This makes for an interesting contrast with the Art Tatum (who I would guess was an influence on Jamal, even if it's not very evident) reviewed below. There are times when Jamal on record is all show and little substance, whether in front of a live audience (as here) or in the studio (on the bonus album included here, Extensions), and he did little to change that opinion on the one occasion I saw him live. He has a fantastic technique, which he frequently displays, but in bite-size chunks, setting up delicious grooves for the rhythm-sections to plug away while awaiting the next piano climax.

At the period of these two consecutive releases, his usual crafty arrangements leaned a lot on three-feels and three-against-four, while the title-track of Extensions is a 13-minute suite going through several dramatic movements, with solo sections for Nasser and Fournier. The main surprise is ‘Whisper Not’, which is reduced to a repetitive, big-bandlike contrafact with Benny Golson's tune mostly submerged.

Despite the fact that Jamal himself has been a big influence on piano trio work, the results are often dazzling but sadly seldom satisfying.