Ballades

At the age of 88, composer and legendary jazz musician Ahmad Jamal presents Ballades, an album that sees him returning to his roots in a transcendent journey. Jamal comes from the closely-knit club of the great masters of jazz. That is why, in the manner of Coltrane and Miles, he goes back to his past as a way to overcome it. At its heart, Ballades is a solo piano album - something Jamal has never done before (doublebass player James Cammack is featured on three tracks). The music is art in its purest form, ranging from the iconic ''Poinciana'' to the symbolic ''Marseille.'' Ballades is a new masterpiece in this artist's long and distinguished career.