Keith Jarrett - Selected Recordings

[BlueMiles]

This is a 2-CD set, featuring Keith Jarrett’s own selections of his work on ECM. I’ve been trying to get more into Jarrett, especially the “standards trio”--the group for which he has been (by far) the most famous. The CD sampler is a real oddity. If nothing else, it shows the diversity of what Jarrett has done over the years. Actually, it is slanted heavily toward solo work--but usually not the best-known (or, for that matter, the best). In addition, there’s plenty of Jarrett playing other instruments--clavichord, pipe organ, even soprano sax and recorder. We have plentiful selections from such obscure Jarrett albums as "Book of Ways," "Spirits," and "Invocations."

Everything on the CD’s was composed by Jarrett. If these are his best compositions, they sure don’t register much. There are some tracks with the “European quartet,” most of which don’t do much for me. Only three pieces feature the "standards" trio, and these tunes are not standards. However, they are pretty good tunes; “The Cure” is by far the best cut on these 2 packed CDs. The famous trio offers quite a contrast to all the other music, which to my ears is sleepy in the extreme. I have sometimes though Jarrett has gone overboard with the “standards” concept, but it does represent his liveliest and (to my mind) best music.

It really is a strange album--and quite dissatisfying to my ears. I'm sure Jarrett has his own highly personal reasons for selecting these numbers, most of which contain no jazz feeling whatsoever. I can't imagine even the more dedicated Jarrett fans enjoying this collection.

[Rob Damen]

Hopefully, it's an improvement over "Works", a prior ECM compilation that was kind of scant in its selection. Then again, it's almost impossible to properly cut down Jarrett's work into nice and neat sections. I've found it's just best to get his albums out of the library, given that there's so many of them. The expense of acquiring them all is rather great when you think about how much he's recorded over time.

Hopefully he selected "The Windup" from "Belonging", which is a darling of a tune with some really tough turns in the head. Just love how that song just jumps up and grabs you. It captures the fun of baseball in a way a more controversy-filled game does these days, I guess.

Cheers,

Rob

[BlueMiles]

"The Windup" is on the collection--probably the best of the tunes by the quartet with Garbarek.

I'm telling you, there is a LOT of strange stuff on these CDs.

[craigz]

The :rarum album is not a greatest hits, or even a representative collection by any means. It's more Jarrett's attempt to draw attention to what he feels is his most neglected work. Now, I've been a rabid Jarrett fan for (god!) more than 30 years now, and I have to say that Spirits and Book of Ways are way down at the bottom of my often-played list. Spirits, for example, was a mental health project that Jarrett undertook to break himself out of a bad period, and it obviously has more meaning to him than anybody else.

If you're looking to get into KJ more and break out beyond the trio, check out Nude Ants, the live double album by the European band, and virtually anything by the American (Redman/Haden/Motian) group. If you can afford it, The Impulse Years 1973-1974 box set is utterly transcendent from beginning to end.

[ribot_for_president]

If you can afford it, The Impulse Years 1973-1974 box set is utterly transcendent from beginning to end.

Does that contain all of the American Quartet releases? I only have Ft Yawuh, looking to pick up more from that group.

[Gerardo A]

Hey ribot, no, the complete Impulse American Quartet come in two different boxes (the one you mentioned and Mysteries: 1975-1976), but both of them are worth buying. After getting the boxes, you'll just need The Survivor's Suite and Eyes of the Heart (both on ECM) as well as the earlier Atlantic records (notably El Juicio, which is amazing, but also Birth and maybe Expectations, which is a large ensemble but features all the members of the quartet) to have a full American Quartet collection.

[guy]

Spirits, for example, was a mental health project that Jarrett undertook to break himself out of a bad period, and it obviously has more meaning to him than anybody else.

You would think so, but Ian Carr absolutely gushes about it in his Jarrett biography. I haven't heard it myself and don't intend to...

Guy

[craigz]

Just for the record, Expectations was Jarrett's one and only album for Columbia. He was given free reign over the session and augmented the quartet with guitar, percussion, strings, and brass. The suits at Columbia hated it and cancelled his contract.

If you buy just one of the albums with the American band, make it The Survivor's Suite.

Spirits isn't terrible. There's just way too much of it, and I feel as though I could have played most of it myself. It certainly pales in comparison with the ethnic instrument pieces on albums like Death & the Flower and Mysteries, which have the benefit of Dewey Redman's musette, real percussionists, and some extraordinarily percussive bass work by Charlie Haden.

[Gerardo A]

Expectations was Jarrett's one and only album for Columbia.

Right, the other ones I mentioned were on Atlantic. :)

It should also be mentioned that it won the 1972 French Academy's Grand Prix du Disque.

[guy]

If you buy just one of the albums with the American band, make it The Survivor's Suite.

I disagree -- most of his Impulse albums are better.

Guy

[Gerardo A]

Hahaha just to add to the pot, my favorite American Quartet album is El Juicio, on Atlantic. That one, Treasure Island, Fort Yawuh, Death and the Flower and Survivor's Suite are the top ones, IMHO.

[ribot_for_president]

Thanks Gerardo!

[Chris D]

You can find a lot of the American Quartet LPs for pretty reasonable prices on eBay. I've picked up a lot that way, many near mint. I can see how that happened. Someone liked "Koln Concert," figured they'd try another, got to "Fort Yawuh," said "WTF?" -- then shelved and never played them again.

[Freetoojazz]

It really is a strange album--and quite dissatisfying to my ears. I'm sure Jarrett has his own highly personal reasons for selecting these numbers, most of which contain no jazz feeling whatsoever. I can't imagine even the more dedicated Jarrett fans enjoying this collection.


I didn't find it strange. These are very good selections! It's a panorama of his life and his music. His ability to create different settings is awesome. I highly recommand it!

[BrianL1]

Originally Posted by craigz
If you buy just one of the albums with the American band, make it The Survivor's Suite.


I disagree -- most of his Impulse albums are better.

Guy

I have to second the view that Survivor's Suite is the one to get. By turns beautiful and intense and mysterious, and completely involving. The opening is amoung my favorite Jarrett. And the recording is great.

Of the Impulses, my favorite is "Death and the Flower". But the box sets are well worth getting, especially the 1st one. There's some great extra and extended tracks from the Fort Yawuh recordings.