Olympia 2000
Pittsburgh-born pianist and bandleader Ahmad Jamal is one of the most  influential artists of the modern era. His brilliant arrangements and unique synthesis of Art Tatum's incredible technique and Errol Garner's improvisational genius are in full effect on this engaging concert, recorded at the famed Olympia Theatre in Paris. Jamal is joined by long-time band mates, drummer Idris Muhammmad and bassist James Cammack, and a special guest, saxophonist George Coleman. With his trademark dynamics, Jamal reinvents standards such as "Night Has a Thousand Eyes" and "Autumn Leaves," with vigorous straight-ahead swing sprinkled with zesty Latin tinges. Coleman's muscular, Coltrane-like tenor tones, Muhammad's inventive Crescent City rhythms, and Cammack's rock-steady bass lines beautifully complement Jamal's orchestral soundscapes. Johnny Pate's "Appreciation" and Jamal's "Aftermath" are rendered with melodic sophistication in inventive trio settings. This live date shows that Ahmad Jamal is still full of musical genius and surprises.--Eugene Holley Jr.