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Poinciana

Ahmad Jamal

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At three, Ahmad Jamal's Uncle Lawrence challenged him to watch and copy a melody he was playing on the piano.

Darned if the little fellow didn't do it.

Jamal grew up in the fantastically rich musical environment of Pittsburgh.

How rich?

Here's a partial list he provided once of fellow “Pittsburghers"

George Benson
Roy Eldridge
Art Blakey
Errol Garner
Kenny Clarke
Earl “Fatha” Hines
Billy Eckstein
Phyllis Hyman
Maxine Sullivan
Gene Kelly
Stanley Turrentine
Joe Kennedy, Jr.
Earl Wild
Oscar Levant
Lorin Maazel
George Hudson (his orchestra was my first job away from home, I was 17 and just out of high school.)
Dodo Marmarosa
Dakota Staton
Billy Strayhorn

I'd say Pittsburg deserves to be called a major jazz town with a progeny like this.

That's how we grow.

Thanks!