Jamil Nasser
A tribute to the legacy of Jamil Nasser “UpWrite Bass”
Jamil Nasser, born George Joyner (June 21, 1932 – February 13, 2010) and also credited on some of Ahmad Jamal‘s recordings as Jamil Sulieman, was an American jazz musician. He played double bass, electric bass, and tuba.
Biography
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Nasser learned piano from his mother as a child and started playing bass at age 16. As a student at Arkansas State University, he led the school band, and played bass and tuba in bands while stationed in Koreaas a member of the U.S. Army. Following his discharge he played with B.B. King in 1955 and 1956.
He moved to New York City in 1956, and played with Phineas Newborn and Sonny Rollins before the decade was over. He went on tour in Europe and North Africa with Idrees Sulieman in 1959, then went to Paris and recorded with Lester Young. Nasser moved to Italy briefly from 1961 to 1962; after returning to New York he formed his own trio, playing with the ensemble until 1964. Following this he began work with Ahmad Jamal; the two played together until 1972. He played with Al Haig through the rest of the decade.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he did many sessions with musicians including Clifford Jordan, Jimmy Raney, Harold Mabern,Gene Ammons and Hideaki Yoshioka. Nasser never recorded as a leader.
His son Zaid Nasser is a prominent NYC-based alto saxophonist.
Discography – As Sideman
With Gene Ammons
- The Big Sound (Prestige, 1958)
- Groove Blues (Prestige, 1958)
With Evans Bradshaw
- Look Out for Evans Bradshaw! (Riverside, 1958)
With Randy Weston
- New Faces at Newport (MetroJazz, 1958)
- Little Niles (United Artists, 1958)
- Portraits of Duke Ellington (1989)
- Portraits of Monk (1989)
- Self Portraits (1989)
- Spirits of Our Ancestors (1991)
- Volcano Blues (1993)
With Ahmad Jamal
- Naked City Theme (Argo, 1964)
- The Roar of the Greasepaint (Argo, 1965)
- Extensions (Cadet, 1965)
- Heat Wave (Cadet, 1966)
- Cry Young (Cadet, 1967)
- The Bright, the Blue and the Beautiful (Cadet, 1968)
- Tranquility (ABC, 1968)
- Ahmad Jamal at the Top: Poinciana Revisited (Impulse!, 1968)
- The Awakening (Impulse!, 1970)
- Freeflight (Impulse!, 1971)
- Outertimeinnerspace (Impulse, 1971)
- Jamalca (20th Century, 1974)
- Jamal Plays Jamal (20th Century, 1974)
- Genetic Walk (20th Century, 1975)
- The Essence Part One (Birdology, 1995)
- Big Byrd: The Essence Part 2 (Birdology, 1995)
With Al Haig
- Chelsea Bridge (1975)
- Strings Attached (1975)
- Ornithology (Progressive Records, 1977)
- Portrait of Bud Powell (1977)
- Reminiscence (1977)
- Serendipity (1977)
With Phineas Newborn
- Phineas’ Rainbow (1956)
With Lou Donaldson
- Lou Takes Off (Blue Note Records, 1958)
With Red Garland
- All Mornin’ Long (1957)
- Dig It! (Prestige Records, 1958)
With others
- Eric Dolphy: Berlin Concerts (Enja, 1961)
- George Coleman: I Could Write a Book: The Music of Richard Rodgers0 (Telarc, 1998)
