Customer Reviews

Always Let Me Go / Live in Tokyo

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's slightly misrepresentative to title this as a Keith Jarrett release when so much of what happens here displays the uncompromising finesse and creativity of all three members. So, dispel any notions of Keith playing accompanied by 2 extraordinary sidemen. In fact, this is a disc where more often than not it is De Johnette and Peacock who propel the music forward. This is no slight toward Jarrett, but instead an affirmation that in spite of writing credits, what you hear shows just how telepathically these men work. It is a document of an extraordinary effort.
As with any effort, there are moments in the extended pieces, "Hearts in Space" and "Waves", where the music seems to hang, waiting for something to either resolve the position they are in, or push on to the next idea. In both cases, it is DeJohnette who steps up and takes charge and it is a wonder to hear him so forcefully drive the trio. This is particularly true in "Waves," which really seems to dangle nowhere until he seizes control, and that is the wrong anaology, but there is no mistaking the dynamic he brings in 2/3 of the way through. It changes everything. So much so that through "Facing East", an absolutely brilliant three part improvisation, and "Tsunami", a powerhouse display from Peacock and DeJohnette, that it can accurately be said that DeJohnette's eruption changes everything on the second disc. On the first disc, "Hearts" is one of those wonderful Jarrett excursions from the abstract to the sublimely and rhythmically delightful. "The River" is a tone poem poem of breathtaking beauty.
My only reservation about this disc is that it is getting tiresome hearing Jarrett moan as much as he does. Robert Fripp commented once in reference to Jon Anderson that he had no problem with a singer banging about on a tambourine, so long as it was in time with the music. Much can be said in this regard about the groans and grunts. It has certainly worn out a bit of its welcome, and seems at times as though it might be expected more than motivated. It is not a pretty instrument. Not that prettiness should rule. However, when you listen to the track, "Tributaries", underneath the surface noise of sighs and moans, De Johnette is creating a remarkable sound palette with his exquisitely tuned percussion. Perhaps a little Linda McCartney-style editing is in order. Certainly Miles would have had an answer.
Enough carping on that, and I'm sure Jarrett hears it enough anyway. This document presents this trio as a formidable improvisational unit, completely unafraid to leap and free fall at times. It is an extraordinary departure from the Standards reperoire and well worth a lot of listening and scrutiny

The term "Jazz" covers about as many different definitions as there are words in the dictionary. For some, Jazz is melodic instumental music that is easy on the ears and requires little thought in order to enjoy and appreciate. It can be great background music without being intrusive. For others, Jazz is music bursting at the seams of creativity with deep and thoughtful listening required to extract the beauty that lives beneath the sound. This kind of Jazz relies heavily on the musicians ability to challenge and explore each others ideas without stepping on the multi-colored textures created on the spur of the moment. "Always Let Me Go" is this kind of Jazz.

Jarrett, Dejohnette and Peacock have the kind of history that breeds familiarity and trust. These musican built their chemistry on playing standards for the last 20 years. They have evolved into an almost completely telepathic trio. Each musician is capable of changing musical directions in mid-song without losing the group cohesion. This double disc is filled with exceptional moments with shimmering beauty. "Hearts in Space" starts out exploring a beautiful melody by Jarrett before Peacock and DeJohnette drive it into a tight swinging frenzy that soars. "Waves" uses each artists solo ability to shift between an almost gospel like vibe, to a child-like melody before exploding into a full swinging affair - with all musicians sounding like they are soloing at the same time, but still sounding like a tightly knitted trio - magical stuff indeed! Other great tracks include "Tributaries" and "Facing East". On both of these jewels, the musicians tease and jab at each other before Jack Dejohnette takes over and drives them home with exceptional drumming skills. Peacock is rock solid throughout this recording. He plays with such warmth and feeling on "Paradox" and "Tsunami" - a perfect anchor for this dynamic trio. Jarrett is at his creative best when stretching and bending melodies into simple structures that give Dejohnette and Peacock plenty of room to explore. The reflective beauty that he creates on "The River" is timeless. This is thoughtful creative music in its' purest form.

These three musicians have taken their art to a stratospheric level - where creativity lives and breeds new and exciting ideas. This is Jazz as it should be - bold, daring, adventurous and beautiful. Welcome to "Always Let Me Go"!! The "Standards" train has left the station. This is the next level. Enjoy the ride!

Keith Jarrett (piano), Gary Peacock (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums): their collective resume is impeccable. Their usual method as a trio is to stick to common standards (inventive though the reworkings may be), but they've got some good experience in the more freeform jazz camp as well. On 2001's Inside Out they tried scrapping the framework and improvising from scratch, and liked the result so much that they delivered over two hours of similar explorations with Always Let Me Go. I'd recommend Inside Out to anyone, Jarrett fan or not, and if you like it enough to want more, you'll probably want to eat this one up. It's a jewel.

