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Keith Jarrett: A One-of-a-Kind Artist Prepares for His Solo


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Guest Bill Barton

FWIW, my initial post wasn't really a comment on Jarrett but on the article, which I found to be complete tripe. And, hey, I even still like The Köln Concert. ;)

Agreed on the review. Good one, Tom.

Edited by Bill Barton
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Guest Bill Barton

...I wouldn't mind seeing a discussion of Jarrett's classical influences. I'm not real clear on who they are. :ph34r:

That could be most enlightening... With all of the knowledge floating around here there might be some interesting insights. Compared to many folks on the board I have very limited background in classical music, but one name that immediately springs to mind is Scriabin.

I recall posting some positive comments on one of the bulletin boards (maybe here, I don't remember) regarding Jarrett's recordings of Baroque repertoire on harpsichord and his Shostakovich: 24 Preludes and Fugues Op. 87 solo piano collection. The flame-throwers were unholstered in jig time!

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Number two, is there a need to discuss his music at this point?

Is there a need to discuss his music at this point?

Well, geez, I guess not. Admins, please lock all threads about musician's musics.

Or should we just limit it to Keith Jarrett, whom we all should have made up our minds definitively by now and should just keep it to ourselves?

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I still don't see how commentary from anyone prevents people who do like his music to discuss it.

Do you see much discussion of his music in this thread after the initial post?

Was the article supposed to spark discussion? Or was it more likely to confirm that dastardly opinion "he's a pretentious twat"? I didn't see a post that's supposed to spark a musical discussion, and if you want to read nothing but positive views of Jarrett, perhaps keithjarrett.com has a discussion board.

But if you think the moderators on AAJ, Harlem.org or the Hoffman forums are tough, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

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I wouldn't mind seeing a discussion of Jarrett's classical influences. I'm not real clear on who they are. :ph34r:

Yes, that would be interesting.

I recall reading one of Gary Giddins collections of reviews where he got terribly upset about the Romantic-era influences on Jarrett. Always struck me as strange that he could be castigated for having Romantic influences; if he'd been influenced by Webern or Boulez he'd have got the thumbs up. Note to musicians - make sure you choose your influences from the approved list.

I can only guess but I'd imagine he'd played a lot of classic music from all over in his training years; the 19th/early 20thC influences do seem strong in the early records. From the 80s on he seems to get more astringent in his solo music (he often appears to be slowly worrying away at a tiny cell), less likely to give us the relief of a rich, romantic release.

I actually prefer the more romantic early Jarrett, even though I'm not that keen on Chopin, Rachmaninoff and the like. Maybe the bluesy/gospel/country bits dissolve some of the sugar for me.

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Number two, is there a need to discuss his music at this point?

Is there a need to discuss his music at this point?

Well, geez, I guess not. Admins, please lock all threads about musician's musics.

Or should we just limit it to Keith Jarrett, whom we all should have made up our minds definitively by now and should just keep it to ourselves?

Don't be foolish. Certain people produce polar opposite reactions that have consumed millions if not billions of pixels. Jarrett and Wynton are the leading examples. And even then, no one is preventing musical discussion. If someone wants to start a thread to pick apart Jarrett's classical influences, have at it. I am fairly certain that Dave James isn't the sort who will chime in with "where did he get the moans and groans from?"

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I enjoy being foolish! I think you do too.

Consuming pixels? Let's derail this thread. You, me, Inky, Blinky, Pinky, and Clyde, before any more pixels/pac-dots are consumed!

pacman.gif

I haven't heard enough Jarrett to understand what all the fuss is about. I did just recently buy the Sun Bear LPs for a bargain and listened to the first three sides. Still not at all sure what the fourth will sound like. I guess I ought to make up my mind!

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All I'm going to say is that there are Jarrett performances that make me want to hurt somebody - usually him - ASAP, and some that totally take me to an even more totally good place. Anybody who can be that all over the place can be neither deified nor condemned as simply as would be the wont of most people who like an "either/or" world (which is, I've come to believe, most people in general).

