Gavin Walker
Nov 21, 2009, 12:10 AM
Tonight's Jazz Feature perhaps should be renamed simply "Improvisation Feature" as the artist is one of today's musical geniuses, pianist Keith Jarrett. The Feature will be excerpts from his latest solo album on the ECM label called "Testament". It was recorded in concert in Paris, at the Salle Pleyal on November 26, 2008 and in London at Royal Festival Hall on December 1, 2008. Jarrett's biography is very well known to most as he is one of the most widely discussed and listened to artists of our time. He was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania on May 8, 1945 and is of American-Hungarian ancestry. He was a child prodigy, gifted with perfect pitch and was giving professional recitals when he was 8 years old. He has worked with Art Blakey, Charles Lloyd and Miles Davis and his own groups and today works with what is arguably the foremost piano trio of the day with himself, bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette. He has also performed improvised solo piano concerts since the early 1970's.
Jarrett is controversial, not only for his music but also for his very strong opinions and the very high standards he expects from his paying audiences. Absolute quiet is demanded, no coughing, talking, shuffling of feet and he has berated audiences for taking flash and cell phone pictures during his recitals. His demands are as high for his audience as the demands he places on himself. He has been known to walk off stage and refuse to play if the conditions were not right. He is sometimes the bane of presenters as high standards must be met aside from his fee. The piano must be of his choosing, the hall must have the right acoustics and so forth. Many of these heavy demands and attitudes have led people to feel that Jarrett is a prima donna, however, after a Jarrett performance, the majority of his audience would agree that Keith deserves the high standards that he demands.
Tonight's Feature is Jarrett's latest and because it is a solo piano recording it would be hard to classify this a pure Jazz other than the fact that all of the movements are improvised. Jarrett is equally adept at the classical repetoire as he is with the language of Jazz. In his improvisations he uses everything he knows. He clears his mind of all that is extraneous and begins to play. Unlike his earlier non stop solo excursions, eg. The Koln Concert, Jarrett plays individual improvisations that usually explore a mood, some are roilingly rhythmic, some are introspective and some are unabashedly lyrical, some are atonal and dissonant and some are extremely sad and poignant......I think you get the picture. I will add that these performances nearly didn't take place as Jarrett was delivered a blow in his personal life, not his health but his marriage dissolved. He was upset and depressed and seriously thought of cancelling these dates but he felt that would be unhealthy and would be a sign of failure on his part. This music reflects the turmoil on Keith's emotional life but also the triumph over adversity and his triumph as an artist. Testament is a portrait of one of our greatest musical creators, Keith Jarrett. On a final note, we all have been annoyed and sometimes distracted by Jarrett's vocalizations, his awful singing, grunting and groaning while playing. I can assure you that on these performances they are kept to a minimum, either through judicious miking or simply from Jarrett himself.......it's the piano that speaks.
Along with the Jarrett Feature shortly after 11pm we'll have many surprises plus the CITR Fun Drive will be continuing for another show. So far it has been very, very successful and I hope that I can persuade you to invest in either Volume #1 of a CD compilation of my picks for 2009 a 75min.+ album of music by Miles Davis, Jackie McLean, Keith Jarrett, The Maria Schneider Orchestra and much more or Volume #2 called "Rarities", again 75min+ of Early Coltrane, Mingus, Brubeck, Lee Morgan most of which has never been on CD before. Both Volumes are available for a donation of $60 or $30 for a single of your choice. Call this number on Monday night.....604-822-8648 and make a pledge to support The Jazz Show and CITR so that we can continue to bring you the best! Catch the show from the start at 9pm.............see you then...................
Jarrett is controversial, not only for his music but also for his very strong opinions and the very high standards he expects from his paying audiences. Absolute quiet is demanded, no coughing, talking, shuffling of feet and he has berated audiences for taking flash and cell phone pictures during his recitals. His demands are as high for his audience as the demands he places on himself. He has been known to walk off stage and refuse to play if the conditions were not right. He is sometimes the bane of presenters as high standards must be met aside from his fee. The piano must be of his choosing, the hall must have the right acoustics and so forth. Many of these heavy demands and attitudes have led people to feel that Jarrett is a prima donna, however, after a Jarrett performance, the majority of his audience would agree that Keith deserves the high standards that he demands.
Tonight's Feature is Jarrett's latest and because it is a solo piano recording it would be hard to classify this a pure Jazz other than the fact that all of the movements are improvised. Jarrett is equally adept at the classical repetoire as he is with the language of Jazz. In his improvisations he uses everything he knows. He clears his mind of all that is extraneous and begins to play. Unlike his earlier non stop solo excursions, eg. The Koln Concert, Jarrett plays individual improvisations that usually explore a mood, some are roilingly rhythmic, some are introspective and some are unabashedly lyrical, some are atonal and dissonant and some are extremely sad and poignant......I think you get the picture. I will add that these performances nearly didn't take place as Jarrett was delivered a blow in his personal life, not his health but his marriage dissolved. He was upset and depressed and seriously thought of cancelling these dates but he felt that would be unhealthy and would be a sign of failure on his part. This music reflects the turmoil on Keith's emotional life but also the triumph over adversity and his triumph as an artist. Testament is a portrait of one of our greatest musical creators, Keith Jarrett. On a final note, we all have been annoyed and sometimes distracted by Jarrett's vocalizations, his awful singing, grunting and groaning while playing. I can assure you that on these performances they are kept to a minimum, either through judicious miking or simply from Jarrett himself.......it's the piano that speaks.
Along with the Jarrett Feature shortly after 11pm we'll have many surprises plus the CITR Fun Drive will be continuing for another show. So far it has been very, very successful and I hope that I can persuade you to invest in either Volume #1 of a CD compilation of my picks for 2009 a 75min.+ album of music by Miles Davis, Jackie McLean, Keith Jarrett, The Maria Schneider Orchestra and much more or Volume #2 called "Rarities", again 75min+ of Early Coltrane, Mingus, Brubeck, Lee Morgan most of which has never been on CD before. Both Volumes are available for a donation of $60 or $30 for a single of your choice. Call this number on Monday night.....604-822-8648 and make a pledge to support The Jazz Show and CITR so that we can continue to bring you the best! Catch the show from the start at 9pm.............see you then...................