Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner - Non Classical Keith Jarrett trio live at NJPAC 12/1/12

Utterly tremendous trio concert tonight. Firstly, the sound in the Arts Centeris incredible, so clear and balanced, unbelievable. It's always shocking to hear Keith play again live -his conception is unfathomable, what he can do with the
instrument so inconceivable, his execution is flawless, his projection is huge, his hand/voice balance is "Bernstein leading the Philharmonic" perfect. If anything his sound seems to continually get drier, purer, more distilled as the
years go on. You can drive a truck between the melody and the other 30 voices he's creating simultaneously to support the melody. Primary fluctuating weight given to the melody at all times- so this is what music is, yeah,it's SONGS) Every part of his playing zoned to carry musical concepts to add to the
whole, each zone played within itself perfectly and perfectly balanced with the other zones he's playing perfectly, how all the parts interface in a completely architecturally thought out woven tapestry and perfectly played.

Lots of great moments -A beautiful intro right off the bat on You Go To My Head,
followed by Santa Claus is comin to town, played and improvised all the way through) Gary and Jack were fantastic, no diminution of any kind, Jack is beyond dispute the greatest drummer alive and was outstanding tonight. The time feel,
between Gary right in the pocket and Jack relaxed every so slightly off the beat conveyed a layering of time that was remarkable. Everything was happnin, vamps,blues, ballads, dixeland (He did a bit of almost an Errol Garner imitation with
a staccato 4-to-the-bar LH that was hysterical), funk, Latin, all done to perfection.

There's a moment in the Bhagavad Gita where Krishna shows Arjuna his infinite form, and Arjuna's mind is blown to bits and begs Krishna to return to his usual personal form...we're sitting there, the concert is over, right? We heard 2
encores -God Bless the Child, When I Fall in Love, you know..I mean everyone is standing + cheering, I mean the concert is over, everyone is tired, IT'S OVER, you dig?

Then Keith walks over to the piano and shows us his infinite form with a supremely wild out out out furious Jackson Pollack on Straight No Chaser, it was hair-raising! Shocking, paralyzing! Wow, Jack played the greatest drum solo I
ever heard in my life, and Keith just blew the piano into smithereens...after the concert is over!

Keith Jarrett is universes after universes of the highest level of piano artistry ever known on this planet. All you can say after this experience is - GOD IS GREAT.

Yeah, all his counterpoint must be divinely inspired.
While I haven't had the privilege of watching one of KJ's concerts live, I think I would slightly prefer a trio concert, especially given the interplay you described.

I'm envious of your experience Dave.

I guess I'll just have to console myself with Restoration Ruin.

reruns of Golden Girls should do the trick..

A review Like should be worth a call from mom

Too bad you can't record shows...hopefully Keith will decide to issue a cd of the night.

Jealous!

He's one of the performers that I really want to see that I haven't.

From what I've read, he apparently records every performance. Whether he or ECM chooses to release it is another thing...

Good to hear he (and Jack & Gary) hasn't lost a step, on the contrary perhaps. He's (they all are ) not getting any younger...

He and that trio have been and continue to be a huge influence on me...

ha ha

Did you do your recording trick Knotty ?!

nah I didn't. The boss said "just listen instead", and I'm a good boy

where were you sitting ?

pretty decent seats, maybe 10th row on keith's side. Good sound there.