The Night Beat — National Piano Month

For Week Three of National Piano Month, Wednesday Night Beat host Doug Crane features Ahmad Jamal’s “Blue Moon,” a Grammy-nominated album from 2011 in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album* category.  Recorded in October 2011 at the Avatar Studios in New York City, Ahmad is joined by drummer Herlin Riley, percussionist Manolo Badrena, and bassist Reginald Veal.

I first heard the title tune “Blue Moon” while listening to Sirius/XM in Northern Idaho as my sons and I were driving through the Coeur d’Alene range of the Rocky Mountains in March 2012. I’ll confess to having no idea of what song I was hearing as Ahmad and company had deconstructed it.

The main sections of the song make only oblique references to the melody with the phrases expanding and contracting as Ahmad sees fit.  The bridge of the song pops in occasionally to remind the listener that the song might be “Blue Moon.” And upon first hearing a listener might not immediately notice that the song is in ¾ time.

To anchor the performance, there’s a four-note motif (E- F-E-G) played by bassist Reginald Veal from start to finish (Ahmad often plays it along with Reginald). This motif serves its purpose by staying in the background and allowing greater attention to be focused on percussionist Manolo Badrena and especially drummer Herlin Riley in what might be considered a ten-minute drum solo.

I knew when my sons and I returned to Denver that one of the very first things I’d do was play “Blue Moon” on my KUVO radio show.  Looking through KUVO’s playlist archives I’ve played it about once each year since 2012.  I’ve played some of the other songs from the album since that time including “Invitation” and “Laura” plus Ahmad’s composition “Autumn Rain” which begins the album. It’s a wonderful album from start to finish.

I hope you’ll tune in to The Night Beat on Wednesday, September 18 at 8 p.m. 

We’ll conclude National Piano Month next Wednesday evening with “Monty in Tokyo” a 1979 recording by Monty Alexander.

*Other Grammy nominees for Best Jazz Instrumental Album besides “Blue Moon” in 2011 were “Seeds from the Underground” by Kenny Garrett, “Hot House” by Chick Corea and Gary Burton, “Further Explorations” by Chick Corea, Eddie Gomez and Paul Motian plus Pat Metheny who won the Grammy for his recording “Unity Band.”

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