Keith Jarrett (piano, voice and
multiple instruments); Charlie Haden (bass); Paul Motian (Drums)
(Review by Hugh).
A release from
Rhino/Warner Music Group comprising 5 CDs representing the first five
recordings Keith Jarrett made for Atlantic (and its subsidiary Vortex) as a
leader. Jarrett, pianist in Charles
Lloyd's quartet from 1966 to 1970, also played in Miles Davis' band of the early
‘70s.
Sleeves bearing
the artwork of the original LPs are contained in a slim box with each CD (as
would be expected) lasting in the region of forty minutes (no need to turn them
over though!).
The albums are
as follows:
Life Between the Exit Signs (1967)
Restoration Ruin (1968)
Somewhere Before (1968)
The Mourning of a Star (1971)
El Juicio (The Judgement) (1975)
Four of the
albums feature Jarrett (mainly on piano, but also with a variety of other instruments)
with long time collaborators Charlie Haden (bass) and Paul Motian (drums). The exception is Restoration Ruin,
which features Keith Jarrett on multiple instruments (including harmonica,
recorder, soprano sax, guitar, bass guitar, bongos, drums, tambourine, piano,
organ and sistra) together with a string quartet. He also sings, with a somewhat “Dylanesque”
quality in places.
Somewhere
Before
was recorded live at Shelly's Manne-Hole in Hollywood and marks Jarrett's first
West Coast recording. The other LPs were
laid down in the studio.
The delivery is
vintage (by definition really) Jarrett ranging from the sublime to the
ridiculous and through to the frankly raucous.
Each CD has between seven and eleven tracks, some of them quite short
and lasting only just over a minute.
When Lance
offered me this set to review it was in the knowledge that I do like Keith
Jarrett. He did however assure me that
he was not expecting an in depth analysis of each individual track (45 in
all)! I have listened through to each CD
and (appropriately) am listening to El Juicio (The Judgement) as I
type. I must admit I find the trio's
more melodic tracks the most listenable.
Some of the freer, improvisational, material has me twitching to use the
fast forward facility on the remote, but will no doubt delight others.
This set will
be an essential buy for the real Jarrett devotee, who may have all the original
vinyl albums anyway, and is a snip at just £12.99 through a well-known on-line
supplier. Whether it will appeal to the
more general jazz enthusiast remains to be seen.
Hugh.
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