An evening with Shania and Ahmad

My musical tastes are eclectic, to say the least.  Listened to Shania for a while -- I love her voice and her songs.  Let's remember one thing, Mutt Lange may have left Shania, but they both got their money's worth out of that marriage.  Without Mutt, Shania would have remained a backwater act from Timmins.  He was the genius who made her with his amazing production skills of her songs.   

And then Ahmad came on.  "Live at the Pershing" was recorded in 1958 and is one of the greatest jazz albums of all time. 

Ahmad Jamal was born in 1930 as "Frederick Russell Jones".  (Needless to say, he converted to Islam.)  He is one of the greatest jazz pianists...ever.  I was first introduced to Jamal by an old boyfriend, Rusty Davidson, back in 1964.  I mean, what teenager listened to jazz back then -- or ever??!!  Rusty did.  I just loved Jamal, especially "But not for me".  That song was majic.  We played and played it on his record player, remember those?  You put the album on and round and round it turned. 

I am not a big fan of jazz, but Ahmad Jamal hit me like a ton of bricks.  "Live at the Pershing" was old-style.  People coughing, clapping, drinks clinking, laughing...........it is all there on the album.  No studio stuff, no re-recording, no enhancements of any kind.  There they were, just playing, with a primative microphone stuck somewhere amid the instruments.  What amazes me about Jamal is not what he plays, but the notes he doesn't play.  You hear them in your head, but they are not there.  They don't have to be.  How does he do that!  He also uses the very highest keys on the piano to great effect.  The guy is a musical genius. 

Just googled him and enjoyed a concert on line.  I had not forgotten Rusty's album, but could not find it anywhere.  Luckily, I went on "E-Bay" and "presto-chango", there it was!  I bought his original Pershing CD.  A guy from Florida had one of the last copies and I snagged it.  Sublime.