Thursday Night Jazz: Memories of Ahmad Jamal with James Johnson III

This Thursday Night Jazz performance offers a touching tribute to Pittsburgh’s own Ahmad Jamal, spearheaded by City of Asylum fan favorite, James Johnson III. 

After being bitten by the percussion bug at the age of five in his Pittsburgh hometown, it was only a matter of time before James Johnson found his way to CAPA, Downtown’s Creative and Performing Arts high school. After a few years of study and incredible mentorship, James graduated CAPA ready to take on the jazz scene. One day, he got a call from none other than local legend Ahmad Jamal: Would James like to join Ahmad on tour? A definitive Yes! was the only possible answer. 

Touring with Ahmad, James got his big break as a professional jazz musician, complete with the opportunity to tour the world and learn from one of his heroes. The tour took the band to Russia, Portugal, Italy, Réunion (an island off of Madagascar), and all over the United States. To show his gratitude and revisit a beautiful turning point in his life, this concert features James’ favorite songs that he performed with Ahmad Jamal.

Featured Musicians:

James Johnson: drums

Cliff Barnes: organ

Tommy Lehman: trumpet

Joseph Seman: saxophone

About Ahmad Jamal:

One of the subtlest virtuosos of jazz piano, Ahmad Jamal’s piano studies began at age three. By age 11, he was making his professional debut with a sound strongly influenced by Art Tatum and Erroll Garner. Following graduation from Pittsburgh’s Westinghouse High School, he joined the George Hudson band in 1947. In 1949, he joined swing violinist Joe Kennedy’s group Four Strings as pianist, which led to the formation of his trio Three Strings in 1950-52, debuting at Chicago’s Blue Note club, and later becoming the Ahmad Jamal Trio. His 1958 album At the Pershing became a surprising smash hit, highlighted by his interpretation of “Poinciana.” Notably, Miles Davis made numerous and prominent mentions of Jamal’s influence on his playing, particularly in his use of space, allowing the music to “breathe,” and his choice of compositions. With the popularity of the album and Davis’ advocacy, Ahmad’s trio was one of the most popular jazz acts in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His piano virtuosity was also welcomed by a number of orchestras, and his abilities as a composer are considerable. 

About the Artist:

James Johnson III began playing the drums at the age of five in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Johnson attended CAPA, Pittsburgh’s high school for the creative and performing arts. It was here he came under the mentorship of the drummer Roger Humphries. Upon graduating high school, James was invited to tour with jazz legend Ahmad Jamal. With Ahmad, James performed all over the world, appearing in major jazz venues such as Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center. As a member of the Ahmad Jamal trio, James has also appeared at major festivals such as the Cully jazz festival in Switzerland, the North Sea jazz festival in South Africa, and the Dublin jazz festival. James has also performed with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, George Coleman, James Moody, Sean Jones, Monty Alexander, Mulgrew Miller, Russell Ferrante, Bob Mintzer, Kenny Werner and Hubert Laws. In addition to his performance schedule, James currently serves on the music faculty at the Afro American Music Institute, University of Pittsburgh, and Chatham University. His second solo album Between was released in 2019.

About Your Visit: 

The in-house restaurant Cucina Alfabeto is open for dinner from 5-9pm. Please visit Open Table or call 412-435-1111 to make a reservation.