b. Frederick Russell Jones, 2nd July, 1930, Pittsburgh, Pennysylvania, U.S.A.
Based in Los Angeles today, Ahmad Jamal began playing professionally in Pittsburgh when he was 11.
In the late '40's he joined George Hudson's Orchestra.
In 1951 he formed his first trio, the Three Strings, a group with guitarist Ray Crawford and bassist Eddie Calhoun.
Israel Crosby took Calhoun's place in 1955.
In 1956 Jamal switched to a piano-bass-drums trio with Walter Perkins replacing Crawford.
The trio broke up in 1962 but Jamal continued growing as a pianist (sometimes doubling on electric piano in the 1970's).
Ahmad Jamal made an impression on the UK 'jazz funk' scene with albums for 20th Century Records.
These included 'Ahmad'Jamal' in 1975, including 'The World Is A Ghetto' and 'Superstition' (co-produced by Richard Evans), 'One' in 1978 and 'Genetic Walk' in 1980 before his switch to Motown for 'Night Song' in 1980, including his version of, the Isaac Hayes tune, 'Deja Vu'.
Ahmad Jamal has recorded through the years for Epic, Argo / Cadet, Impulse, Catalyst, 20th Century, Motown Records, Atlantic and Telarc.
Albums:
Piano Scene (Epic 1951)
Poinciana [live] (Portrait 1952)
Chamber Music of New Jazz (Argo 1955)
Ahmad Jamal Trio (Epic 1955)
Count 'Em: 88 (Argo 1956)
But Not for Me (Affinity 1958)
Ahmad Jamal at the Pershing, Vol. 1 [live] (Argo 1958)
At the Pershing: But Not for Me (Chess 1958)
Ahmad Jamal at the Pershing, Vol. 2 [live] (Argo 1958)
Ahmad Jamal Trio, Vol. 4 (Argo 1958)
Ahmad's Blues (Chess / GRP 1958)
The Portfolio of Ahmad Jamal (Argo 1958)
Ahmad Jamal at the Penthouse [live] (Argo 1959)
Happy Moods (Argo 1960)
Listen to the Ahmad Jamal Quintet (Argo 1960)
All of You (Argo 1961)
Alhambra [live] (Argo 1961)
Ahmad Jamal at the Blackhawk [live] (Argo 1961)
Macanudo (Argo 1962)
Naked City Theme (Argo 1963)
The Roar of the Greasepaint (Argo 1965)
Extensions (Argo 1965)
Heat Wave (Cadet 1966)
Rhapsody (Cadet 1966)
Cry Young (Cadet 1966)
Standard Eyes (Cadet 1967)
The Bright, the Blue and the Beautiful (Cadet 1968)
Tranquility (Impulse! 1968)
At the Top: Poinciana Revisited [live] (Impulse! 1969)
Re-Evaluations: The Impulse Years (Impulse! 1974)
Ahmad Jamal (20th Century 1975)
Superstition (20th Century 1975)
One (20th Century 1978)
Genetic Walk (20th Century 1980)
Night Song (Motown Records 1980)
The Best of Ahmad Jamal (20th Century 1980)
At His Very Best (Pair 1989)
At His Best (Essex 1992)
The Essence of Ahmad Jamal, Pt. 1 (Verve 1994)
Sound of Jazz (Intercontinent 1996)
Priceless Jazz (GRP 1998)
Cross Country Tour: 1958-1961 (GRP 1998)
Baia (Jazz Time 1999)
Volume 26 (Galaxy Sound 1999)
Les Incontournables (Wea 2000)
Autumn in New York (International 2001)