ALMG isn't free jazz in the sense of being tuneless or formless - well, most of the time - but in the sense that the forms & melodies emerge on the spot as a collective creation (and it remains beautifully listenable, which isn't always a given in the free-jazz camp). Throughout the whole course of the album they're constantly listening and responding to each other in a beautiful three-way dialogue. The water theme that runs through the titles is very appropriate, as everything they do is in a perpetual state of flowing and changing, never quite repeating itself.

"Waves," for example, begins with Keith starting a quiet little melody on his own. Gary picks it up and fleshes it out. Jack stays quiet, as any percussion at this point would be out of place, but begins adding a splash or two once things start picking up. All three finally hit the groove together at around eight minutes. Then Jack takes over, his relentless clattering pushing the others into a busier and busier jam. The others stop on a dime as Keith switches gears into a loose rambling line; then they start up again as a trio as fast as they stopped, this time staying in hyper mode for a couple minutes. Then, as if on cue, everything goes quiet again before Gary takes the lead into something slow and almost bluesy.

You get the picture. It's all like this. They don't really know where they're going, but the richness of the journey is how they get there together.

The fact that we get the proceedings without any fades (as there were on Inside Out) means that it can seem to drag in spots; two tracks alone run over half an hour each. So for those who don't care for the aimless-sounding stuff, ALMG will probably seem 20 or 25 minutes longer than it needs to be. But for those listeners who want to hear the whole process unfold at its own pace, beginning to end, here's everything presented as it happened. It's a wonderful and colorful ride.

Here's to new explorations.

Listeners to this CD will fall into four general groups:

1.) Creative/Edgy Types. For the most part, these are musicians as well. Creative/Edgy types find "free jazz" refreshing, inspirational and sometimes even relaxing. They get a genuine kick out of accomplished musicians just letting it all hang out in steam of consciousness improvisation. Those experienced with various musical scales and works of the past musicians will even be able to follow "the conversation". Creative/Edgy types may be the best qualified to judge particular pieces of "free jazz"-unfortunately they are largely incapable of explaining their appreciation to those outside their circle.

2.) Phony And Pretentious Avant Garde: Unfortunately, we all know someone like this. They have no real appreciation or love for "free jazz" of any kind; but they wish to count themselves as among the "elect" who "get it". They will speak disparagingly of the philistines who reject such fine art; but one suspects that when no one else is around they secretly listen to Britney Spears or Garth Brooks.

3.) Struggling But Not Up To It Music Lovers: These are folk who genuinely love music from many different genres and try to give "free jazz" a chance. They love jazz and particular jazz musicians. They may even be fans. And so they try to listen and learn to appreciate these excursions musicians they really respect find so revitalizing. Bits and pieces may be interesting-but for the most part "free jazz" passing them by.

4.) "I Know What I Like And This Isn't It" Crowd: Admittedly the largest group in this discussion. Resources are small, dollars scarce, and time short-so why waste any of the preceding for music that doesn't have a beat, you can't dance to, or whistle as you walk down the street. You have to give some grudging respect to these honest "every men". When all is said and done is it this group that pays the bills. There are stories of the Paris audiences rioting in rage and disgust at the premiere performances of Stravinsky's "Rites Of Spring". On the one hand, you could look down your nose at "those who can't recognize real art". On the other hand, there is something commendable about quite intelligent people thinking for themselves and letting the "artiste" know what they think by throwing chairs around and burning the curtains.

I for the most part belong in group #3; but on occasion I mess up and slip into group #4. Wild horses would have to drag me a "live" concert of "free jazz" for fear that I might suddenly leap for my chair and start a fist fight with the musicians. My own desire is to give "free jazz" a chance occasionally in order to expand my musical horizons. After all, music I once hated in the past I have come around to embrace and love today. But I have to admit that the initial exposure is somewhat akin to having the hairs in my nose ripped out.

Keith Jarrett is no stranger to free-form improvisation as demonstrated by his landmark KOLN CONCERT (1975) and SOLO CONCERTS (1973) albums in the mid-1970's. My brother who is an actual musician and an optometrist once told me that when he got an office of his own that he would fill the waiting room with a tape loop of Jarrett's SUN BEAR CONCERTS album. Indeed, after all these years I have developed a certain fondness for "Part I"-the first cut on KOLN CONCERT. But I must confess that I found it a great relief when Jarrett switched to his "standards" performances long ago. I simply found Jarrett's more "conventional" records more superior and enjoyable.

