Product Description This solo concert by Keith Jarrett, recorded live in South America in April, 2011, comes 40 years after his first solo album for ECM. The Rio de Janeiro concert is, the pianist feels, one of his best: "beautifully structured, jazzy, serious, sweet, playful, warm, economical, energetic, passionate, and connected with the Brazilian culture in a unique way. The sound in the hall was excellent and so was the enthusiastic audience." Jarrett's solo recordings are a 'tradition' of their own, yet each is unique in itself, a special event. The great pianist had played in Brazil only once before - back in the 1980s and felt that he had 'unfinished business' there. On this occasion the music that emerges, entirely improvised, shares with some of Jarrett's best-loved albums (think of The Köln Concert) an intensely lyrical core. Jarrett's capacity for creating song forms and compositional structures in the moment is unparalleled, as is clearly heard over Rio's 15 short tracks. The release of 'Rio' coincides with Keith Jarrett's 40th anniversary as an ECM recording artist. It was in November 1971 that the pianist and producer Manfred Eicher first collaborated - on the epochal and hugely influential solo piano album 'Facing You'. Jarrett's rich and rewarding solo piano catalogue on ECM have brought forth some remarkable recordings over four decades and 'Rio' is a stunning addition to them. "Rio is a masterpiece, a jazz recording of such creativity that it is impossible to absorb the enormity of its achievement in one, two or even three auditions." - Jazzwise Personnel: Keith Jarrett (piano) Review Since he recorded the Köln Concert in 1975, Keith Jarrett’s solo recitals have come a long way. Back then, a single piece often lasted over 25 minutes, and the audience had to follow every twist and turn of Jarrett’s spur-of-the-moment improvising without coming up for air. Yet this long form neatly contained the full scope of Jarrett’s playing, from atonality to country-ish or gospel-tinged melodies, and from a gentle rhythmic lilt to hard-edged swing.More recently, from the time of Radiance, recorded in Japan in 2002, Jarrett has separated the ingredients into bite-sized chunks. With an audience as ecstatic as the one at the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro, where his new album was cut in April 2011, this works to the advantage of both. Jarrett builds a rapport with his public, and they can more easily adapt to the changes of mood and genre as his ideas develop.From a brittle opening that nods in the direction of such classical composers as George Antheil and Krzysztof Penderecki, Jarrett gradually works into his stride. The fourth fragment is a delightful lyrical ballad that keeps suggesting you’ve heard it somewhere before (except that you haven’t) and this leads directly into a propulsive, jazzy fifth section that is the climax of the first set.The second set (and second CD of the boxed pair) is vintage Jarrett, developing ideas that go right back to his first trio recordings, and which defined him as a pianist. There’s the lilting Latin 6/8 of part eight, contrasting with the shimmering treble ornament of the following section. A brisk foray into atonal expressionism is followed by romping swing, leading to another tender ballad movement.The final three sections have the perfect balance between compositional form and spontaneity, with the penultimate bluesy movement the standout. Maybe there were his usual strictures against coughers and photographers, but if they happened, they didn’t get in the way of Jarrett’s rapport with his audience. Overlooking an above average content of the pianist’s characteristic wheezes and groans, you get the sense that — like someone in the crowd at his last London solo concert — they’re all prepared to shout, "We love you, Keith!" --Alyn Shipton Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off in a new window P.when('A').execute(function(A) { A.on('a:expander:toggle_description:toggle:collapse', function(data) { window.scroll(0, data.expander.$expander[0].offsetTop-100); }); }); Review (5 stars) A lyrical triumph to equal the Koln Concert, intense drama and emotional catharsis captured through long-haul, improvised performance. -- The Independent On Sunday, (Phil Johnson), November 6, 2011(5 stars) Rio represents Jarrett at his most exuberant...For old Jarrett fans and prospective new ones, it's a must. -- The Guardian, (John Fordham), November 4, 2011(5 stars) Some of Jarrett's most magic music making on record...it is compulsive listening...marvellous stuff. -- Jazzwise, (Stuart Nicholson), December 2011 / January 2012(5 stars) Warm emotions, unerring logic and impeccable technique...there are ballads and ruminations, rumbling infernos and warm-hearted dances. -- Financial Times, (Mike Hobart), November 5, 2011 See more
A**R
Uneven Quality
This double CD live recording may be to some fans' taste but I found it to be somewhat uneven in quality. Unlike Jarrett's early concerts this one consists of 15 fairly short tracks. The format of his earlier live work, where a single "movement" could last as long as 45 minutes, allowed Jarrett to explore and develop a number of themes, at times reaching moments of bravura, heartbreaking grandeur. I'm thinking here particularly of the (early) Bremen concert, Koln Part I and Vienna Part II. The Rio concert certainly has highlights - tracks 6, 8, 9 and 15 for me - but is not in the same league. I'm sure many dedicated fans may disagree with me!
