As an arranger, Jamal made the most of his small-group settings by thinking of them in orchestral terms: using his trademark devices to create contrast and dramatic effect, and allowing the rhythm section a great deal of independence in its interplay. Jamal's manipulations of space and silence, tension and release, and dynamics all broke new ground, and had an impact far beyond Jamal's favored piano trio format. I'm kind of stumped.A sorely underexposed figure and a major influence on Miles Davis, pianist Ahmad Jamal isn't generally ranked among the all-time giants of jazz, but he impressed fellow musicians and record buyers alike with his innovative, minimalist approach. I hope someone more educated in all the ins and outs of jazz and the complete Jamal catalog will offer their opinion. Wow, that is a tough question! For me, at least. I don't really listen much to his later recordings, though his album Digital Works is OK, and I would run away fast from After Fajr, which seemed indulgent and unlistenable to me. But is he more 'himself' on one album than another? I dunno. So I think Jamal was innovative by being himself. When you hear Keith Jarrett do a tribute to Jamal on Poinciana (on the Whisper Not album) or you hear Oscar Peterson throw in licks that remind you of Jamal's tinkling high up on the piano keyboard, you know that Jamal made his mark, and his style can be recognized when referenced by other musicians. He was innovative in that he created a style which was unique. He wasn't afraid to use simple themes, a lot of repetition so you could get into the groove, and a lot of space to give the music a better range of feeling and musical contrast. Some say 'cocktail music,' but his virtuoso talents - which he uses sparingly and tastefully - go way beyond some Vegas lounge act. I like Ahmad Jamal from this trio period (late 50s - early 60s) because his music is very accessible. For me, it's all I need.Д¬lick to expand.Wow, that is a tough question! For me, at least. But you can get a big bunch of classic Ahmad Jamal on these albums for not too much money. If I was a 'Too Big To Fail' banker who had just gotten a million dollar bonus via the taxpayers, of course I would jump on the Mosaic set. This one is really cheap if you get it used, probably less than $5 shipped. Still, there are several cuts here I would not want to live without. Sound quality of the cuts on this one vary, and a few are from needledrops. I also recommend the collection Priceless Jazz, which has a few tracks which duplicate on the ones above, but has some very nice other tracks that I especially like - some of his best work, IMO. Currently you can get this for $8 new from an amazon marketplace seller (incl. This is available from an amazon marketplace seller for around $16 incl shipping, or less for a serviceable used copy.ДЄhmad's Blues - This contains a lot of material from generally that time period, and no duplication with the above album that I know of. I don't know what sources were used, but the result is more than satisfactory IMO. The sound quality is, considering that the original recordings were not audiophile-level, very very good. To get what I consider the best of the best classic Ahmad Jamal Trio material, my advice would be to buy these two albums:Д¬ross Country Tour 1958-1961, which combines material from several albums, and has 3/4 of his biggest/best album But Not For Me. I can't imagine dropping $150 on a CD set of an artist I'm not familiar with, but that's me. Click to expand.The Mosaic set is expensive, and I'm sure they'll try to do a good mastering.

Digital works ahmad jamal