Jazz for aficionados
Funny titles never stops to amaze me. A piece about cars being towed, man... Speaking of odd titles, a minute ago on local radio station https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iFq6eZBS1iM Oh, that's jazz... |
Ahmad Jamal is a jazz pianist who is one class act. I saw him when I was staying at the Holiday Inn, on North Shore Drive in Chicago in the mid 80's. He was appearing at "Ricks Cafe", which was located in the hotel. The place was designed to recreate the bar made famous by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in the movie classic "Casablanca." He was appearing with Frank Gant on Drums, and Othello Molineaux on steelpan. Those are two of the musicians I remember because we had drinks together after the show. As always, he put on a fantastic performance that was made so unusual by including Othello Molineaux on steel drums. Miles always admired Ahmad, "Play like Ahmad,” Miles Davis would tell his pianist Red Garland in the 1950s." It was in the mid 50's that I first became aware of Ahmad; I was staying with my cousin who lived two blocks from the Pershing Lounge on the South Side of Chicago. That was about the time he made his most famous album, "Ahmad Jamal At The Pershing" with his unforgettable version of "Poinciana". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0e2G32f3IU I had followed Ahmad Jamal's music from that time, till seeing him live in the ambiance of a night club that was modeled after "Ricks" club in the movie "Casablanca". it was by far the most memorable evening I can recall, as far as seeing a musician live. Once you enjoy the experience of seeing one of your favorite musicians in a nightclub where you are so close that you can see the changing expressions on the musicians face, there is no way you can relate to that "arena thing" anymore. After the show Frank and Othello joined me for drinks where we had a long discussion in regard to a jazz musician making a living in the States. Frank told me he had tickets in his pocket for Japan, and it would be tough without fans outside of the US. Othello was in very high spirits because he had almost stole the show; while Chicago fans had seen Ahmad many times over the years, they had never seen him with a steelpan drummer, and Othello could jam. (Why else would he have been with Ahmad). He was still high from his fantastic reception in Chicago, and said he hoped they would return after Japan. As a "jazz aficionado" I have so many fantastic memories to reflect on, and they come in handy during this "Covid Lock down". |
