Double Bass Keith Jarrett unable to play?

[ClusterFlux]

I hope Keith can discard his mental model of what it means to be a pianist, and find a different way forward while rehabbing.

It's not just about his left hand. His right side, memory and overall mobility is also seriously impacted.

Apparently he's been trying to recover for almost 2 years, and it's just not working. He can't even dream about playing anywhere near the level he wants. That may mean that he's lost not only motor functions, but also musical ability as well.

 

[ClusterFlux]

I mean, it is patently untrue in that his playing isn't super original at a core level. It is very good and has his own spin on it, but it is generally "inside" playing and very much a take on Bley....

While I agree he isn't as revolutionary as Coltrane.... Are you only talking about his standards performances? Most of his solo work is pretty out, and often include atonal sections, e.g.:



It's barely jazz, mostly classified that way because it's improvised, and because he came out of that tradition.

The standards seem to be more about delving into the songs themselves, rather than pushing the envelope or composing new music. But some of the trio work isn't standards, it's open and collaborative improvisation (e.g. "Inside Out") that is more adventurous.

 

[lowphatbass]

I've never met him.
I wore out a trio record that had Peacock and DeJeanette on it when I was a kid. It did a lot for me.
As a non-pianist and especially as a far, far, FAR less superb musician I wouldn't judge or criticize his playing. Im not sure why any Jazz musician would want to be quoted comparing themselves to Coltrane.

 

[lurk]

He's a difficult personality for sure, at least as he appears publicly. I've heard him live a bunch, and he rambles, showboats, gets boring, plays trite stuff and pretends it's profound, and is guaranteed to somewhere in there give you a stretch of the best, most engrossing music you've ever heard. So what do you make of that? I kept buying tickets and I'll miss him.

 

[damonsmith]

Yeah, but it is pretty straight forward atonal work when he gets there and it always tends to resolve.
The sad thing about that quote for me is that he is the Keith &%$ing Jarrett of the piano. His body of work is outstanding by any measure yet he needs to make this one claim that he didn't actually do. The thing is, he did plenty of other things. I don't think anyone has as strong of a body of work in straight jazz & straight classical, for example. Ever.
Also, making serious relevant work on standards in the 21st century was pretty amazing as well.

Cecil Taylor re-ordered things far more and actually has far more imitators of note, I still would never call him the JC of the piano!!

While I agree he isn't as revolutionary as Coltrane.... Are you only talking about his standards performances? Most of his solo work is pretty out, and often include atonal sections, e.g.:



It's barely jazz, mostly classified that way because it's improvised, and because he came out of that tradition.

The standards seem to be more about delving into the songs themselves, rather than pushing the envelope or composing new music. But some of the trio work isn't standards, it's open and collaborative improvisation (e.g. "Inside Out") that is more adventurous.