Minor Moods: ahmad jamal have i loved.

“Minor Moods” by Ahmad Jamal (1967) makes me happy, and yes I will play this at next week’s “groove conspiracy”.  Ahmad Jamal is from Pennsylvania, but a lot of his Golden Age material (including this hipper-than-thou number) is straight outta Chicago.  The Ahmad Jamal Trio was the house band of the Pershing Hotel (on the South Side) in the early sixties.  A live recording from that place and time was a hit record for Chess Records’ Argo label. 

This record is from 1967, and part of Chess’ foray into instrumental jazz with voices.  Donald Bryd experimented with this sound over at Blue Note in the early sixties (often taking it to church); but in the Late Sixties, Chess made it real groovy.  Minnie Riperton’s voice can be heard in the mix of a number of the cuts (led by luminaries including Ahmad Jamal, Ramsey Lewis, and Phil Upchurch). Enjoy and Jive on!