Keith Jarrett: Belonging (1974)

Keith Jarrett: Belonging (1974)

Personnel: Keith Jarrett (piano); Jan Garbarek (soprano & tenor saxophones); Palle Danielsson (bass); Jon Christensen (drums).

Song

 

1. Spiral Dance 4:07  

2. Blossom 12:11

3. 'Long As You Know You're Living Yours  6:10  

4. Belonging 2:12  

5. The Windup 8:22

6. Solstice                  13:22

Amazon.com essential recording

When Keith Jarrett debuted this largely Nordic quartet, he was in the midst of developing a U.S.-based group of the same size with heavy leanings toward the approaches of Ornette Coleman and Paul Bley (even using veterans of Coleman bands). With the Nordic band, Jarrett was better suited to play wistful, melodic vamps that got great mileage out of Jan Garbarek's wavering but mostly vibrato-free tone and the ethereal rhythmic floats supplied by drummer Jon Christensen and bassist Palle Danielsson. "Blossom" is a lengthy, smoldering ballad, as tender as it gets in Jarrett's canon and worth every minor move the group makes. And while things are fairly icy throughout the slower spots, the band slinks into a couple gospel-touched gems, "'Long as You Know You're Living Yours" and the harmonically piled, funky "Windup." All in all, this is not only one of the Jarrett high marks, it's a pinnacle for 1970s jazz overall. --Andrew Bartlett

The spine on the CD cites Keith Jarrett as the recording artist, but many regard this as a Jan Garbarek album. Jarrett was the non-Scandinavian in a superb quartet that comprised Garbarek (saxophones), Pelle Danielson (bass) and Jon Christensen (drums). Garbarek and Jarrett constantly interplay, offering melancholy, romance, sadness and emotional, musical bliss on 'Spiral Dance' and 'Blossom', and manage to groove along with the out-of-character 'Long As You Know You're Living Yours'. One of the finest moments from ECM's exceptional and now sizeable catalogue, perhaps Jarrett and Garbarek need to work together sporadically in order to spark and recharge each other.

Recorded at Arne Bendiksen Studio, Oslo, Norway on April 24 & 25, 1974.

Keith Jarrett: Nude Ants (1979)

Keith Jarrett: Nude Ants (1979)

Jon Christensen Drums, Percussion

Palle Danielsson Bass, Double Bass

Jan Garbarek Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)

Keith Jarrett Percussion, Piano, Timbales

Tracks

Disc 1

 

1Chant of the Soil Jarrett 17:13

2 Innocence Jarrett 8:15

3 Processional Jarrett 20:33

Disc 2

 

1 Oasis Jarrett 30:35

2 New Dance Jarrett 12:57

3 Sunshine Song Jarrett 12:03

"Nude Ants" is a true classic in Keith Jarrett's prolific live recordings. With his "European" Quartet, Jarrett released some very fine albums("belonging," "personal mountains"), one brilliant record("my song")before moving onto a Standards trio, more solo improv, and classical work in the 80's. But this 1979 album, recorded live at the Village Vanguard, is truly a live masterpiece. Jarrett contributes the 6 wonderful, and sometimes far-out compositions, which spring the band's amazing interplay into uncharted(but highly listenable)territories. Jan Garbarek is capable of a unique, beautiful tone or an angry snarl on Saxophone, while drummer Jon Christanson and bassist Palle Danielsson keep things funky and interesting. Jarrett is in superhuman form here, playing wild gospel, dark middle eastern, or bill evans esque chord voicings(in his own original style of course). Be warned:Keith was in a good mood-meaning there's alot of moaning, groaning, screeching and sighs here. It's not hard to ignore, and it actually proves the astounding energy of some of the tracks. "Chant of the Soil" is a menacing funk, with some great solos from Garbarek and Jarrett, and a wonderful percussion and drum duet between Christanson and(i believe) Jarrett towards the end. The energy on this one is infectious. "Innocence" is beautiful, Debussy like ballad, which shifts moods brilliantly. "Processional" is Jarrett's acoustic jazz version of Miles Davis' "He Loved Him Madly." Dark, and gloomy, this track is a group-improvisational triumph, with many different sections and interludes. Disc 2's opener "Oasis" continues the lenghy, slightly dark interplay of "Processional" this time with the music of the Middle East for inspiration. This is maybe the most complex and strange track on the album. "New Dance" is a joyful sophistacated jam, and a highlight of the album. It's also the title track if you think about it..."Sunshine Song" is homerun number 6 as compositions go on this album. Beautiful and haunting, is it a fitting closer for a somewhat dark live album. Overall "Nude Ants" isn't the place to start if you want to hear Jarrett's "European" quartet, but it is a funky, funky live album.

Jan Garbarek: Visible World (1995)

Jan Garbarek

Visible World

Jan Garbarek soprano & tenor saxophone, keyboards, percussion

Rainer Brüninghaus piano, synthesizer

Eberhard Weber bass

Marilyn Mazur percussion, drums

Manu Katché drums

Trilok Gurtu tabla

Mari Boine vocals

Tracks 

Red Wind

The Creek

The Survivor

The Healing Smoke

Visible World

Desolate Mountains I

Desolate Mountains II

Visible World

Giulietta

Desolate Mountains III

Pygmy Lullaby

The Quest

The Arrow

The Scythe

Evening Land

This 1995 release followed closely on the heels of the enormously successful Officium, Jan Garbarek's meditative collaboration with the Hilliard Ensemble. The same tranquil aesthetic prevails on this release, but the methods and materials differ. Garbarek opts here for the recording studio over the monastery, building up many of the tracks himself with percussion and keyboards as well as the keening, resonant sounds of his soprano and tenor saxes. His compositions emphasize folk-like melodies and ethereal soundscapes, and there's effective work from pianist Rainer Brüninghaus and bassist Eberhard Weber. The often-dramatic percussion from Marilyn Mazur, Manu Katché, and Trilok Gurtu adds ceremonial and world-music touches to some superior work in the New Age genre. --Stuart Broomer