Richard Davis, the prolific bassist who adorned jazz classics by Pharoah Sanders, Eric Dolphy, and Andrew Hill and laid the musical foundation for Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks, has died at the age of 93.
Davis’ daughter Persia confirmed her father’s death Thursday on both a memorial page and to Madison 365; Davis taught at the University of Wisconsin for over 40 years, but spent the last two years in hospice care. “We appreciate all the love and support the community has shown him over the years,” Persia Davis added.
The Chicago-born...
Davis’ daughter Persia confirmed her father’s death Thursday on both a memorial page and to Madison 365; Davis taught at the University of Wisconsin for over 40 years, but spent the last two years in hospice care. “We appreciate all the love and support the community has shown him over the years,” Persia Davis added.
The Chicago-born...
- 9/7/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Ahmad Jamal, the pianist and band leader who helped pioneer the influential style that would come to be called cool jazz, died Sunday of prostate cancer at his home in Ashley Falls, Mass. He was 92.
His death was announced by his daughter Sumayah Jamal.
“All my inspiration comes from Ahmad Jamal,” trumpeter Miles Davis once famously said, just one of many musical icons and jazz devotees who credit Jamal with impacting the direction of the form away from the speed and busyness of bebop toward a more spare approach.
Jamal often described his playing style by saying he honored the spaces between the notes, a less-is-more approach that in the 1950s was initially dismissed by critics as superficial cocktail lounge music.
The record-buying public disagreed, and Jamal’s 1958 album At the Pershing: But Not for Me spent an unprecedented two years on Billboard’s album chart. The freeform, relaxed but...
His death was announced by his daughter Sumayah Jamal.
“All my inspiration comes from Ahmad Jamal,” trumpeter Miles Davis once famously said, just one of many musical icons and jazz devotees who credit Jamal with impacting the direction of the form away from the speed and busyness of bebop toward a more spare approach.
Jamal often described his playing style by saying he honored the spaces between the notes, a less-is-more approach that in the 1950s was initially dismissed by critics as superficial cocktail lounge music.
The record-buying public disagreed, and Jamal’s 1958 album At the Pershing: But Not for Me spent an unprecedented two years on Billboard’s album chart. The freeform, relaxed but...
- 4/17/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Groundbreaking jazz pianist and composer Ahmad Jamal died this weekend, as per reports in the New York Times and other outlets. He was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys in 2017. He was also nominated for two Grammys, one for his 2013 album “Blue Moon,” and also for his funky 1980s cover of Bobby Womack’s “You’re Welcome, Stop on By,” which was later sampled by multiple hip-hop artists. He was also the recipient of an Nea Jazz Masters Award, and Kennedy Center Legend Award, and was named to the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 2007. He was 92 years old.
The Pittsburgh-born pianist, who trained in Western classical music, was a noted prodigy in his youth, and began his professional career in his teens. On the road, the young man born Frederick Jones was welcomed by the Muslim community in the Detroit area,...
The Pittsburgh-born pianist, who trained in Western classical music, was a noted prodigy in his youth, and began his professional career in his teens. On the road, the young man born Frederick Jones was welcomed by the Muslim community in the Detroit area,...
- 4/17/2023
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Ahmad Jamal, the influential jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader, has died at the age of 92 following complications from prostate cancer.
Jamal was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and began playing piano at the age of three. As a teenager, he attended the prestigious Westinghouse High School, where he honed his skills as a pianist and composer. In 1949, Jamal moved to Chicago, where he linked up with musicians like Von Freeman and Claude McLin. It was during this time that he converted to Islam and changed his name from Frederick Russell Jones to Ahmad Jamal. He began performing as a solo pianist at clubs in Chicago and eventually formed his own trio in 1951, featuring guitarist Ray Crawford and bassist Eddie Calhoun.
The Ahmad Jamal Trio — which later featured drummer Vernel Fournier and bassist Israel Crosby — gained notoriety following the release of their 1958 live album, At the Pershing: But Not for Me. Recorded...
Jamal was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and began playing piano at the age of three. As a teenager, he attended the prestigious Westinghouse High School, where he honed his skills as a pianist and composer. In 1949, Jamal moved to Chicago, where he linked up with musicians like Von Freeman and Claude McLin. It was during this time that he converted to Islam and changed his name from Frederick Russell Jones to Ahmad Jamal. He began performing as a solo pianist at clubs in Chicago and eventually formed his own trio in 1951, featuring guitarist Ray Crawford and bassist Eddie Calhoun.
The Ahmad Jamal Trio — which later featured drummer Vernel Fournier and bassist Israel Crosby — gained notoriety following the release of their 1958 live album, At the Pershing: But Not for Me. Recorded...
