When
Ahmad Jamal got around to playing
"Poinciana" about three-quarters of the way
through the set at the Jazz Bakery, it reminded you a
little bit of the Russian Tea Room.
After going on 50 years as his trademark number, the
piece had been pretty thoroughly redecorated, yes, but
the history and the essence were still there.
Like Jamal's playing, it still sounds fresh and it
still boasts its feathery leaves, rich yellow flowers
and long protruding scarlet stamens.
Jamal himself hardly seemed to be a man nearing his
seventh decade. Slender and quick, he tirelessly
creates a whole symphony orchestra from within the
Steinway. He likes to present pretty tinkly tunes, as
skipping and light as a little girl, and then comment
on them with absurdly grand expatiations like
something from Mahler or Tchaikovsky.
And no
matter how many times he pops out from behind
the bushes or vanishes before your very eyes, he never
lets go of your mind. His irrelevancies will suddenly
add up to some majestic or at least illuminating
polyphonic insight, no matter how unlikely the
material, which Tuesday included "I Didn't Know
What Time It Was," "Yesterdays" and
several maddeningly familiar but unidentifiable
ballads.
While all this is going on, he never stops swinging.
On opening night, he was rocking harder than ever,
assisted by or assisting drummer James Johnson and
bassist James Cammack. The interplay among the three
was rich and rewarding as ever.
The gentleman is a treasure.
The kid takes a bow.
