hen asked what fascinates him most about jazz, Ahmad Jamal said “…the confusion about the world itself—that’s what fascinates me. The confusion—because to me, there is no such thing as ‘Jazz!’— Duke Ellington never called himself a jazz musician. Count Basie never called himself a jazz musician. And that’s what fascinates me—the way we have sophisticated such an unsophisticated term. We have made it very sophisticated, but the term itself was unsophisticated and never intended to become this sophisticated.”

Admittedly, I have infinitely more rock, pop and hip-hop CD’s in my collection than jazz, but more often than not I find myself going back over and over again to listen to the blue notes spit out of Miles Davis’ trumpet or the smoothness of Stan Getz’ saxophone. Those of us who love jazz but couldn’t explain its rules to save our lives know that it isn’t merely about understanding. It has to be felt in order to be understood.

	Some consider innovator Ahmad Jamal the creator of the jazz trio.

For many, myself included, jazz is confusing. I have a love for listening to it, but can’t understand why it’s so brilliant. It seems that it’s usually placed upon this pedestal that only the über-hip and très chic can understand. You know the clichéd type: berets, black turtlenecks, French cigarettes and American accents—the typical pretentious art wanker. But jazz doesn’t have to be that. Jazz is all about taking risks and not worrying about making mistakes. It’s a fabulous balance between intellect and soul. Without the rules, one cannot break them and without the soul, there is no motivation to break the rules.

Ahmad Jamal began breaking the rules at the age of 3 when, as a child prodigy, he began playing the piano. By the time he was in high school, he was already at a master level, studying with noted concert singer and teacher Mary Caldwell Dawson and pianist James Miller. In 1950, Jamal formed his first trio, The Three Strings. From there he embarked on a career as one of the most creative and engaging jazz pianists of the modern era. His discography includes countless recordings of conceptual jazz as well original arrangements of standards such as “On Green Dolphin Street,” “End of Love Affair” and “A Time for Love.”

Jamal is credited for forming the jazz trio, using drums, bass and piano like an orchestra. His style consists of separate roles for all three instruments that create many rhythmic innovations and colorful explorations of harmony.

Another hallmark of Jamal’s music is his unique sense of space, making his musical concepts exciting without being loud. He is known among certain circles to have had the same impact on jazz as greats like Jelly Roll Morton, Count Basie and Thelonious Monk. In 1994, Jamal was named a Duke Ellington Fellow at Yale University. In that same year he also received the American Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Jamal is still one of the outright commanding, creative forces in the world of jazz. Hearing his style is just as fresh as it was five decades ago.

Jamal will be playing at the Sheraton City Centre on September 15. More information is available by calling (801) 278-0411. Tickets are $25.
haley@red-mag.com