Hey, the cat can play. And, the cat can be a major irritant. Sometimes even at the same time.

Such is life. Deal with it.

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I'm a Jarrett fan for the most part though his "classical" solo stuff can wear on me a bit (Vienna Concert). But when he hits a groove and doesn't let up (The Cure) I'm into it. But I can see where someone else would say "enough already". I played the The Cure for a neighbor who wasn't a music fan and his quote was "sounds like a real jerk!" :lol:

I'm now curious to hear the recordings that made Jim almost want to hurt someone.

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I'm now curious to hear the recordings that made Jim almost want to hurt someone.

Mostly the late-70s solo stuff, where he's not getting there but trying desperately to convince everybody, probably including himself, that he is. There was a VHS of The Last Solo Concert (is that what it was called?) that I still haven't been able toget all the way through. It's painful. I would feel sorry for him, I mean, it's a noble pursuit, and failure therein can also be noble, but not when it's essentially a musical softcore porn movie. A bad musical softcore porn movie at that.

That, and those moments on otherwise engrossing performances - and the Standards Trio has devolved into too much of this over time, imo - where he slips back into the Charles Lloyd (and geez, what a terror those two must've been together...) trap of playing like he wants to convince everybody, probably including himself, that He Is Seeing The Wonder Of The World For The First Time, And DAMN, Don't It Make Him Tremble Like A Baby In Awestruck Wonder - Oh What A Rare Sensitive Human Being It Is Who Can Channel Such Innocent Uncorrupted Beauty Into Our Lives! I mean, c'mon man, fuck that bullshit.

But along with that, you do get moments, and often enough more than just moments, of very high-level creativity and, yes, beauty. So whatcha' gonna do 'bout that then?

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...I wouldn't mind seeing a discussion of Jarrett's classical influences. I'm not real clear on who they are. :ph34r:

That could be most enlightening... With all of the knowledge floating around here there might be some interesting insights. Compared to many folks on the board I have very limited background in classical music, but one name that immediately springs to mind is Scriabin.

That's what I heard. I went and bought some Scriabin, but I didn't hear it. I'm assuming I didn't study close enough.

I recall posting some positive comments on one of the bulletin boards (maybe here, I don't remember) regarding Jarrett's recordings of Baroque repertoire on harpsichord and his Shostakovich: 24 Preludes and Fugues Op. 87 solo piano collection. The flame-throwers were unholstered in jig time!

I seem to recall adorable Clem hated the Shostakovich.

Again, I'm just not familar enough with Shostakovich, but I'm working on it.

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That, and those moments on otherwise engrossing performances - and the Standards Trio has devolved into too much of this over time, imo - where he slips back into the Charles Lloyd (and geez, what a terror those two must've been together...) trap of playing like he wants to convince everybody, probably including himself, that He Is Seeing The Wonder Of The World For The First Time, And DAMN, Don't It Make Him Tremble Like A Baby In Awestruck Wonder - Oh What A Rare Sensitive Human Being It Is Who Can Channel Such Innocent Uncorrupted Beauty Into Our Lives!

That's seriously funny.

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I wouldn't mind seeing a discussion of Jarrett's classical influences. I'm not real clear on who they are. :ph34r:

Yes, that would be interesting.

I recall reading one of Gary Giddins collections of reviews where he got terribly upset about the Romantic-era influences on Jarrett. Always struck me as strange that he could be castigated for having Romantic influences; if he'd been influenced by Webern or Boulez he'd have got the thumbs up. Note to musicians - make sure you choose your influences from the approved list.

:lol:

Seriously...maybe he'd blow me away if he had those kind of influences. He just...I don't know.

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I still don't see how commentary from anyone prevents people who do like his music to discuss it.

Do you see much discussion of his music in this thread after the initial post?

