the_Bandstand
Artists of the Week
“All my inspiration comes from Ahmad Jamal.”
– Miles Davis
“Coming from a lineage of world-famous Pittsburgh jazz pianists including Earl Hines, Mary Lou Williams, Billy Strayhorn, and Erroll Garner, Jamal crafted a piano sound that extended earlier approaches while also emerging as uniquely new. While those earlier figures were primarily known for overtly virtuosic, pyrotechnic displays of pianistic brilliance, Jamal’s style was airy, pared down, and unmistakably tasteful. This new approach became a central direction for jazz in the late 50s and 1960s.” – University of Pittsburgh, Department of Music: Jazz Studies
“His extensive foundation in R&B combined with a mastery of bebop and simplicity that put expressiveness ahead of technical expertise. Green was a superb blues interpreter, and his later material was predominantly blues and R&B, though he was also a wondrous ballad and standards soloist. He was a particular admirer of Charlie Parker, and his phrasing often reflected it. Green played in the ’50s with Jimmy Forrest, Harry Edison, and Lou Donaldson.” – Blue Note Records
Elvin Jones’ playing style was marked by his groundbreaking use of polyrhythms and complex, interlocking rhythms, which he combined with a powerful, high-energy approach and a deeply expressive swing feel. Known for his dynamic, all-encompassing drumming, Jones employed the entire drum kit to produce a wide range of tones and textures, often playing with a driving intensity that was both conversational and fluid. His ability to weave intricate rhythmic patterns while engaging interactively with fellow musicians made his drumming not just a backbone of the rhythm section but a central, dynamic force in the music.