JANUARY 16

                   AHMAD JAMAL
                 At the Pershing:
                  But Not for Me

                   Recording Date: 
                       January 16, 1958

                  Personnel:
                       Israel Crosby      B 
                       Vernell Fornier   D 
                       Ahmad Jamal     P

                   LINK Retired

Review by Scott Yanow
Recorded at the same engagement as his best-selling But Not for Me, this outing by pianist Ahmad Jamal (with bassist Israel Crosby and drummer Vernell Fournier) is just as successful musically, even if its sales figures were not on the same level. Jamal and his sidemen had a magical chemistry during this era, and the pianist's close attention to dynamics gave the group its own sound. Among the highlights of the 11 standards are "Too Late Now," "Cherokee," "Gone with the Wind" and a remake of "Billy Boy." A superior LP that deserves to be reissued in full on CD.

At the Pershing: But Not for Me is a 1958 jazz album by Ahmad Jamal. According to the album jacket, the tapes were made on January 16, 1958, at the Pershing Lounge of Chicago's Pershing Hotel and each set played that night was recorded, a total of 43 tracks, of which 8 were selected by Jamal for the album. The LP was released as Argo Records LP-628.