Was the article supposed to spark discussion? Or was it more likely to confirm that dastardly opinion "he's a pretentious twat"? I didn't see a post that's supposed to spark a musical discussion, and if you want to read nothing but positive views of Jarrett, perhaps keithjarrett.com has a discussion board.

But if you think the moderators on AAJ, Harlem.org or the Hoffman forums are tough, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

Oh, alright then. Do you see much discussion of his music in ANY thread about him? :rolleyes:

Edited by GregK
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Eeeew...yucky gooey mess that Jarrett/Shostakovich. More like "24 Prelukewarms & Fudgedups"

It's kinda like having dry martinis with your borsch - all wrong and quite disgusting.

Better you get the Scherbakov on Naxos or spend a bit more and spring for the Nikolayeva

(whom I think it was actually written for?) - can't remember which label, but a Google will do the trick.

®

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Eeeew...yucky gooey mess that Jarrett/Shostakovich. More like "24 Prelukewarms & Fudgedups"

It's kinda like having dry martinis with your borsch - all wrong and quite disgusting.

Better you get the Scherbakov on Naxos or spend a bit more and spring for the Nikolayeva

(whom I think it was actually written for?) - can't remember which label, but a Google will do the trick.

®

Exactly what Rod said. If looking for Nikolayeva, work backwards and find the earliest recording. There we 3 afaik. I have settled for the 1987 Melodia/BMG cd set from 1987, but long for the earlier Russian recording.

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Guest Bill Barton

Eeeew...yucky gooey mess that Jarrett/Shostakovich. More like "24 Prelukewarms & Fudgedups"

It's kinda like having dry martinis with your borsch - all wrong and quite disgusting.

Better you get the Scherbakov on Naxos or spend a bit more and spring for the Nikolayeva

(whom I think it was actually written for?) - can't remember which label, but a Google will do the trick.

®

Exactly what Rod said. If looking for Nikolayeva, work backwards and find the earliest recording. There we 3 afaik. I have settled for the 1987 Melodia/BMG cd set from 1987, but long for the earlier Russian recording.

Thanks Chuck and Rod... Actually, I wasn't suggesting that people should check out Jarrett's recording, just noting that - with my almost nonexistent background in classical music - when the CD first came out I enjoyed it. Silly me. :unsure:

Any opinions on the Michala Petri/Jarrett recording of Handel's Six Sonatas for Recorder & Harpsichord?

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...where he slips back into the Charles Lloyd (and geez, what a terror those two must've been together...) trap of playing like he wants to convince everybody, probably including himself, that He Is Seeing The Wonder Of The World For The First Time, And DAMN, Don't It Make Him Tremble Like A Baby In Awestruck Wonder - Oh What A Rare Sensitive Human Being It Is Who Can Channel Such Innocent Uncorrupted Beauty Into Our Lives!

When Coltrane did that from at least 'A Love Supreme' onwards he was praised to the skies...or even the heavens! In fact he spawned a whole industry of god-bothering* music and critical word-spinning of which Jarrett seems to be a part. I find I can switch off from all the 'plumbing the depths of one's soul' stuff in Coltrane; just as easy to do it in Jarrett. Best not to read the liner notes or any associated publicity, though.

*acknowledgement to Cook and Morton for that term used in relation to 'Live in Japan', I think.

Edited by Bev Stapleton
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I wouldn't mind seeing a discussion of Jarrett's classical influences. I'm not real clear on who they are. :ph34r:

Yes, that would be interesting.

I recall reading one of Gary Giddins collections of reviews where he got terribly upset about the Romantic-era influences on Jarrett. Always struck me as strange that he could be castigated for having Romantic influences; if he'd been influenced by Webern or Boulez he'd have got the thumbs up. Note to musicians - make sure you choose your influences from the approved list.

:lol:

Seriously...maybe he'd blow me away if he had those kind of influences....

Perhaps. But if he'd had those influences he'd be of little interest to the mass of listeners who have gained pleasure from his music over the years. There are other pianists with such influences who can satisfy the more 'discriminating' listener.

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