This was the classic early Jamal trio, one he remains very fond of, as it generated both his first album to chart (At the Pershing – But Not For Me) and a hit single, at the hitherto unsurpassed duration of eight minutes, namely ‘Ponciana’. This excellent album takes us from that early Chicago session via Washington DC., and the NY Nola Penthouse, to the 1959 Newport Jazz Festival. The mastering is okay, but a little less clear than the MCA/Chess 32-bit remasters from 1997, so there's a little bit of top end distortion and a slight boxiness to some of the sound. That said, it's a good demonstration of exactly what Miles Davis so loved about Ahmad at this period – the space in his playing, the dynamics, and the interaction with the trio. A good example is the Washington ‘Stomping at the Savoy’, which has a minute of drum and bass vamp. With the piano interjecting a cheesy quote and a few random chords before setting off into the melody – yet even here playing off further quotes from Crosby, the pianist plays just a right hand single line of incredible economy, slowly building the tune. It's addictive listening, and the three CDs here serve the addiction well.