Share thoughts on Keith Jarrett


Last night, I saw Keith Jarrett performing solo at the Symphony Center. Tremendously emotional concert with four encores. Now, this is why I'm posting: The person who I was supposed to attend the concert with, informed me, on Tuesday night, that she couldn't go. "No problem", I thought: "Who wouldn't jump at the chance to see Keith Jarrett live", a performer who I consider to be right up there with the likes of Davis, Monk, and Coltrane, all jazz elite and all household names. It took me two full days to find someone who even heard of this guy. I'll continue to hold him in place of high esteem regardless of the comments I get here, but I'm curious: Am I incorrect to place him so highly, or are their others who find his relative anonymity amazing?
phaelon
Keith's improvisation of music is erratic and the substance of his material s very inconsistent . I fell in love with his music after listening to the Koln Concert. It has been down hill since then. Sometimes the material he plays is dead on but mostly he is off. Over the last 30 years I can count only two albums that he has made that are very good and maybe 10 that are less than average at best. The more he plays the less interested I am in his music.
I'm spining his new LP "Yesterdays" on ECM. This is a incredible recording and music. While not solo piano, It's up there Koln Concert
My favorite Jarrett recordings are the one's he made as a young man with the charles lloyd quartet. his talent is undeniable, but his recordings as bandleader or solo don't 'connect' with me.
IMO Keith Jarrett can't be mentioned in the same conversation with Miles, Coltrane, and Monk. A small example: All anyone has to say are the names "Miles," "Coltrane," or "Monk" and many people will immediately know who they are by only part of their name. Not true of "Jarrett."
he's ok, not great...I can think of other contemporary jazz pianists who are his equal if not better