Keith Jarrett > When I Fall In Love
Composed by Victor Young & Edward Heyman

It’s no surprise to Keith fans that he’s a sentimentalist (no surprise to my closest listeners that I am either), so I was going to feature something from his tribute to Miles’ life. I chose one of his trio’s spontaneous interpretations of one of my favorite Miles tracks instead.

Fitting to end the week on a standard, given the decades he’s dedicated to them. This one is traditionally jazz than my the album from the beginning of the week, but, just as satisfying.

Keith Jarrett Week #5
Legends of the Piano #2
Ballad #41
Standards #9

Keith Jarrett > Life Between the Exit Signs
Composed by Keith Jarrett

I’d never even heard of Keith Jarrett when my buddy David Reitman suggested we cop the name for my first midnight college radio show.

Keith Jarrett Week #4
Legends of the Piano #2

Keith Jarrett > Starbright
Composed by Keith Jarrett

The movement toward solo and duo jazz albums had already been gaining steam when Jarrett released his first (fully improvised) on ECM and began to join his influencers in the canon. It made him so famous that folks like me starting dismissing his unique approach to piano.

I saw Jarrett play solo in Carnegie Hall last January,  the first time since The Mercer Arts Center, New York, in 1971, when he was supporting this LP. His command and confidence was no different in the almost 40 year gap.

Keith Jarrett Week #3
Legends of the Piano #2

Keith Jarrett > My Wild Irish Rose
Composed by Chauncey Olcott

Never in a hundred years (OK, maybe 40) would it have occurred to me that I’d build our first artist week around Keith Jarrett. Hank Jones, Cecil Taylor, maybe Herbie Hancock? Them, I might have predicted. But year after year I keep pulling Keith albums out.

Particularly this one. (In fact, I featured it a year ago.) Not jazz in any traditional sense (no soloing), but I can’t imagine anyone but a jazzman interpreting melodies this way.

To me, this song was just an international cliche until I couldn’t dislodge Keith’s version from my head. He nails the melody so deeply…

Keith Jarrett Week #1
Legends of the Piano #2
Ballad #40 
Standards #8