Big Byrd: The Essence Part 2

Big Byrd: The Essence Part 2
Studio album by Ahmad Jamal
Released	1996
Recorded	October 30–31, 1994 and February 6–7, 1995
Studio	Studio Marcadet, La Plaine Saint Denis, France and Clinton Recording Studios, New York City
Genre	Jazz
Length	57:31
Label	Birdology 529447-2
Ahmad Jamal chronology
The Essence Part One (1995) Big Byrd: The Essence Part 2 (1996) Nature: The Essence Part Three (1997)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[2]

Big Byrd: The Essence Part 2 is an album by the American jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, containing performances recorded in Paris in 1994 and New York in 1995 and released on the Birdology label.^[3]

Critical reception

Richard S. Ginell, in his review for AllMusic, stated: "Into his mid-60s, Jamal remained as distinctive and inventive a pianist as ever, with delightful surprises lurking around every bend".^[1]

Track listing

All compositions by Ahmad Jamal unless noted.

1. "Lament" – 8:59
2. "There's a Lull in My Life" (Mack Gordon, Harry Revel) – 6:38
3. "Manhattan Reflections" – 8:35
4. "Big Byrd" – 15:13
5. "Jamie My Boy" – 9:36
6. "I Love You" (Cole Porter) – 8:30

Personnel

• Ahmad Jamal – piano
• James Cammack – bass (tracks 1, 2, 5 & 6)
• Jamil Nasser – bass (tracks 3 & 4)
• Idris Muhammad – drums
• Manolo Badrena – percussion
• Joe Kennedy, Jr. – violin (track 3)
• Donald Byrd – trumpet (track 4)

References

1. Ginell, R. S. AllMusic Review accessed May 28, 2012
2. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 761. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
3. Ahmad Jamal discography Archived 2012-05-27 at the Wayback Machine accessed May 28, 2012