Keith Jarrett was part of my college soundtrack. I was introduced to him through one of my roommates, who occasionally audited classes with him at Berklee. He was already a major presence in the Jazz world. He continued to compose and perform until around four years ago, when a stroke left him unable to use his left hand.
Many of Jarrett’s own recordings are un-named, carrying simple descriptors like “Part II”. Not unlike many of the Classical composers who just assigned numbers to most of their pieces. He is eccentric in other ways—sometimes dancing as he plays, or making vocalizations that seem involuntary (sort of like Glenn Gould). His playing style violates many of the standard assumptions about proper posture and hand position. But there was never any denying his virtuosity.
Gary Burton and Keith Jarrett “Grow Your Own” (1970)
Gary Burton is one of the central figures in the Berklee universe. He revolutionized the vibraphone by making the four-mallet technique standard. He collaborated with almost all of the great Berklee alumni over the years, as well as with many other greats, and was among the pioneers of Fusion. Here, Jarrett and Burton sound like they’re having the time of their lives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbjGqX1-Gc4“Encore” Tokyo, 1984
I picked this because it has echoes of “Grow Your Own”, but you can hear Jarrett’s ongoing growth. This piece is richer and more complex than his work from a decade earlier, while still being the kind of thing you could sing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33brcd1QKE
“Danny Boy”, Tokyo 2002
Jarrett’s emotional cover of the old classic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6tIzxmPCQE
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