Help me appreciate Jarrett

[konaboy]

Whilst I have mad respect for Keith, I have yet to find an album that I enjoy. The music often seems a bit technical, challenging or just too dull for me to appreciate.

 

I've checked out the classic albums that are usually recommended without finding anything that would make it to my playlist. Can somebody suggest an album that is more accessible, perhaps dare i say a bit more "poppy", melodic, straight ahead or swinging.

 

yeah, i know i'll probably get roasted so bring it on  

[David Emm]

I should take this moment to be utterly unhelpful by observing that A) he's never been pop-minded in any way and B) his only foray into other realms would be the pipe organ of "Hymns / Spheres" on ECM, where he offers some ambient things, but also interesting half-stopping and synth-scented moments. He's a superior player, but he never quite took me to the same neighborhood as Chick or George Duke.

[16251]

 

[Motif88]

While I agree with “The Melody At Night, With You” suggestion.

 

Speaking as the Director of the Department of Redundancy, Department, have you not performed engaged listening to the “Koln Concert”?

 

It still moves me 45+ years later.

 

TRS

Director

Department of Redundancy, Department

[NewImprov]

I have to say, I don't love Koln Concert, but if that is too abstract and esoteric, maybe Jarrett isn't your bag? It's probably his most outwardly pretty and accessible album. I love a lot of his solo work, but that record just doesn't hit for me. His Standards trio with Peacock and DeJohnette is consistently fantastic, but their approach to standards can get very out there.

 

My personal favorite Jarrett playing is here, but it is neither poppy, meldodic nor straight-ahead, but IMHO, it swings like a MOFO:

 

[AROIOS]

2 hours ago, konaboy said:

...Can somebody suggest an album that is more accessible, perhaps dare i say a bit more "poppy", melodic, straight ahead or swinging...

Here are a few of my favorite ballady/poppy/soulful KJ performances. Enjoy!
 

 

 

 

[David R]

My gateway into Keith was Whisper Not. It’s his first concert back from battling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, so there’s much more restraint (relatively speaking). The version of “Bouncing With Bud” is what finally opened everything up for me. Also, that arrangement/ostinato of “What Is This Thing Called Love” is phenomenal.

 

Check out “Backhand” from Backhand and “Long As You Know You’re Living Yours” from Belonging for that vaguely Americana-ish melodic language he had in the 1960s & 70s

[moj]

 

 

Airto's Album - Lucky Southern (Jarrett's composition & playing)

 

[CEB]

That's okay.  You don't have to like everything.  Craig Taborn is an absolutely brilliant pianist but I can't get into him.  We all like different stuff.  That is what makes it cool.

[jerrythek]

4 hours ago, konaboy said:

Whilst I have mad respect for Keith, I have yet to find an album that I enjoy. The music often seems a bit technical, challenging or just too dull for me to appreciate.

 

I've checked out the classic albums that are usually recommended without finding anything that would make it to my playlist. Can somebody suggest an album that is more accessible, perhaps dare i say a bit more "poppy", melodic, straight ahead or swinging.

 

yeah, i know i'll probably get roasted so bring it on  

It would help for you to list these albums you listened to. Then I could better evaluate your request. Another important question: do you enjoy jazz piano at all?

[Sean M. H.]

1 hour ago, CEB said:

That's okay.  You don't have to like everything.  Craig Taborn is an absolutely brilliant pianist but I can't get into him.  We all like different stuff.  That is what makes it cool.

 

+1 THIS!

 

Obviously, there's absolutely nothing wrong with repeatedly trying to gain new appreciation for an artist/genre/song/style... broadening your palette, etc.

 

...but there's also absolutely nothing wrong with simply not connecting with an artist--even a legendary, universally appreciated one!

 

For me that artist is none other than...🥁... Prince!  Love a handful of his songs, but...in general, not someone I ever have the urge to listen to...😬 (and for context, I SHOULD be a huge Prince fan, based on demographic, other artists I like, etc...)