- 4/17/2023
- by Consequence Staff
- Consequence - Music
Ahmad Jamal, the influential jazz pianist whose style influenced generations of musicians for seven decades, died on Sunday, The Washington Post reports. He was 92. His wife, Laura Hess-Hey, confirmed the news to the newspaper. No further details were disclosed.
Jamal began his professional career while still in high school in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and continued to create and influence multiple music genres through his seven-decade career. Originally performing under the name Fritz Jones, he was among the first African American artists who publicly adopted the Muslim faith and...
Jamal began his professional career while still in high school in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and continued to create and influence multiple music genres through his seven-decade career. Originally performing under the name Fritz Jones, he was among the first African American artists who publicly adopted the Muslim faith and...
- 4/17/2023
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
The recording academy will pay tribute to this year’s lifetime achievement honorees with a concert at New York’s Beacon Theater on July 11. Each of the six artists being feted are — Shirley Caesar, Ahmad Jamal, Charley Pride, Jimmie Rodgers, Nina Simone, Sly Stone, and the Velvet Underground — will be honored by others whom […]...
- 7/7/2017
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
The recording academy will pay tribute to this year’s lifetime achievement honorees with a concert at New York’s Beacon Theater on July 11. Each of the six artists being feted are — Shirley Caesar, Ahmad Jamal, Charley Pride, Jimmie Rodgers, Nina Simone, Sly Stone, and the Velvet Underground — will be honored by others whom […]...
- 6/27/2017
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Jazz music has long expressed its capacity to borrow from various, sometimes contradictory sources in order to create something which in every sense transcends the original elements. Since the earliest days of jazz as a musical form, it has been inspired by military and funeral marches; has stylishly interpreted popular songs; and even brought the classical intricacies of Wagner into the domain of swinging brasses and reeds. This multiculturalism and eclecticism of jazz likens it to cinema which, in turn, has transformed pop culture motifs into something close to the sublime and mixed ‘high’ and ‘low’ artistic gestures to remarkable effect.In the history of jazz, the evolution from ragtime or traditional tunes, to discovering the treasure trove of Broadway songs was fast and smooth. The latter influence was shared by cinema, as the history of film production quickly marched on. The emergence of ‘talkies’ in the United States meant rediscovering Broadway,...
- 6/1/2015
- by Ehsan Khoshbakht
- MUBI
"The main thing about Marty's use of music is he's fearless, creatively fearless," music supervisor Randall Poster recently told THR about working on "The Wolf Of Wall Street" and he's certainly not kidding. While the official soundtrack release for the film features 16 songs, that's a mere drop in the water of the nearly 60 tunes licensed for the movie. As you might expect, the nearly three hour epic is packed with music with nary a frame going by without a song to go with it. And below we have a taste of just how wide-reaching the music goes and some of the key cuts that are missing from the store bought soundtrack. Perhaps most notably, Foo Fighters' "Everlong" backs a key sequence in the film while hip hop cuts by Cypress Hill, Sir Mix A Lot and Naughty By Nature are also pretty prominent. And while Ahmad Jamal gets one cut on the official soundtrack,...
- 12/27/2013
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Leo paired up with Scorsese for what feels like the hundredth time for ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ and we’re still not sick of it. The critics have spoken and overall, while yes, it’s three hour long (it is Scorsese) it’s totally worth it and flies by with ‘merciless’ laughs.
The Wolf of Wall Street hit theaters Dec. 25, and it was a pretty good Christmas gift for most — if you have the time to spare. Leonardo DiCaprio takes on the role of real-life stockbroker, Jordan Belfort. The movie is based around Jordan’s memoirs. With supporting roles by Jonah Hill and Matthew McConaughey, it takes on a comedic, yet frisky look at the ups and downs of Wall Street – drugs, sex, corruption and all. Read the reviews below!
‘The Wolf Of Wall Street’ Reviews
Rolling Stone
Pow. Pow. Pow. Pow. Pow. That’s how Martin Scorsese’s...
The Wolf of Wall Street hit theaters Dec. 25, and it was a pretty good Christmas gift for most — if you have the time to spare. Leonardo DiCaprio takes on the role of real-life stockbroker, Jordan Belfort. The movie is based around Jordan’s memoirs. With supporting roles by Jonah Hill and Matthew McConaughey, it takes on a comedic, yet frisky look at the ups and downs of Wall Street – drugs, sex, corruption and all. Read the reviews below!
‘The Wolf Of Wall Street’ Reviews
Rolling Stone
Pow. Pow. Pow. Pow. Pow. That’s how Martin Scorsese’s...
