The Pershing Hotel concert, recorded in 1958, is one of the most magical moments in jazz history. While Vol. 1 exploded globally with “Poinciana,” Vol. 2 acts like a sequel, revealing the calmer yet deeper layers of the same night. This album is the backstage of Jamal's narrative—less flashy, more nuanced.
Ahmad Jamal redefines the trio concept here. He uses the piano as a narrative tool, speaking most through space; he conducts the gaps between notes, not the notes themselves. This approach so impressed Miles Davis that Miles tried for years to impose Jamal's "economical playing" concept on his own groups.
And here is one of the best places to hear that approach: this second volume of the Pershing recordings.
The trio’s chemistry is still fresh. Israel Crosby’s melodic basslines and Vernell Fournier’s brushwork create a perfect framework that carries Jamal’s elegant texture. In Vol. 2, the repertoire breathes more widely; Jamal displays a control that constantly expands the depth of the music even in moments when he keeps the tempo low. Tracks like “Too Late Now,” “Cherokee,” and “What’s New?” are perfectly suited to witness Jamal’s romantic yet geometric glide up close.
This record is not an anthology carrying the popularity of Vol. 1; it’s the "second wave" of a magic that lasted an entire night. As you listen, you are transported to that Chicago night, feeling Jamal’s calm demeanor under the stage lights, and the trio’s subtle cues to each other...
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