Good morning.

Today we’re listening to Ahmad Jamal, an American jazz pianist from Pittsburgh. Jamal formed a piano-bass-drum trio in 1957 and the following year recorded one of the best-selling jazz pieces of the cool era. “Poinciana,” track six on At the Pershing, propelled the live album to sell over a million copies. Jamal opened his own club and in 1960 recorded the ever-uplifting Happy Moods. He took a three-year hiatus from music and then reformed his trio, recording The Awakening in 1970. Tracks on The Awakening have been sampled by the likes of Common and Gang Starr; “I Love Music” originated the iconic piano loop on Nas’s “The World Is Yours.”

The Awakening - Ahmad Jamal Trio (40m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music (?) / Tidal

At the Pershing: But Not For Me - Ahmad Jamal Trio (30m, some background hotel chatter)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Tidal

Happy Moods - Ahmad Jamal (30m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Tidal

Have a really nice Thursday.