TEN SONGS Ahmad

Jamal, Poinciana

In the dying years of vinyl, record label Blue Note released a triplealbum featuring a collection of some of the greatest songs from their greatest artists. A collection taken, spanning their releases since their beginning in 1939. There was so much to appreciate and so much to enjoy. This release came in the 90’s, from memory. A song that reached out and grabbed me from this imposing list, was a live version of Ahmad Jamal doing Poinciana. It was taken from his 1958 album, At The Pershing. So, this version remains one of my all-time favourites. It’s gratifying solace comforts, whether listening at midnight under the stars, after a couple of Smokehead scotch’s, or on a summer’s day spent lazing in the garden.

As I researched Amad, I was taken by his uniqueness of his music. He leapt boundaries and produced the beautiful. If I look back now, to that time of discovery of a great artist and his music, it all seems artistic in its ambience. The Blue Note vinyl playing on warm afternoons and/ or at nights, in the beachside apartment I lived in at the time. The sounds of Ahmad and Poinciana massaging the senses. This great man and his take on great songs became an important part of my musical education and appreciation. But it was this live version of Poinciana that first alerted me to his brilliance.

As Miles Davis once said, “All my inspiration comes from Ahmad Jamal.”

JACK P KELLERMAN