The landmark album marking the revival of jazz in the 1990s, finally available on vinyl!Released in 1995, The Essence Part One marks an inspired return for Ahmad Jamal, one of the most iconic pianists of modern jazz. This record was recorded between October 1994 in Paris (Studio Marcadet) and early 1995 in New York (Clinton Recording Studios).Surrounded by his trusted rhythm section - James Cammack (bass), Jamil Nasser (bass on two tracks), Idris Muhammad (drums), as well as Manolo Badrena on percussion - Jamal rediscovers a rare chemistry. On flute, the superb George Coleman makes a difference on two tracks, adding a unique color to the whole. Ahmad Jamal's style - at once percussive, refined, and dynamic - is fully expressed in this ambitious project, whose title track immediately evokes his so recognizable "Sound": subtle, spacious, and always surprising. In addition to original compositions ("Flight", "Toulouse", "The Essence"), the album offers elegantly revisited standards ("Lover Man", "Autumn Leaves"...).After two more understated records on Telarc in the early 1990s, The Essence Part One reclaims modernity by offering a breath of fresh air and the renewed vitality of one of jazz's sacred monsters.
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