[CyberGene]

The first Jarrett album I heard was the Köln Concert. I know this will come outrageous but I found it hard to listen, and still do. To me it’s a mix of almost-kitsch and avant-garde. At the time I even thought it was a non-jazz player pretending to be playing jazz. I love his solo piano jazz ballades from some of his concerts and I love the Melody at Night With You album but outside of it, he’s not my cup of tea. I appreciate him and I can see the mastery but it doesn’t move me. Not sure why I have to force myself though, there are so many players for everyone out there, you don’t have to like all of them 🙂

[Bobadohshe]

This utterly blew my mind as a college kid getting into jazz. One of my favorite solos ever. Off 'Whisper Not' in 1999.

 

 

[Manolios]

I love his work with the late Charlie Haden. Last Dance & Jasmine  

[Dockeys]

2 hours ago, Bobadohshe said:

This utterly blew my mind as a college kid getting into jazz. One of my favorite solos ever. Off 'Whisper Not' in 1999.

 

 

This…..I discovered this in 2002 and it’s one of the first jarrett albums I took to. They do a really nice version of Wrap you trouble in dreams. 
 

I wouldn’t apologise for not liking his stuff. I was of a similar mind with Koln album. I initially accessed jazz through standards so found it hard to follow when I didn’t really know many of the tunes on that album. I’ll keep listening to it and it’ll become a standard in my own mind in time. 

[niacin]

+1 to My Song & Country.  Also Rider.  Jarrett’s gospel/Americana stuff.  

 

Otherwise, he’s a jazz player, and if you don’t like jazz, well it is what it is.

[John Tweed]

I wasn’t that much of a fan until I heard a live recording with de Jonnette and Peacock recorded in Paris in 1995 (I think) on my birthday. Since then he and the trio are my favourites for standards in particular. For some reason I really enjoy his grunting and groaning as he pulls off incredible phrase after phrase. I’m not so much into the solo concerts. Saw him many years ago at Sydney Opera house solo, and I thought he was a bit up himself. He stopped in the middle of one piece to berate the audience for photographing him. But when I heard the aforementioned album, all was forgiven.

[JamPro]

13 hours ago, konaboy said:

Whilst I have mad respect for Keith, I have yet to find an album that I enjoy. The music often seems a bit technical, challenging or just too dull for me to appreciate.

There is no rule that says you have to like or even listen to Keith Jarrett.  I feel similarly about Chick Corea: obvious talent, abundant compositions, cool collaborators, but nothing that I really enjoyed.  I can't really express why not: the feeling is just not there for me.

 

I think my first exposure to Keith Jarrett were those early solo concert album.  But I didn't really take to his playing until I heard his ensemble playing on the My Song album.  That was music that grabbed me.  Later, he got more into weird abstract music which I have avoided.

 

 

[J.F.N.]

I can appreciate his music and playing, but I can't for anything in the world stand his bloody moaning and grunting while playing, I've yet to find stuff recorded where he's playing digital piano... (have not been actively looking)...

[octa]

My not-so-jazzy friends seem to enjoy this one. De Bass rules:

 

 

[konaboy]

that's the thing, I have previously stumbled across his version of Danny Boy which I absolutely adore but it was buried in an album containing other tracks that were dire (to my ears).

 

so I know he can play wonderful music that I dig. hoping I can find an entire enjoyable album, instead of just giving up and moving on to the next artist, hence my question.

 

will check out all your suggestions, thanks

 

 

[Mark Zeger]

In addition to the previously noted My Song album with “Country”, the Keith Jarrett album that completely hooked me is Belonging with the European quartet. It’s a top 5 album for me. In the early 80s, I saw the Pat Metheny Group play “The Windup” and I had to learn more about Jarrett.

 

Also this:

 

[jerrythek]

1 hour ago, konaboy said:

that's the thing, I have previously stumbled across his version of Danny Boy which I absolutely adore but it was buried in an album containing other tracks that were dire (to my ears).

