Ahmad Jamal was born in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. and attended
George Westinghouse High School. He began playing piano at the age of three, when his uncle Lawrence challenged him to duplicate what he was playing on the piano. Jamal began formal piano training at the age of seven with Mary Cardwell Dawson, who he describes as greatly influencing him.
Jamal began touring with
George Hudson's Orchestra. His first album
Ahmad's Blues was recorded in
1951 on the
Okeh label. He soon began touring with another group known as
The Four Strings, which was soon disbanded. Following this, Jamal created
The Three Strings, with bassist
Israel Crosby and guitarist
Red Crawford. Crawford was soon replaced with drummer
Vernell Fournier in
1958, and the group worked as the "House Trio" at
Chicago's Pershing Hotel. The trio released the live album
But Not for Me which stayed on the Ten Best-selling charts for a 108 weeks. Jamal's well known song
Poinciana was first released on this album. The financial success of the album allowed Jamal to open a restaurant and club called
The Alhambra.
Jamal typically plays with a bassist and drummer; his current trio is with bassist James Cammack and drummer Idris Muhammad. Jamal has also recorded with saxophonist
George Coleman on the album <i>The Essence]].
In
1994, Jamal received the National Endowment of the Art's American Jazz Masters award and also named a Duke Ellington Fellow at Yale University.
Ahmad Jamal is also known to be a Steinway artist since 1960. It is rumored that his pianos need to be tuned between sets due to the percussive nature of his playing.
