Search - Ahmad Jamal :: Poinciana

Essential recordings

Alejandro Regueiro | Buenos Aires, Argentina | 03/04/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As Miles Davis tells in his autobiography, Jamal's approach to jazz deeply influenced him. This recordings with a drumless trio, featuring Ray Crawford on guitar, show an incredible level of interplay and a carefully balanced alternation between arranged and improvised passages. There is a lot of virtuosity, but it is always functional to the mood and swing of the songs, many of which were later rendered by the famous quintet of Miles Davis with John Coltrane. It is also a kind of classical feeling in the clean touch of Jamal, that turns the music easy to listen in spite of its deepness."

Lousy remaster

Michael C. Webb | RI | 08/01/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Sound quality is poor, distant, lacking any stage or presence. Also dissapointed with the version of Poinciana, mostly guitar by soemone I never heard of, and was not mentioned in the liner notes. Overall, a miss sonically and in the packaging."

Tuneful, lightly swinging jazz from 1955

Tom B | Westport, CT USA | 10/24/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ahmad Jamal's early music was immensely tuneful and rhythmic, a treat for jazz lovers, and easy for jazz newcomers to tap their toes to and hum along. It's infectious, upbeat and at the same time compelling and involving. Miles Davis was a fan, who "liked the the level of excitement that Ahmad Jamal achieved without being obvious." Jamal can play as fast as anyone, but chooses to restrain himself and use only what works to get the listener involved. Jamal was at his best performing live, and this record is a good example of that. When you listen to this mature, confident, brilliant and accomplished pianist, it's hard to believe that he was only 25 when the record was made! This is the kind of CD that you can't go wrong with: Great tunes, great melody, mellow but lively sound, and rewarding to many repeated listens. I love it. Once you're hooked on this album, pick up The Ahmad Jamal Trio, with songs like Perfidia, Rica Pulpa and others, at least as tuneful and gently rhythmical as this. They're both no-lose propositions. Great, enjoyable, intelligent and swinging music."