 

so I know he can play wonderful music that I dig. hoping I can find an entire enjoyable album, instead of just giving up and moving on to the next artist, hence my question.

 

will check out all your suggestions, thanks

 

 

I can say with confidence that there is unlikely to be a whole album that you will enjoy. There's nothing wrong with having a playlist of tunes from across his output that works for you. As an example, in his later period solo piano concerts I love the more tonal and ballad-like pieces, but skip the modern/atonal excursions. In general I love the Standards Trio output, but sometimes I'm just not in the mood to try to hear past his vocal noises. I absolutely adore the Live at the Blue Note boxed set, and can highly recommend that for jazz trio performances. When I have time I will list some individual tracks. For now, try these pieces:

 

 

 

[EscapeRocks]

I just always worried he was going to dent his forehead on the keys

 

😁

 

[Geoff Grace]

I’ll echo the many suggestions of “My Song” above and add “Solara March” from Arbour Zena:

 

(If you get impatient with the slow intro of “Solara March,” feel free to skip to the 4:30 mark, where the tempo picks up.) I really enjoy Jarrett’s collaborations with Jan Garbarek, whose soulful saxophone playing always lifts the music’s emotional power.

As for The Melody at Night, with You, I agree that it’s accessible; but it’s an album of covers recorded while Jarrett was battling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, so it lacks much of his usual vitality and originality. Nonetheless, it’s enjoyable; and I sometimes listen to it while I’m winding down for the day. If you want “melodic” Keith Jarrett, it won’t disappoint. 
 

Best,

 

Geoff

[GovernorSilver]

13 hours ago, konaboy said:

that's the thing, I have previously stumbled across his version of Danny Boy which I absolutely adore but it was buried in an album containing other tracks that were dire (to my ears).

 

so I know he can play wonderful music that I dig. hoping I can find an entire enjoyable album, instead of just giving up and moving on to the next artist, hence my question.

 

will check out all your suggestions, thanks

 

 

 

I'll check out the suggestions as well.  Good thread.

 

I echo others who say it's ok to have preferences for music learning.  Don't like jazz or the majority of Jarrett's stuff?  Nothing wrong with  that.

[Ivan May]

Keith Jarrett has made some really excellent recordings for ECM throughout the seventies and eighties. Not just the aforementioned Koln concert, but also that behemoth 3 record set that was recorded in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1975. He also recorded a few albums for ABC Impulse Records and one 2 record set he did for Columbia Records in 1971, called Expectations, which featured some great guitar playing from the late Sam Brown, making one of the few albums Keith Jarrett recorded to feature electric instruments, something Keith would usually stay away from.

 

Keith has a bit of a strange way of performing, however. Anyone who’s anyone has probably heard the Koln album, and knows that you shall never clap or sneeze or cough during Keith’s performance, or you will be punished.

[Mark Zeger]

Just now, Ivan May said:

 Anyone who’s anyone has probably heard the Koln album, and knows that you shall never clap or sneeze or cough during Keith’s performance, or you will be punished.

My daughter & I saw a Keith solo concert in Carnegie Hall maybe 15 years ago. We were in the dress circle front row and were tense we’d make a sound. It was a brilliant performance with 3 encores.

 

it was snowing that night and the sound of flakes on the roof probably bothered him. 

[Al Quinn]

Keith had a pop hit with Gaucho. He sued Steely Dan for copying Long As You Know Your Living Yours (written in 1974) and won. I believe he receives Gaucho royalties as a result.

 

 

[George88]

KJ is my all-time favorite, I find he posses both superior ability and the highest sense of romance I’ve ever heard.

 

Deer Head Inn and My Foolish Heart are my favorite full length trio records.

 

Over the Rainbow, an encore from La Scala; and Tokyo Encore from Sun Bear Concerts may be my favorite “moments” from his recordings.  Over the Rainbow, in particular, is sublime.