American Jazz musician Ahmad Jamal passed away on April 16th 2024 at the age of 92 in Ashley Falls, Massachusetts. According to informed sources, His wife Laura Hess – Hay and his daughter Sumayah Jamal confirmed his cause of death as prostate cancer.
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Early life and musical beginnings:
Frederick Russell Jones alias Ahmad Jamal, was born on July 2, 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was passionate for music since he was three years old. He started his formal training in music when he was seven. He was influenced by many jazz artists such as Mary Lou Williams, Erroll Garner, Billy Strayhorn, and Earl Hines. Jamal formally began playing piano when he was fourteen. He became popular for his song Poinciana from the album “At the Pershing: But not for me.”
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Jamal’s Mark on music:
Ahmad Jamal is popularly known for his use of space and dynamics in jazz music. His use of silence, pauses, and shifts in volume and tempo to create a sense of tension and release in music is often praised by critics and musicians. He is also known for his minimalist arrangements which allows the listeners to focus on the subtleties and nuances in his music.
Miles Davis who is one of the most prominent jazz musicians mentioned that Ahmad Jamal influenced his music. In his autobiography, Miles writes, “Ahmad Jamal was the first Jazz musician I heard who had a concept of space…He knocked me out with his economy and his space.”
Many others shared this view including, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, etc.
He also influenced many modern hip-hop artists who used his piano riffs in their samples. Such as Nas (hip-hop artist), who sampled Jamal’s “I love music” in his song “The world is yours.”
De La Soul also sampled Jamal’s “Swahililand” in his song “Stakes is high.”
Many other artists like J. Dilla, A Tribe called quest, common, etc, also sampled Jamal’s work in their songs.
The world mourns:
After his passing, social media expressed its sorrow. A common notion was shared by everyone that his music lives on.
American Bassist Christian McBride expresses his grief on twitter saying that he was in the same room with Ahmad Jamal many times but never had the courage to talk to him. He expressed gratitude towards Jamal for the music he gave to this world.
American musician Questlove and many other also posted on Instagram expressing their respect for Jamal.
Throughout his career, Jamal revolutionized the genre with his nuanced approach to harmony, rhythm, and improvisation. He inspired many musicians and fans through his passion for music. Though, Loss is a great sorrow, Jamal will always stay as one of the most influential jazz musicians. His work and techniques will live on through his impact on modern musicians. His legacy is a proof to the power of art to connect people from different cultures and generations. His minimalistic approach and the prominence he gives to subtlety is what makes him unique.
