Ahmad Jamal is an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader.http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp His career has spanned over six decades.http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp He had an impact on many artists from different genres, including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, John Legend, Nas, Jay-Z, De La Soul, and Kanye West.http://www.nea.gov/honors/jazz/jmCMS/master.php?id=1994_02&type=bio http://www.jazz.com/encyclopedia/jamal-ahmad http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_sampledby.asp

Frederick Russell Jones was born on July 2, 1930, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608002883/Ahmad-Jamal.html The pianist was a child prodigy; he began playing piano at the age of three.http://www.nea.gov/honors/jazz/jmCMS/master.php?id=1994_02&type=bio In high school, he studied classical piano with Mary Caldwell Dawson and James Miller.http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp Jones changed his name to Ahmad Jamal in 1950 after conversion to Islam.http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608002883/Ahmad-Jamal.html

In 1994, Ahmad Jamal received the American Jazz Masters Fellowship Award from the United States' National Endowment for the Arts.http://www.nea.gov/honors/jazz/jmCMS/master.php?id=1994_02&type=bio The award is the highest honor the country gives to jazz musicians.http://www.nea.gov/honors/jazz/index.html He received the Duke Ellington Fellow Award from Yale University in the same year.http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608002883/Ahmad-Jamal.html In 2007, Jamal was a honoree at the Living Jazz Legends Celebration.http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showEvent&event=MHJPB The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. hosted the event.http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showEvent&event=MHJPB

In 1947, Ahmad Jamal began his professional career, touring with George Hudson Orchestra.http://www.nea.gov/honors/jazz/jmCMS/master.php?id=1994_02&type=bio He formed his first trio, The Three Strings, in 1950.http://www.nea.gov/honors/jazz/jmCMS/master.php?id=1994_02&type=bio Art Tatum Teddy Williams, and Erroll Garner were his influences.http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608002883/Ahmad-Jamal.html http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp The pianist recorded his first album, Ahmad's Blues, for Okeh Records in 1951.http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp According to Jamal, his "most famous recording was done in Chicago in 1958 at the Pershing Hotel."http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp At that time, Israel Crosby (bass) and Vernell Fournier were his support.http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp Jamal has recorded music in every decade since the 1950s.http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician_discography.php?id=7955

Miles Davis covered many of Ahmad Jamal's arrangements and compositions, including "Ahmad's Blues," "On Green Dolphin Street," "New Rhumba," "Excerpts from the Blues," and "It Ain't Necessarily So."http://www.villagevoice.com/2010-10-13/music/ahmad-jamal-vindicated/ In his autobiography, Miles: The Autobiography (1989), Davis acknowledged Jamal's influence.http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp

In 1995, actor/director Clint Eastwood used two Jamal songs -- "But Not for Me" and "Poinciana" -- on "The Bridges of Madison County" soundtrack.http://www.ahmadjamal.info/biography.html

• Selected Discography

• 1951: Ahmad's Blues, Okeh/Columbiahttp://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp

• 1958: But Not For Me, Chesshttp://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp

• 1958: Live at the Pershing Lounge, Chesshttp://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp

• 1958-1961: Cross Country Tour, Chesshttp://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp

• 1965: Extensions, Impulse!http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp

• 1967: Standard Eyes, Impulse!http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp

• 1968: Cry Young, Impulse!http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp

• 1970: The Awakening, Impulse!http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp

• 1972: Freeflight, Impulse!http://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp

• 1987: Crystal, Atlantichttp://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp

• 1989: Pittsburgh, Atlantichttp://www.ahmadjamal.net/ahmad_career.asp

• 2005: After Fajr, Birdology/Dreyfushttp://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=18133

• 2008: It's Magic, Birdology/Dreyfushttp://jazztimes.com/articles/19475-it-s-magic-ahmad-jamal

• 2010: A Quiet Time, Birdology/Dreyfushttp://jazztimes.com/articles/25839-a-quiet-time-ahmad-jamal