There are a number of outstanding jazz legacies newly found and saw the light of day. I have picked out three of the most historically valuable pieces unearthed in the autumn and winter of 2022.

#205 Live Performance by Ahmad Jamal’s Stylish Trio

Emerald City Nights ~ Ahmad Jamal
(Jazz Detective CD ⇒ King International KKJ-203, 204, LP ⇒ LP DDJD-001, 002)

Ahmad Jamal is one of the leading stylists in the jazz piano world. He makes his piano performance stylish with his unique “pause”. He creates an exquisite groove from his subtle arrangements and ingenious ideas in every performance. That is Jamal’s inimitable style. The musical pieces selected from his performances at the “Penthouse,” a club in Seattle, between 1963 and 1966 were released last autumn as two sets of double CDs and two sets of double LPs. Jamal was in his mid-30s at the time and was really on a roll!　He plays light phrases as if he were dancing on the beats generated by the bass and drums creating joyful atmosphere.

Jamal’s delicate and dynamic piano touch was highly praised by Miles Davis. His style of playing not too much but playing his parts in a cool way brings in the pleasant sense of tension. Jamal has released many albums and become a popular pianist, but since this is a live performance, he has plenty of time to play the piano, making us feel as if we were at the venue. The “1963-64” set included ＜But Not for Me＞. The “1965-1966” set includes Jamal’s hits such as ＜Poinciana＞. This is the first release on the newly established Jazz Detective label by Zev Feldman, a well-known producer discovering superb music. The recording is fabulous, capturing the club atmosphere at its finest.

#206 Enjoying Miles in 80’s Once Again

That’s What Happened 1982-1985: The Bootleg Series Vol. 7 / Miles Davis
(Sony Music SICJ-30029-31)

The previously unreleased Miles Davis’s sound sources which have been kept releasing as the “Bootleg Series” are from the 1950s to the 1970s. However, “Vol. 7” released last year features only Miles in the 1980s. The recordings were made during the sessions for “Star People,” “Decoy,” and “You’re under Arrest,” which Miles played when he made a comeback from several years of blank periods, and at the concert in Montreal in the summer of 1983.

At that time, Miles was also the talk of the town for performing Cyndi Lauper’s hit song, “Time after Time” and Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature,” and those were also recorded separately. The album also features a session with J.J. Johnson, the trombonist, who was not included in the original album. J.J.’s spontaneous solo performance is also worth listening to. The live performance in Montreal, which lasts nearly 80 minutes, features extraordinary Miles freely blowing thrilling phrases over funky beats created by Al Foster and Darryl Jones. Miles being on top of his game together with his sidemen’s great performance are spectacular. The set includes both exciting live performances and studio recordings, and it gives us the great opportunity to experience the fun and joy of Miles in the 80's once again.