Ahmad Jamal’s rise to success began with his first live 1958 release, At the Pershing: But Not For Me. He applies the artistic device of tension and releases so well that a listener would feel that his hands might fall off the piano. He is able to create a lot of points of entry for the listener. The album was on the Billboard Magazine charts for 107 weeks. In 1994 he was awarded the American Jazz Masters award by the National Endowment for the Arts. At this time the album sold more than a million copies. But Not For Me was a track from this album. It’s success allowed Jamal to open his own club and restaurant, the Alhambra. His band held residence there when not on tour.

His compositional style is still living in newer productions of the moment. In fact, his 1970 album The Awakening was sampled by hip-hop producers like Nas, Common and DJ Premier. Ahmad Jamal turned 89 earlier this year. Also important to realize is this is Jamal’s first solo album. To explain he says the album is a French-inspired love letter to his past. Without a doubt, head here for more info. Also, be sure to check out the album artwork and tracklist below.