The latest release from the world’s most successful jazz piano trio comes from recordings of live concerts which took place in Tokyo in 2001. The focus is on bebop with jazz standards from Horace Silver, Charlie Parker and Dizzy as well as tunes from the Great American Songbook – including a pair by Jerome Kern. The trio certainly has a way with these tunes which in other’s hands often sound run-of-the-mill. The live concert situation seems to add energy and flair to the proceedings, as it often does. It’s fortunate that such excellent recorded sound is possible today in spite of the live concert situations. Jarrett is not quite as annoying as usual with his nonmusical sound effects.
2008 was the 25th anniversary of the piano trio. A historical DVD was released by ECM and last month another DVD of concerts filmed in 1993 and 1996 was issued: “Live in Japan.” It seems the Japanese audiences best provide the sort of sounds and inspiration the trio prefers. Another milestone connected with this particular album is that ECM is also releasing it as a 180 gram vinyl pressing – the first LP from the label in 15 years! That’s a demonstration of the return of vinyl to the music business.
TrackList:
1. Strollin’ (Horace Silver )
2. You Took Advantage Of Me (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart)
3. Yesterdays (Jerome Kern/Otto Harbach)
4. Shaw’nuff (Dizzy Gillespie/Charlie Parker )
5. You’ve Changed (Carl Fischer/Bill Carey)
6. Scrapple From The Apple (Charlie Parker)
7. Sleepin’ Bee (Harold Arlen/Truman Capote)
8. Intro (Keith Jarrett)
9. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Otto Harbach/Jerome Kern)
10. Stella By Starlight (Victor Young/Ned Washington)
— John Henry
