Jarrettâs âlatestâ release is live, classical and thirty years old (and thereâs still no news on his health as the performance hiatus stretches on and on). He has stated improvising lengthy solo concerts was a cakewalk compared to the stress and expectation which accompanied classical performances, where criticsâ daggers are brandished from the get go. He admits the classical practice sharpened his technique, which can clearly be heard in his playing at the time, but also claims it triggered the chronic fatigue syndrome which parked his output for years.
Curiously the full album is only available to âpremiumâ YouTubers, as appears to be the case for all of Jarrettâs ouvre, not sure if this is the same for all ECM releases but it may be the ECM free ride is over. Having said that the entire album is on Open Spotify for free, although at inferior audio for those of you with more sensitive ears than I possess.
Bach and Jarrett is a nice combo.
Glenn Gould demonstrating why Bach is so good. His posture was the result of an early fall from a boat ramp. A number of pianists seem to have adopted a similar low slung posture, eg Brad Mehldau, which apparently allows the pianist to pull down on the keys rather than strike them from above, producing a different sound and greater control. I doubt itâs recommended by orthopedic surgeons.
The great Michel Petrucciani had the low posture too, although in his case it was necessitated by his height.
l saw them at the Myponga (Yarrawonga) music festival around 1972, with Stephen Stills with Manassas as the headline act. Stills came out white as a sheet, smacked out was the rumour, the band led by ex-Byrd Chris Hillman were smoking hot. Canned Heat were also excellent with Hite and Henry Vestine in fine form. Gerry Humphries was the compere/host and he also was mighty good.