On Sunday (3/19/06), I had the opportunity to attend SFJAZZ’s Keith Jarrett solo piano concert at San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House. I’ve loved his recordings for what seems like forever, and have taken every opportunity to attend the SFJZAZZ performances by Keith, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette.

Nevertheless, I didn’t get tickets for the solo concert. $100 for orchestra seats was part of it, but mostly I prefer working bands to solo performers. Still, when friends called with extra tickets, it was impossible to say no.

The first set consisted of six totally improvised pieces. After a bow to the audience, Keith sits at the piano and lets his fingers figure out what they’re going to play, without preconceived ideas. Arpeggios, scale runs or random notes. Where’s he going? It’s hard to tell.

The notes fly. He’s searching for a vamp, a groove, a motif. Not searching exactly so much as making himself available to it. Patterns will emerge. Eventually I become comfortable with what I’m hearing. It begins to sound interesting, although I still have no idea what it is. Keith knows, doesn’t he?

It’s magical, if only for a moment. And then he’s done. We applaud. Keith stands, putting his hands together as in prayer. Another perfunctory bow. And then he sits down, does it again, only different.

The second piece had a slow tempo and was more melodic from the start. It reminded me of "Old Folks", a beautiful ballad Keith performed with Gary and Jack as an encore at an SFJAZZ concert years ago. Keith sings along. Nice!

Rhythmic Gymnastics

Next comes fast paced arpeggiated scales, bric-a-brac ramdomness, the notes blending together into a soundscape. This reminds me of a Chick Corea/Herbie Hancock piano duet concert almost thirty years ago. As an encore, they made their pianos "talk" to each other. Sound without melody. You couldn’t make out the words, exactly, but we were treated to a real conversation. You could understand the meaning, the emotion of what was being said, like overhearing snippets of a conversation in another room. Keith seemed to produce that kind of conversation all on his own. It was real…

And the set continued like this. The songs were fairly brief, not like the extended pieces featured in "The Köln Concert" recording. This may partially be concession to an illness — chronic fatigue syndrome — that prevented him from playing for two years and limits his endurance. But it’s also an artistic choice [see discussion in first LA TImes article linked below].

After intermission, Keith approached the microphone, said he has nothing to say and began walking toward the piano. Halfway there, he turned around, returned to make a few political remarks. He let us participate in the joke…

In the second set, the audience especially responded to a blues that based on the first two bars of Charlie Parker’s "Nows the Time." The concert concluded with four encores, and they were all special.

Magic Happens

The second encore was perfect. Keith didn’t play individual notes. Rather the notes combined to create a "wall of sound," rumbling, moving around the piano. It evoked the feeling of a chant or mantra, maybe a prayer. Eventually he began to pierce through the soundscape with single, higher-pitched notes. Reminded me again of the Corea/Hancock "talking pianos" and also Charlie Haden’s "American Dreams." This was the highlight of an incredible evening. Since the concert was recorded, I hope to hear it again!

Keith concluded with two standards: "It Might As Well Be Spring" (and it was just a day later) and "As Time Goes By."

Just Excellent!

1. Keith Jarrett’s Wikipedia entry
2. Jarrett rallies, as have the acoustics: LA Times article describes Jarrett’s new approach to solo concerts.
3. His fluid improv: Keith Jarrett sets aside structure and just goes where the music takes him at Disney Hall (LA Times)
4. Jarrett Takes a New Tack (San Francisco Chronicle)
5. Fresh Aire Interview of Keith Jarrett