Keith Jarrett's Standards trio

[BlueMiles]

The trio has been around for over 20 years, which might well make it the longest running group in jazz (without personell change). I know Jarrett is a bit of a divisive figure--probably more for his personality than the actual music.

I've been listening a bit "Tribute," which has its moments. But a great record? Probably not.

I have not collected a lot of the group. One of the best things I like is the free non-standards album "Inside Out."

I have to say I always like hearing Jack DeJohnette.

Any comments/recommendations?

At The Deerhead Inn

Standards In Norway

Live In Tokyo '96

Whisper Not


Those are the top four from that group in my book. I personally love the standards trio, but then again I'm just a huge piano trio fan.

[Enforcer]

I love this trio. They're one of the great piano trios of our generation, IMO. The musical empathy amongst the musicians is special, the kind that can only be cultivated by many years of playing together. Jarrett's behavior is ridiculous, but the music is too good to miss. This group's live performances are sublime.

[jazzy mary]

Good recs, Scott. Hey you're taking about music! Just kidding. I'm not a huge Jarrett fan. I actualy sold "Whisper Not" for peanuts at a used cd store not too long ago. Actually, probably a year ago. I wish I hadn't so I could have sent it for Dobie's CD Memorial. It's a good session, actually--just not my cup of tea.

Scott, if you like piano trios, are you hip to Anthony Wonsey? He's an absolutely wonderful pianist and I can recommend several of his cds.

[Enforcer]

Don't miss the At The Blue Note recordings on ECM. The 26 minute version of Autumn Leaves is beautiful.

[Darryl G. Thomas]

I probably own just about every release this trio's put out either in CD or LP. It's one of the few groups I buy "sight-unseen" (no reviews, no Jazz Corner recs). Scott's recommendations are excellent. I do like the Tribute double CD though.

Plus there's the box set of Jarrett's "American Quartet". Diffrent group, pricey, but worth checking out.

I guess I'm one of those "latte-slurpers" Bill Milkowski was taking about in the infamous "Overrated/Underrated" artocle in Jazz Times a way back.

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

Don't miss the At The Blue Note recordings on ECM. The 26 minute version of Autumn Leaves is beautiful.

I have one of the single discs from this set. Recorded on June 4th, which is my birthday! I can second what you are saying here.

This boxset has been on my "to get" list for far too long!!!

Originally Posted by DGT

It's one of the few groups I buy "sight-unseen" (no reviews, no Jazz Corner recs).

Same here. I've often just seen an album of theirs that I didn't have while shopping for something else. I just pick it up almost unconsciously.

[cookie]

Deerhead Inn. I happened to be there that night on a whacky roadtrip.

Recently, I've been studying "It's Easy to Remember" from that disc. It's a great tune in one of the most expressive versions I've ever heard.

Besides the music, a highlight of that night was meeting Gary Peacock and Paul Motian. Mr. Jarrett was unavailable, but sheeit! So what.

Hey Cookie, I really love that trance like groove they get into during You Don't What Love Is.


That must have been a pretty magical evening.

[burning dog]

Just want to join in the general praise for the Deerhead Inn album. I play it the most of any Jarrett recording.

Originally Posted by burning dog

Just want to join in the general praise for the Deerhead Inn album. I play it the most of any Jarrett recording.

The only downside to it is that persistant hum. Don't know if there was a bad mic, or something wasn't grounded properly, or what.

But it doesn't detract from the awesome music!

[burning dog]

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

The only downside to it is that persistant hum. Don't know if there was a bad mic, or something wasn't grounded properly, or what.

But it doesn't detract from the awesome music!

Yeah! I'm listening to it now,"You and the night and the music." If you can stand the hum and Jarrett's vocalizing!

It's odd he stops for the odd eight bars, maybe he's holding his breath!

Bye bye blackbird now. Echos of the Miles version.

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by BlueMiles

I have not collected a lot of the group. One of the best things I like is the free non-standards album "Inside Out."

I think the followup, Always Let Me Go, is far superior--freer & more compelling. I feel a certain tension in Inside Out about letting go that was resolved the next time.

Great group. I've seen them live 3 times. My problem now, though, is so what? There's a sameness to the endless standards albums, I'm afraid, as good as they are. They seem to have abandoned the free experiment, which I found very fruitful.

[Ron Thorne]

Originally Posted by jazzy mary

I actualy sold "Whisper Not" for peanuts at a used cd store not to long ago. I wish I hadn't so I could have sent it for Dobie's CD Memorial.

Mary, as I was reading your post I thought the exact same thing (of course), then you stated it. I'm very appreciative of the music you have sent, though.

I'm also a huge fan of piano trios and this one in particular. I'll echo the recommendations Scott made. Then there's also Bye, Bye Blackbird: A Musical Tribute to Miles Davis, which I dig, along with the simply titled Standards, Vol. 1, etc. and Standards, Live.

Larry nailed it when he alluded to the empathy which can only come from playing together a very long time.

Damn, Cookie, being at The Deerhead Inn for that session had to be a heady experience, to say the least. That's also one of my favorite trio recordings of all time, along with Corea's Now He Sings, Now He Sobs, which is pure magic.

[Pete C]

I'd vote for the Blue Note box as the definitive representation of the standards trio playing standards.

[jazzy mary]

yeah, Ron and what is worse, about 4 months ago I gave my daughter's drum teacher a whole stack of jazz cds that I just wasn't into anymore. Of course this all happened before Dobie's sad demise.

