Ahmad Jamal's minimalist style has served him well throughout his career, as he enjoys making frequent sudden detours in the midst of a performance, with his intuitive rhythm section able to adapt on the fly. His longtime bassist James Cammack and drummer
Idris Muhammad are joined by Latin percussionist
Manolo Badrena for these 2007 sessions. The half-dozen originals include the curious "Back to the Island," which blends a calypso air (while interpolating "Ol' Man River" and "Hot House" in his solo) with Latin flavor and even a bit of an Irish jig in spots, along with the dark, exotic "Arabesque," which sounds as if it might have been adapted from an impressionist composer in classical music.
Jamal also works wonders with standards, including a lush, dramatic solo rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight" and a leisurely "It's Magic" that adds a few of his trademark flourishes. Even though
Ahmad Jamal can sometimes rely a bit too heavily on song quotes (his insertion of
the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" into "Dynamo" comes off a bit ham-handed), jazz piano fans will enjoy this release. ~ Ken Dryden