"Ahmad's Blues" from Miles Davis's 1956 album Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet features a solo performance from bassist Paul Chambers over Ahmad Jamal's composition, a 64-bar form in B-flat at 115 BPM. Chambers's three-quarter-chorus solo demonstrates the deep influence of Jamal's trio on the Davis quintet, with the pianist's spacious, melodic approach reflected in the way Chambers navigates the extended form. The 64-bar structure provides an unusually expansive framework for bass improvisation, and Chambers fills it with singing melodic lines that showcase both his technical mastery and musical imagination. Davis was a vocal admirer of Ahmad Jamal's trio, frequently encouraging his own band members to emulate Jamal's use of space and dynamics. Chambers's solo on this track reflects that influence, his playing more spacious and structurally conscious than typical bass solos of the period. The recording preserves a rare extended spotlight for the bassist, allowing listeners to appreciate the extraordinary musicianship that made Chambers the first-call bassist for nearly every significant jazz recording session of the late 1950s.