M**E
Jarrett hits a high note
Keith Jarrett hits top form in this recording of a concert given recently in Rio de Janeiro. His piano playing is bothstirring and moving and leaves one clamouring for more.
S**L
Patchy
Keith Jarrett's solo concert recordings have become increasingly difficult to review in recent years. Have they actually become more predictable and less inventive, or is it simply that I am too familiar with them? Either way, Rio - like Carnegie Hall and Testament - seems to feature a few dazzling patches set against an all-too-familiar background.Rio is another multi-section concert. It's a shame that Jarrett has given up the long, flowing improvisations of his early career because he no longer has to manage the transitions between sections and this has pushed him towards generic sections. Section 14, for example, is a soulless, crowd-pleasing ostinato such as he could have done at any moment in his career, and Part 11 is a (mercifully brief) example of the blues piece that he has been throwing in towards the end of his concerts since Paris '88.Nonetheless, there are some notable highlights on these two discs. Part 1, for example is a masterpiece of concentration as Jarrett unfolds a dense contrapuntal fabric that can stand as one of his most serious extemporised pieces. Part 9 is a breathtaking example of Jarrett's "sacred hymn" style and explores the high register of the keyboard to great effect.Fans of the trio will enjoy parts 4 and 7, which sound remarkably like standard ballads. Part 3 is an exuberantly swung waltz that starts, pleasantly enough, on an ostinato but then shows some real progression from its mid-point. Part 5's Latin groove reminds me of his early 1970s work and will suit long-term Jarrett fans. Part 15 - an aria over rippling sustained chords - brings the concert to a satisfyingly emotional climax.With regard to the recording itself: there must have been an outbreak of plague in Rio the week that Jarrett came to town. Never have I heard so many coughs and sneezes on an ECM recording. Although they never hit the distracting peaks of the Carnegie Hall Concert audience, their applause is also a factor in a noisier recording than one would like, and Jarrett's vocal contributions (e.g. on Parts 5 and 10) are awfully prominent.Overall I feel that if you're going for a concert from Jarrett in the period after he recovered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Radiance is still the recording to go for. Rio is unquestionably good, but with such a prolific recording artist one can afford to be picky.
R**S
If you like him buy it.
After a cacophonous first track, the rest follows in the style we have come to expect. I liked it a lot.
V**N
A feast for the ears and mind
This is not a record to listen to in the background whilst doing other things. It is not a record to be interrupted by phone calls or shouts that dinner's ready.Plan a couple of hours for yourself or with a friend. Turn the lights down with a glass of wine and just concentrate. You will be rewarded with a remarkable journey of sound. After each track you will wonder what Keith can possibly come up with next. The first track, and one other will throw you if you aren't used to the, let's face it, highly unusual multitonal pieces which Keith puts into a concert. I still find these pieces challenging but am starting to get it.I won't spoil it by describing each track, let this be part of your journey.But along the way you will be open mouthed at the beauty, tapping your foot to the beat, and laughing out loud at the humour in the musical twists and turns.To be fair, the above describes many of Keiths solo concerts, but there is something extra special about this one I feel. He is getting sounds out of the piano which just don't exist.
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