Pianist Keith Jarrett's career practically invites criticism or, at the real least, intense comment. His outspokenness, his utter seriousness of intent too the resulting love-hate human relationship amongst the audience, fifty-fifty his vocalisms, evoke rigid responses, both pro too con, from listeners.
As the years accept gone by, expectations accept continued to rise, almost to the indicate that no affair what he does, Jarrett volition neglect inwards someone's eyes, too My Foolish Heart is no exception. However, the only number that actually matters is this: does he and, past times extension, the trio, communicate amongst too connect to the listener?
ECM has released this double-CD alive recording from the 2001 Montreux Jazz Festival equally a kind of now-to-then comparing to the upcoming issue Setting The Standards: New York Sessions 1983, which volition score the twenty-fifth anniversary of this trio inwards 2008. Any Jarrett issue is an lawsuit and, when combined amongst Jarrett's liner notes which beak close how particular this functioning was, practically promises a revelatory listening experience.
Revelation is, however, a real personal thing. Since this music consists of well-known standards the magic, if it is to live found, volition non live inwards novel sounds, but inwards the details of the functioning for those who can, or wish to, hear them.
The best jazz is the music of spontaneous, unexpected creation. It requires dynamic issue energy too concentration summation the seeming contradictory might to permit go, forgetting all the technique too theory too simply playing. In this case, what is to live played starts amongst the tunes themselves, amongst melody. H5N1 touchstone is labeled equally such because its structure has achieved the frail residual betwixt the melodic phrasing too harmony that creates something unique, too existence at nowadays identifiable too memorable.
To process such a creation equally mere changes is to violate its sanctity, too truthful improvisation volition keep contact, silent tenuous, amongst the source of the inspiration. In this respect, Jarrett is masterful too in that place is nary a 2nd on whatsoever runway when it is non obvious which tune is existence played. The changes are respected, but therefore are the tune too emotional essence of the tune, amongst Jarrett using the musical linguistic communication of conventional bebop jazz.
Bassist Gary Peacock too drummer Jack DeJohnette, acknowledged masters inwards their ain right, patently know Jarrett too each other extremely well. Any given functioning tin terminate vary, but this i does appear to uncovering this beat department inwards transcend form. DeJohnette's famous issue energy is controlled but white hot spell Peacock, whose solos are brusque but meaningful, adds a delightful bounce too verve.
The trio is playing equally i too this is the joy of the performance. The surprise comes amongst the 3 stride tunes, "Ain't Misbehavin,'" "Honeysuckle Rose" too "You Took Advantage Of Me," too if anyone was waiting for a argue to gush close this performance, it is here.
My Foolish Heart is an anniversary issue celebrating 25 years of the Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, too Jack DeJohnette trio's traveling too performing together despite the rich too varied private careers of its members. Recorded inwards 2001 at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Jarrett held the tape about the vest until what he felt was the correct fourth dimension for issue -- whatever that means. The bottom occupation is, listeners are real fortunate to accept it. The official alive offerings past times this grouping accept e'er been crystalline affairs of deep swinging communication, no affair the material.
Not only is My Foolish Heart no exception, it is mayhap the touchstone past times which the others should live judged. Almost ii hours inwards length, the plan is comprised alone of jazz too popular standards -- firstly amongst a tough, limber, punchy version of Miles Davis' "Four" lasting over ix minutes. That the music begins similar this, therefore utterly strident too swaggering, sum of lyric innovation too energy, is almost argue plenty for purchase.
The inherent commitment to the music is non measured: it's total. There are few -- if whatsoever -- groups inwards jazz that accept been together for such a long time. And in that place are few groups novel or former that are fifty-fifty capable plenty to create out such a wide-ranging selection of the repertoire: from the championship runway too "Four" to "Oleo," "Straight, No Chaser," too fifty-fifty "Five Brothers"! But the selection of cloth is only the wrapper. What's within it is non simply the history of jazz but history inwards the making, because these 3 attempt out beyond all mensurate non only the vitality of the cloth but also the necessity of the trio interpretation of it, too indeed what is possible: bop, difficult bop, post-bop, swing, too hither fifty-fifty ragtime, played amongst all the seriousness too joy it demands.
The readings of Fats Waller's "Ain't Misbehavin'" too "Honeysuckle Rose" too Rodgers & Hart's "You Took Advantage of Me" are wild affairs, beautifully executed, sure, but played amongst the requisite emotion that novel interpretations require.
On this set, these tunes accept been brought out of history, out of the canon of milquetoast sweetness equally diversions for the role of entertainment, too out into the introduce equally revelatory statements inwards harmony too rhythmic too lyric invention. The interplay betwixt Peacock too DeJohnette is utterly dynamic. The way these ii non only complement but also challenge i some other creates a feel of residual that allows Jarrett room for flying -- non into his ain quirks equally a musician, but into the entire universe of jazz. Peacock too DeJohnette solo a lot here, amongst in-the-pocket contributions to the melodic panorama of the music.
The ballads, too, such equally the frail reading of Sammy Cahn too Jule Styne's "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" too the curious but spot-on alternative for a gear upwardly closer, Cahn too James Van Heusen's "Only the Lonely," are read amongst such sensitivity too confidence that overly reverent interpretation (a trap for whatsoever role participant who risks bloodlessness) is impossible; the nature of "song" is kept equally the trio offers these renditions amongst deep emotion too a singer's feel of infinite too elegance. Over xiii tunes, this band offers to a greater extent than surprises, delights, too jaw-dropping musical acumen than fifty-fifty fans believed possible.
As Jarrett writes inwards his liner notes, "There was no other black when nosotros felt that nosotros had to (almost literally) catch the audience past times the pharynx too milk tremble them into hearing what nosotros were doing." Perhaps they were distracted past times heat, bad sound, too lighting problems -- Jarrett speaks to these twice inwards his notes -- but perhaps, until they reached the ragtime segment of the gear upwardly that demanded a waking response, they were simply floored past times the swinging intensity amongst which the gear upwardly began.
Whatever the reason, this document is a mindblower from start to finish, too in that place are moments when all yous tin terminate create inwards reply is aspect at the box slack-jawed too wonder if what yous simply heard actually happened. It did too it does, over too over again. This gear upwardly is a magical, wondrous 2nd inwards the life of a trio when it all comes pouring out equally inspiration too mastery.
Place it where yous volition inwards Jarrett's discography, My Foolish Heart is truthful jazz artistry.
Track listing:
CD 1
1. "Four" (Miles Davis) - 9:09
2. "My Foolish Heart" (Ned Washington, Victor Young) - 12:25
3. "Oleo" (Sonny Rollins) - 6:37
4. "What's New?" (Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart) - 7:54
5. "The Song Is You" (Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern) - 7:43
6. "Ain't Misbehavin'" (Waller, Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf) - 6:41
CD 2
1. "Honeysuckle Rose" (Razaf, Waller) - 6:45
2. "You Took Advantage of Me" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) - 8:54
3. "Straight, No Chaser" (Thelonious Monk) - 10:05
4. "Five Brothers" (Gerry Mulligan) - 6:36
5. "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) - 11:09
6. "Green Dolphin Street" (Bronisław Kaper, Ned Washington) - 8:18
7. "Only the Lonely" (Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen) - 6:15
Personnel:
Keith Jarrett – piano
Gary Peacock - bass
Jack DeJohnette - drums
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