Complete Recordings

This outstanding 2 CD released contains Ahmad Jamal's complete trio recording with guitarist Ray Crawford and bassist Israel Crosby collected here for the first time ever on one edition. The trio recorded three albums together in 1955 for the Argo (Chamber Music of the New Jazz) and Epic (Ahmad Jamal Trio, Ahmad Jamal) Records Label. This release boasts all of these albums in their entirety including the complete May 5, 1962 Piano Scene session (with Eddie Calhoun replacing Israel Crosby on bass) that was originally released as part of Epic's 1955 Ahmad Jamal album, featured here as bonus tracks. And speaking of bonus tracks, this released also contains the complete 1956 Argo LP Count 'Em 88 featuring Ahmad Jamal leading a trio with Israel Crosby and drummer Walter Perkins. This session marks the pianist's very first recording using the classic piano trio (piano/bass/drums) format. Lastly this edition includes the tracks 'The Surrey with the Fringe on Top' and 'Will You Still Be Mine' from Okeh's 1951 session Ahmad Jamal's Three Strings featuring Jamal, Crawford and calhoun. Definitive Records. 2006.