- 12/26/2013
- by Emily Longeretta
- HollywoodLife
Yes, some of us at The Playlist have seen the 3-hour ode to excess "The Wolf Of Wall Street," and no, we're not able to talk about it yet. But we can say this: when looking over the tracklisting for the upcoming soundtrack release, one of us quipped, "How is this soundtrack not a 5-disc box set?" Indeed, there is a lot of music in Martin Scorsese's upcoming epic but sixteen of those tracks have been rounded up into one place and it's a pretty good mix. Perhaps continuing a movie music year dominated by roots music (see "Inside Llewyn Davis" and "The Broken Circle Breakdown"), "The Wolf Of Wall Street" rolls hard with blues and jazz featuring Cannonball Adderley, Ahmad Jamal, Bo Diddley and Howlin' Wolf. A little bit of pop shines through with Billy Joel, while The Lemonheads add a distinct '90s flavor to the proceedings.
- 12/11/2013
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
David Ayers Wicked and Silence in the role of 'Robert,' Billie Holiday's Manager along with newcomer Rafael Poueriet in the role of the 'Assistant Stage manager' as well as Jim Cammack veteran bass player for legendary jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, Ken Hitchcock NY Saxophone Quartet amp Manhattan Jazz Orchestra's acclaimed tenor sax player, Jerome Jennings performer amp drummer for Benny Golson and Sonny Rollins and Bill Jolly three-time Emmy Award winning pianistcomposerarranger in the speaking roles of the onstage musicians complete the acting ensemble for the upcoming Billie Holiday musical 'Lady Day' starring Tony and multiple Grammy Award-winner Dee Dee Bridgewater. With an opening set for Thursday, October 3rd 630Pm the production will take residence at Times Square's Little Shubert Theatre 422 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues. Written and directed by Stephen Stahl, the musical will make its New York debut having been produced at the...
- 6/27/2013
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
While still fighting for independence and global recognition, Palestinians had a big reason to celebrate Saturday when one of their own, 23-year-old Mohammed Assaf of the Khan Younis refugee camp, won the second season of Arab Idol. The show, which airs live from Lebanon, is a pan-Middle Eastern edition of the American mothership, broadcast on the region’s Mbc network. Assaf went up against Syrian Farah Youssef and Egyptian Ahmad Jamal, and feared he might be at a disadvantage, as his opponents were from well-established Arab countries whose residents could rally support for their representatives for the
read more...
read more...
- 6/23/2013
- by David Caspi
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
DVD Release Date: April 9, 2013
Price: DVD $24.95
Studio: First Run Features
The life and career of the great Erroll Garner is chronicled in No One Can Hear You Read.
The 2012 documentary film Erroll Garner: No One Can Hear You Read examines the life and career of the ground-breaking musician who pushed the playability of the piano to its limits, developed an international reputation, and made an indelible mark on the jazz world.
Directed by Atticus Brady, the film explores Erroll’s childhood in Pittsburgh; his meteoric rise in popularity while playing in New York, the origins of his most famous album (Concert By The Sea) and his story behind his most famous composition (Misty).
The hour-long No One Can Hear You Read utilizes an array of archival materials interwoven with interviews with friends, family, and fellow musicians, and features from such fans and followers as insights Woody Allen, Ahmad Jamal, Steve Allen,...
Price: DVD $24.95
Studio: First Run Features
The life and career of the great Erroll Garner is chronicled in No One Can Hear You Read.
The 2012 documentary film Erroll Garner: No One Can Hear You Read examines the life and career of the ground-breaking musician who pushed the playability of the piano to its limits, developed an international reputation, and made an indelible mark on the jazz world.
Directed by Atticus Brady, the film explores Erroll’s childhood in Pittsburgh; his meteoric rise in popularity while playing in New York, the origins of his most famous album (Concert By The Sea) and his story behind his most famous composition (Misty).
The hour-long No One Can Hear You Read utilizes an array of archival materials interwoven with interviews with friends, family, and fellow musicians, and features from such fans and followers as insights Woody Allen, Ahmad Jamal, Steve Allen,...
- 3/21/2013
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
The 55th Grammy Awards have arrived, and music's biggest night promises a ton of trophies, and hopefully some great live performances by today's hottest acts. Who has the best record of 2012? How about the year's best new artist? Stick with Zap2it throughout the night, as we continue updating the list of this year's winners!
All of the award categories are below, with the winners in bold.
Record of the Year"Lonely Boy" by The Black Keys"Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" by Kelly Clarkson"We Are Young" by Fun., featuring Janelle Monáe"Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye, featuring Kimbra"Thinkin Bout You" by Frank Ocean"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" by Taylor Swift
Album of the Year"El Camino" by The Black Keys"Some Nights" by Fun."Babel" by Mumford & Sons"Channel Orange" by Frank Ocean"Blunderbuss" by Jack White
Song of the Year...
