elevated Common’s peerless “Resurrection” by lifting a precise riff from Jamal’s plaintive rendition of “Dolphin Dance” whilst the head-nod quality of All Natural's hypnotic “Renaissance” owes it all to the looped keys of Jamal's take on “You're My Everything”. Indeed, both the experimental “DJ Premier In Deep Concentration” and Shadez Of Brooklyn’s seminal “Change” utilised Jamal’s sparse title-track to stunning effect.Ī melancholy motif from “I Love Music” was employed by Pete Rock for Nas’s crucial “The World Is Yours” whilst, over a more abstract refrain from the same track, Jeru memorably delivered his “Me Or The Papes” ultimatum. A defining album of hip-hop culture, producers of the highest calibre have famously sampled elements of this timeless record to lace all-timers with a foundation for their most legendary tracks. It is impossible to discuss The Awakening without acknowledging its indelible mark on golden age rap.
AHMAD JAMAL THE AWAKENING FREE
Free to juggle rhythmic dexterity with harmonic intricacy, Jamal brilliantly performed groove-oriented compositions written by himself, alongside wonderful renditions of tracks by Herbie Hancock, Oliver Nelson and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Backed by the exquisite timing of bassist Jamil Nasser and the precision of Frank Gant’s drumming, he was liberated by the reliability of the trio setup. A consummate orchestrator of his own complex arrangements, Jamal was emboldened here by his potent sidemen. The Awakening showcased his fast, richly melodic chops in remarkable variation. The landmark deep trio session - recorded in NYC and released on Impulse! in 1970 - is an essential album and perennially sought-after on vinyl, so Be With Records are delighted to make it available again.Īs a “Zen master of jazz piano” and one of its greatest innovators, Jamal evolved his elegant sound with this adventurous record. This record needs a reissue on vinyl in a bad way-prices of previous pressings on the secondary market send the needle on the stupid-o-meter into the red zone.Ahmad Jamal is a jazz giant and The Awakening is his iconic masterpiece. Ahmad Jamal’s ‘The Awakening’ is the total package.
If you’re not familiar with it, please dive in.
If you know it, I hope you love it as much as I do. They are also a bridge between past and present, with “The Awakening” and “I Love Music” well-established in the world of hip-hop, including Jeru the Damaja’s “Me or the Papes,” Common’s “Resurrection,” and the well-known sample on “The World Is Yours” from Nas’s iconic ‘Illmatic.’ Many others have tapped ‘The Awakening’ for its rich veins of sample-worthy moments, which keep the magic of this album fresh for new generations. In the latter case, they manage to fill the shoes of Nelson’s larger combo with confidence and style. The trio’s interpretations of modern jazz standards like Herbie Hancock’s “Dolphin Dance” and Oliver Nelson’s “Stolen Moments” are outstanding. Jamal’s “second great trio” is a finely calibrated unit, brothers-of-the-road, with enough shared performance experience to make their interplay razor sharp. The playing by this trio-Ahmad Jamal-piano, Jamil Nasser-bass, and Frank Grant-drums-is superb. Sessions for Ahmad Jamal’s ‘The Awakening’ began on this day.
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