AMHAD JAMAL | Making The Best Shows Ever List

Ahmad Jamal's seventy-five minute set at the Blue Note was, without-a-doubt, one of the greatest performances I've ever seen. He is everything that Radiohead, Aphex Twins, Broken Social Scene, and Miles Davis want to be and he does it with such ease. After seeing him live, I understand why he's a huge influence on so many modern musicians, and why he has never quite received the mainstream acceptance he deserves

Onstage with only a drummer and stand-up bassist, Ahmad working the piano the way Frank Black works his guitar and vocals. He switches from calm and beautiful to loud and manic at the drop of a dime. He'll be sitting at his piano, calling out "yeah" to his band, playing some hypnotic piece, then slam the full weight of his body onto his keys, clap his hands, and jump up from his seat to watch his drummer bash out some crazy rhythm that Phil Selway would kill to create, before ripping through the black and white keys to create a dizzying and dazzling lead.

Idris Muhammad, the drummer, was all cool and composed, wearing shades and beret, and playing on a simple kit. Idris was a hurricane of sound. James Cammack, our man on bass, kept biting his lower lips while eye-fucking his bass and damn did he make her sing.

Now I may not be a believer in God, but I do believe that some higher power is working through Ahmad's hands. He is so charismatic and so vibrant on the piano that you can't help but think that his fingers are blessed objects. Wearing a suit with the collar up, he was all soul as he performed a mix of songs from his fifty-plus years of music.

The crazy thing is I don't even think this was Ahmad at his best. Yes it was an amazing set, but this was probably Ahmad on an okay night and it was still one of the most amazing shows I've ever seen!

Ahmad is playing at Blue Note until March 12th and if you love music, you HAVE TO GO TO THIS SHOW. Seriously, it will change the way you think of rock n' roll forever.......

PRODUCT SHOP NYC'S TEN FAVORITE SHOW EVER*
10. The Rapture + Black Dice + Lightning Bolt | Warsaw | April 19, 2002

9. Nine Inch Nails + Marilyn Manson | Roseland | May 14, 1994

8. Pavement + Guided By Voices (with special guest Kim Deal) + David Kilgour | Roseland | October 15, 1994 | Setlist

7. The Make-Up | Coffin Factory | Sommerville, MA | May ??, 1997

6. U2 + The Pixies | Madison Square Garden | March 20, 1992 | Setlist

5. Bjork | Riverside Church | New York, NY | May 22, 2001 | Setlist & Pics

4. PJ Harvey + Damon & Naomi | Knitting Factory | October 19, 2000 | Setlist

3. Arto Lindsay + Blonde Redhead + Jonathan Fire*Eater | Knitting Factory | New York, NY | ?1995?

2. Ahmad Jamal | Blue Note | New York, NY | March 9, 2006

1. Radiohead with Teenage Fanclub & Dandy Warhols | Harborlights Pavilion | Boston, MA | August 23, 1997 | Setlist

*This list changes constantly. I'm missing numerous shows like the Pixies at Coachella, the Black Crowes' Lions party at the Bank on Sprint Street, AC/DC at Roseland, Blur at the Middle East, Guided By Voices final show at Irving Plaza, Billy Joel at Nassau Coliseum, Sonic Youth at Irving Plaza, The Ramones at Club Malibu, Lou Reed at Knitting Factory, and so much more.......

Comments

[holmes]

i was at that radiohead show at harborlights as well, and it ranks in my top 3 fav shows ever. truely amazing.

[Jason]

Yeah, that truly was perfection. Thom was amazing. Jonny was bleeding all over his guitar, literally, and everything was just heaven sent. The OK Computer songs were still so new to them and they were obviously floating for this gig. I love that the tent lights went on and no one stopped clapping for a good fifteen-twenty minutes until Radiohead came back out for "Banana Co". Unreal.

[holmes]

i just remember that, for an outdoor tent festival, the sound was AMAZING. it was a gorgeous, 80 degree night and while listening to "exit music" i remember watching a big luxury ship cruise into boston harbor. how could the night be any more beautiful?

[Hamish Robertson]

I've very excited to hear how much you enjoyed Ahmad Jamal, I have tickets for sunday's show. I was raised on his music, and have always wanted to see him play live.

[Hamish Robertson]

Oh, and extra love for the Make-Up show reference. One of my top ten's is the Make-Up in a small pub's upstairs in Leeds. Ian was insane.

Did you see that the Make-Up just released a new live album of one of their last shows at DC's Black Cat? You have to get it. Other Music has it, and it's on iTunes. SO AWESOME. Take me back everyt ime I hear it.

Other than that, I'd say the Stone Roses in Leeds, Pulp so many times, Radiohead at Glastonbury 1997, and Air at the NYC Town Hall.

[sam]

i was at that pavement/gbv show in 94...i was 14...weird.

[colin]

i was at the pavement show wich was on my sixteenth birthday, all i listened to was slanted and crooked that whole year before this show, i couldnt believe the energy. it was so fucking fun. conduit for sale was so intense. the only other show i saw at roseland up until that point was rage against the machine with quicksand nov 11 93. that pavement show totally shaped who i became. thanks for reminding me.