All of the award categories are below, with the winners in bold.
Record of the Year"Lonely Boy" by The Black Keys"Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" by Kelly Clarkson"We Are Young" by Fun., featuring Janelle Monáe"Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye, featuring Kimbra"Thinkin Bout You" by Frank Ocean"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" by Taylor Swift
Album of the Year"El Camino" by The Black Keys"Some Nights" by Fun."Babel" by Mumford & Sons"Channel Orange" by Frank Ocean"Blunderbuss" by Jack White
Song of the Year...
- 2/11/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Iran In Color Dreams And Visions Of Stan Brakhage
How can we approach Stan Brakhage’s world? Shall we return to his inspiration drawn from the poets of San Francisco and the New York experimental filmmakers of the 1950s? Should we consider his inadequate filmmaking facilities which shrank every year, eventually reducing him to scratching negatives with his fingernails on the hospital bed at the end of his life? Besides all his sources of inspiration, from Eisenstein and Dreyer to Gertrud Stein and Rilke, I intend to examine rather an obscure source material for 18 short films of Brakhage, which most probably hasn’t been taken into consideration yet: Iran and its classical arts.
These 18 short films, called Persians, and made between 1999 to 2001, are among his last films, and based on years of studying Iran’s art and culture. They have been made by the methods of painting and scratching on...
How can we approach Stan Brakhage’s world? Shall we return to his inspiration drawn from the poets of San Francisco and the New York experimental filmmakers of the 1950s? Should we consider his inadequate filmmaking facilities which shrank every year, eventually reducing him to scratching negatives with his fingernails on the hospital bed at the end of his life? Besides all his sources of inspiration, from Eisenstein and Dreyer to Gertrud Stein and Rilke, I intend to examine rather an obscure source material for 18 short films of Brakhage, which most probably hasn’t been taken into consideration yet: Iran and its classical arts.
These 18 short films, called Persians, and made between 1999 to 2001, are among his last films, and based on years of studying Iran’s art and culture. They have been made by the methods of painting and scratching on...
- 10/22/2012
- by Ehsan Khoshbakht
- MUBI
Clint Eastwood took centre stage at a music gala in California last week (ends06May12) to honour his jazz hero Ahmad Jamal.
The actor/director is a big fan of the legendary pianist and included his music in his 1995 film The Bridges of Madison County, so he was delighted to be given the chance to present Jamal with an award at the Sfjazz Gala in San Fransisco, California on Friday.
Eastwood paid tribute to his hero and expressed his love of jazz in a speech before handing the Honouree Award to Jamal, telling the crowd, "Jazz is a true American art form. It was born in this country, and it can't be imitated anywhere else. And that includes the Western movie, too..." adding of Jamal, "The thing is what he doesn't play; it's what's in between the notes."
Comedian Chris Tucker was another honouree at the event, receiving the NAACP/Sfjazz Humanitarian prize, while the night also featured a video message from music legend Stevie Wonder.
The actor/director is a big fan of the legendary pianist and included his music in his 1995 film The Bridges of Madison County, so he was delighted to be given the chance to present Jamal with an award at the Sfjazz Gala in San Fransisco, California on Friday.
Eastwood paid tribute to his hero and expressed his love of jazz in a speech before handing the Honouree Award to Jamal, telling the crowd, "Jazz is a true American art form. It was born in this country, and it can't be imitated anywhere else. And that includes the Western movie, too..." adding of Jamal, "The thing is what he doesn't play; it's what's in between the notes."
Comedian Chris Tucker was another honouree at the event, receiving the NAACP/Sfjazz Humanitarian prize, while the night also featured a video message from music legend Stevie Wonder.
- 5/9/2012
- WENN
Getty Miles Davis in Paris in 1991.
Nice, France — Among the staggering number of famous musicians who have played with the legendary trumpet player, Miles Davis, many will be on tour in Europe this summer, paying homage to their mentor and friend. With nearly 200 summer music festivals to choose from, the Côte d’Azur offers two of the most legendary open-air jazz fests, with top-notch international artists performing under a balmy, starlit sky at the water’s edge.
Festivities kick off...
Nice, France — Among the staggering number of famous musicians who have played with the legendary trumpet player, Miles Davis, many will be on tour in Europe this summer, paying homage to their mentor and friend. With nearly 200 summer music festivals to choose from, the Côte d’Azur offers two of the most legendary open-air jazz fests, with top-notch international artists performing under a balmy, starlit sky at the water’s edge.
Festivities kick off...
- 7/9/2011
- by Lanie Goodman
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.