Musical Performance featuring Ahmad Jamal
The Pacific Jazz Institute at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley presents for four nights, pianist/composer Ahmad Jamal touring in support of his new release It's Magic along with Idris Muhammad (drums) & James Cammack (bass). Set times Thursday through Saturday, 7:30pm & 9:30pm and Sunday at 7:30pm. Touring in support of his first new album in three years, It's Magic , legendary pianist and composer Ahmad Jamal has been performing around the world, writing new compositions, selling out concert halls, and discovering, producing, and nurturing new talent. At once majestic and familiar, the soon-to-be 78-years-old maestro, who was a major influence on Miles Davis, continues to expand his fan base, selling out concerts and garnering awards and honors. The eagerly awaited release It's Magic , is all about remembering the past while continuing to develop new territory. Dedicated to Jean-François Deiber, his friend and producer who passed away just before After Fajr's release, It's Magic features six originals, two of which have never been recorded, and three standards. No stranger to hit songs (Ahmad is one of the few jazz artists to score a Top 10 Pop hit with an instrumental ? ?Poinciana?), Ahmad has also been sampled extensively by hip-hop artists such as Jay-Z, Nas, and Common, among others. Last year, the French government inducted Mr. Jamal, for his exceptional accomplishments in ?American Classical Music,? into its prestigious Order of the Arts and Letters, naming him Officier de L?Ordre Des Arts et Des Lettres (Officer, Order of Arts and Letters). The Order of Arts and Letters, established in 1957 to recognize distinguished artists and writers and others who have contributed significantly to furthering the arts in France and around the world, is one of four French ministerial orders and the highest distinction for artistic or literary contributions. In being nominated to the rank of Officer, Mr. Jamal joins some of the most important American artists and writers including Ornette Coleman, Ralph Waldo Ellison, William Faulkner, Ella Fitzgerald, Allen Ginsberg, Toni Morrison and Charles Wadsworth. Ahmad Jamal is not just a living legend of jazz; he is one of the most inspired and inspiring artists in music today. An important and influential figure in jazz history, he introduced the concepts of space, silence and dramatic dynamics into jazz performance. He continues to influence diverse generation of artists from Herbie Hancock, Hiromi to Matthew Shipp. Mr. Ahmad Jamal, a National Endowment for the Arts American Jazz Masters Fellowship recipient, is an exclusive Steinway piano artist. www.ahmadjamal.net Press Images / Articles: Press Page
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