[cookie]

I have to say that I like live Jarrett best. I think he still reaches, Pete, but I think he's subtle, sneaky and abstract about it. He still surprises me, especially with some of the unique harmonic devices he comes up with. Things I've enjoyed most are recordings and videos of the trio performing live.

Love "The Out of Towners." Listened to it twice already (bought about two months ago) and I mean LISTENED sitting in my rocking chair, not just putting it on while surfing the Net or doing the dishes. I'm about due to listen again. In fact, I just pulled it off the shelf. Bye!!

PS: Ron;Scott: it was an incredible night that included a Chevy van, two guitar players, a bass player, declined credit cards, tall-boy 16 oz. Cokes in glass returnables, and I think there may have been some other consumables involved. It was just a spur of the moment pilgrimage to see Jarrett. Was it a free show? I think so. I don't think we paid for the music. I think we just went and hung out. We sat out on the porch, but I had a great view of Jarrett and the keys through a screen door. We had no idea it was recorded.

Motian was hangin' on the porch drinkin' a beer between sets. Like a god among us...

Originally Posted by Pete

There's a sameness to the endless standards albums, I'm afraid, as good as they are.

Originally Posted by Cookie

I think he still reaches, Pete, but I think he's subtle, sneaky and abstract about it.

As odd as it seems, I can almost fully agree with both of these opinions. There is a familiarity there. But for some reason, that's what makes it all the better. Don't really know how to explain it.

But I think that Whisper Not is a fine example of this. When I first got it, I was completely unimpressed. But I continued to listen to it over and over, and each listen revealed a little secret something that didn't strike me in the begining. nd after a couple of years, it has become one of my favorite albums from this trio. But, it's so incredibly subtle that it takes some very close listenings, IMO, to realize just how incredible it really is.

Cookie, I agree completely about The Out Of Towners. Excellent material!!! Excellent playing!!

I wonder if the mics picked up your applause that night at the Deerhead Inn? If so, sweetness!!!! I can now honestly say that I have a cd with Cookie on it!!

[BlueMiles]

So there are definitely some fans of this group. I guess that's no surprise.

I do find that I need to listen to the music closely to really understand and appreciate it.

Most of the records are live sets, with a heaping of applause at the end. I don't know of another artist who has put more applause on his records.

The Miles tribute is one that I own and enjoy. I'm kind of intrigued by "Always Let Me Go."

Wouldn't it be a good idea for the trio to add a guest artist now and then? Add a guitarist or saxophonist or vibes player. They could try it once!

[cookie]

BlueMiles: I thought about that for a while. A guest artist might be interesting, but I really like the sound of this trio AS a trio. It may be what Pete is beginning to hear as "sameness," but I think the group has a unique identifiable "sound" that makes it a special unit. Adding a guest might be fun, but I think it would become an entirely different "band".

Still, for fun, who might make a good guest for "Jarrett Trio+1"? I think that a fourth player would really need to understand how the trio works. Otherwise, the trio would (IMO) run the risk of sounding like any other rhythm section accompanying a soloist.

Who would be a good candidate? Anybody wanna play? I have to think about it. Nobody is coming immediately to mind.

[lazy]

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

I love this trio. They're one of the great piano trios of our generation, IMO. The musical empathy amongst the musicians is special, the kind that can only be cultivated by many years of playing together. Jarrett's behavior is ridiculous, but the music is too good to miss. This group's live performances are sublime.

What do you mean by saying that his behavior is ridiculous?

Originally Posted by cookie

BlueMiles: I thought about that for a while. A guest artist might be interesting, but I really like the sound of this trio AS a trio. It may be what Pete is beginning to hear as "sameness," but I think the group has a unique identifiable "sound" that makes it a special unit. Adding a guest might be fun, but I think it would become an entirely different "band".

Still, for fun, who might make a good guest for "Jarrett Trio+1"? I think that a fourth player would really need to understand how the trio works. Otherwise, the trio would (IMO) run the risk of sounding like any other rhythm section accompanying a soloist.

Who would be a good candidate? Anybody wanna play? I have to think about it. Nobody is coming immediately to mind.

I agree with you 100% about keeping the trio as a trio!! They are truly the closest thing I've heard to a perfect unit.


As for guest artists?

Branford.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Originally Posted by lazy

What do you mean by saying that his behavior is ridiculous?

I think Larry might be referring to Jarrett's habits of moaning and gyrating while he's playing. I could be wrong................

[sonic1]

guuuu uh uh uh ooooooweeeajah huh hu

"Unghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......................!"

[lazy]

Originally Posted by sonic1

guuuu uh uh uh ooooooweeeajah huh hu

L O L

[Darryl G. Thomas]

I hate to say this (well maybe it's not so bad), but until the late '90s I thought Jarrett was black due to his complexion and the 'fro. Then I found out somewhere he was of Eatsren european (Hungarian?) stock.

What cracks me up is when he talks about his days with Miles and how much he disliked electric keyboards. You ever see videos of that band? Jarrett looks like ke's having a blast! Now Chick Corea looks like he's not having much fun. DeJohnette, Holland, and Airto are certainly rocking out.

[sonic1]

This one is my fav Keith Jarrett.

Originally Posted by DGT

Then I found out somewhere he was of Eatsren european

Oh my!!!

[cookie]

Call me a weirdo, but I dig the moanin' and gyrating.

But ONLY from Jarrett.