Ahmad Jamal was a jazz pianist and bandleader known for his minimalist style and for songs including “Poinciana.”
- Died: April 16, 2023 (Who else died on April 16?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Ashley Falls, Massachusetts of complications from prostate cancer at the age of 92.
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Ahmad Jamal’s legacy
Born Frederick Russell Jones, Jamal learned the piano young and was playing professionally by his early teens. As a young professional, just ahead of his 1951 debut album, he converted to Islam and changed his name to reflect his new faith. Jamal made his first recordings as the leader of the Three Strings, a trio that also included guitar and bass. With the Three Strings, Jamal made one of his best-known recordings, 1958’s “Poinciana,” interpreting a Latin jazz standard. The album on which it appeared, “Ahmad Jamal at the Pershing: But Not for Me,” was a massive hit, selling a million copies.
Jamal achieved his first moment of fame as a jazz great just as the genre was being eclipsed by rock and roll and maintained a busy career. Among his notable recordings were an electronic keyboard version of “Suicide is Painless,” the theme song to the film “M*A*S*H,” as well as “Love for Sale,” “Don’t Blame Me,” and “Ahmad’s Blues.” His music came to be sampled by hip-hop artists including Jay-Z and De La Soul.
Jamal’s spare, minimalist style was influential on other jazz musicians. Notable artists who admired and drew on his style included Miles Davis (1926–1991) and McCoy Tyner (1938–2020). Jamal was named an American Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1994. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts named him a Living Jazz Legend in 2007, and in 2017, he was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Notable quote
“I started playing at three years old, which is very, very young. That’s what I say when people ask, ‘How did you choose music?’ I say, when you are that young, you don’t make conscious decisions, Joe. Music chose me; I didn’t choose it….” —from a 2011 interview with Joe Alterman
Tributes to Ahmad Jamal
Full obituary: The Washington Post
