstream jazz lover as well. There are two collections that represent an excellent sampling of this work: Cross Country Tour and Ahmad's Blues. This is the peak of classic Ahmad Jamal artistry.

The melodies on After Fajr can be extremely difficult. One song has a vocal part that even a classically trained vocalist would have difficulty executing in a confident fashion. Jamal's piano playing has become increasingly "flighty" for lack of a better word. He flits across the keyboard from one mood and one style to the next with no seque or warning. It is the performance equivalent of attention deficit syndrome.

If you want the easy listening cocktail-music style of Ahmad Jamal that made him famous, avoid this latest CD. I'm sure that some listeners will have an academic interest in this new release. It doesn't swing. It doesn't soar. It does not move me at all, except to the CD player, to take it out of the machine and put on something more tuneful.

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