Keith Jarrett Solo

Sure, the Keith Jarrett Trio of the '80s and '90s recorded way too much music for the casual fan to absorb. But one's reservations fade when confronted with the sheer creativity and empathy that the trio displayed in this gorgeously recorded live date at New York's Town Hall. As in several albums before, the emphasis for Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette is on standards, save for a sole ostinato-based Jarrett original (the title track). "Bemsha Swing" finds Jarrett at very nearly his best, transforming standard material completely in his own funky manner. In addition, there is a really beautiful rendition of Oscar Levant's "Blame It on My Youth," and an eloquently harmonized "Body and Soul" with generous solo space for Peacock. There is some squeaky vocalizing by Jarrett over some of his solos, but not enough to deter anyone from enjoying this 77-minute outpouring of first-class improvisational jazz.

Pianist Keith Jarrett suffered a massive stroke in February 2018, leaving him unable to play the piano. This date, recorded at Auditorium de l'Opéra National de Bordeaux on July 6, 2016, is his final French concert. It is the second release from his last European tour, following Munich 2016 (released in 2019) and The Budapest Concert (2020). All three showcase the improvising musician at a creative peak. The performance has been divided into 13 sections with natural breaks. "I" commences with an abrupt phrase that fades behind pedaled low notes. Jarrett is assertive, playing percussively distinct yet rapid single notes and shapes, while establishing a circular rhythm.

Sure, the Keith Jarrett Trio of the '80s and '90s recorded way too much music for the casual fan to absorb. But one's reservations fade when confronted with the sheer creativity and empathy that the trio displayed in this gorgeously recorded live date at New York's Town Hall. As in several albums before, the emphasis for Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette is on standards, save for a sole ostinato-based Jarrett original (the title track). "Bemsha Swing" finds Jarrett at very nearly his best, transforming standard material completely in his own funky manner. In addition, there is a really beautiful rendition of Oscar Levant's "Blame It on My Youth," and an eloquently harmonized "Body and Soul" with generous solo space for Peacock. There is some squeaky vocalizing by Jarrett over some of his solos, but not enough to deter anyone from enjoying this 77-minute outpouring of first-class improvisational jazz.

Keith Jarrett's first solo acoustic piano recording remains one of his best. At this point in late 1971, Jarrett had just started improvising completely freely. That does not mean that his solos were necessarily atonal but simply that they were not planned in any way in advance. The music on these eight improvisations are often quite melodic, very rhythmic and bluesy. This set makes for a perfect introduction to Jarrett's many solo piano recordings.

Keith Jarrett - Solo Concerts. Bremen & Lausanne [2CD] (1973) {ECM}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 481 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 306 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 45 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 1991 ECM Records | ECM 135-37
Jazz / Post Bop / Piano

These are the recordings that made Keith Jarrett famous. Originally released as a three-LP set, the two solo piano recitals feature Jarrett freely improvising and never seeming to run out of ideas. A simple figure often develops through repetition and subtle variations into a rather complex sequence and eventually evolves into a new figure. One of the improvisations lasts for three LP sides (64 minutes), while the second concert has two long solos for 30 and 35 minutes, respectively. Despite the length, the music never loses one's interest, making this an essential recording for all jazz collections.

This compilation is 3 plus hours of stuff (42 tracks), and all in good quality, chosen from his ECM career back to the mid-70s. I would call it the "highly accessible Jarrett" as it does not include any of the thorniest stuff from the solo concerts. It's mostly the Trio, the European quartet, and some encore "blues" excerpts from the solo concerts.