My reaction to ALWAYS LET ME GO thus is quite predictable. I want to be on Jarrett's side on this; but for the most part I can only take these improvisations in bits and chunks. Most of these cuts initially sound like mice are running across the instruments. There are great stretches of chaotic noise with small islands of brilliant playing that suddenly appear and catch your interest like suddenly waking from a deep sleep wide awake. These "small islands" float to the surface only to disappear moments later.

Strangely enough, the most effective cuts on this CD are the longest. "Waves" and "Hearts In Space" clock in at over 30 minutes each. Notes of chaos and brief flashes of melody and inspiration float in and out of conscious thought; but when these pieces end one is left with a feeling of deep satisfaction. In the wake of these two cuts, the rest simply pale in comparison. Taken by themselves, one can listen to the shorter pieces with some benefit and enjoyment but they are not quite as rewarding.

It seems that you just can't listen to this kind of music as you normally would more mainstream jazz. You have to relax and let the music work on you. This can be quite frustrating if you can't take it on its own terms-which admittedly I can't a good deal of the time. Thus Jarrett's following album UP FOR IT comes as sweet water after a parched walk through the desert.

My advice is to consult the list of people types above and honestly confess at least to yourself who you are.

If you are a number 4, stay away. By all means, if you are newly tipping your toe into jazz, don't start here.

If you are a number 3, maybe try it. Success may depend on the mood you are in and your ability to just listen to a cut or two at a time

If you are a number 1, this will be manna from heaven. The album will come like love letters from God. Buy it now.

If you are a number 2, please stay away from this album and spare the rest of us your verbal diarrhea. I find you guys everywhere and you just spoil it for the rest of us.

The Keith Jarrett Trio has reinvented itself on this 2-disc set as an adventurous and inspiring group that is never short on ideas.
"Inside-Out", the first step in this "free" direction, was only a warm-up for this album, and even took a bad step at the end by trying to "excuse" the album by tacking on "When I Fall In Love" as the last track. Here, there are no holds barred.

The interplay is sensitive and incredibly dynamic; from a whisper to full-blown swinging frenzy, from hymn-like hypnosis to cathartic exorcism, this album has it all. The group sounds freshly inspired, locked in, yet as loose and free as any great Ornette Coleman or Paul Bley album.

There are no standards, no expositions to get to the meat of the matter, there are no traded fours, no redundant II-V-I's; nothing but three seasoned pros, outguessing everyone including themselves and finding some magic telepathy in the process.
This is great music, and great music-making.

Keith Jarrett is a master of improvisation. As a solo pianist, works like "The Koln Concert" and "La Scala" consist of Keith sitting at the keyboard and letting his imagination take him away. The pieces move through different chords, tempi and styles, and the listener is richly rewarded.

In the past few years, he's released some great improvisational works with the help of Gary Peacock on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums. Often the starting point of the tracks is a jazz standard (such as on the excellent "Whisper Not"), but on last year's "Inside Out," this accomplished trio started with nothing and built from there. No familiar melodies to fall back on. Just three guys jamming, exploring. Not conscious of any time constraints. "Inside Out" was an amazing album.

"Always Let Me Go" continues much in the same vein as its predecessor, with similar results. If you love hearing piano, bass and jazz roam freely (but not as dissonantly as you may think), these guys deliver the goods. The only problem I have with the album is that two discs is a bit much, in my opinion. There is a point where it becomes slight overkill, which is where "Inside Out" (a single disc) wins out.

Still, this is beautiful stuff. I highly recommend it.

I had thought the Jarrett trio would have trouble bettering the accomplishment of Inside Out, but Always Let Me Go has dispelled my doubts and then some. The players are consummately gifted at vibing together in a theme ("Hearts in Space," for example). Although equal weight is given to each player, the trio's decades of playing together have evolved them into a synchronous unit that shapes its music in an almost sculpturally unifed way. This time out, I'm especially stunned by their ability to play free, a la Cecil Taylor; then play what I can only describe as quasar bop, a kind of alternate-universe jazz that vaguely resembles traditional forms and phrasings but exists in its own milieu; then shift effortlessly into a burning groove that would make Gillespie or Parker perk up his ears. I'm so busy listening to this astonishing set that I don't even care whether Jarrett whines or not. If you're into free trio, get this.

When their previous album "Inside out" appeared, truly "Free Jazz" by this trio was since the Album "Changes". This album goes further to be truly free, such as "341 free fade" in CD "Inside out". Disk 1 of this ablum was from the stage Part 1 on April 23, 2001 at Tokyo (Shibuya). Tunes 1 - 3 were played without stop (and without applause) because I (we) could not predict how the three players proceeded. Especially, "Tributaries" was splendid. It starts with a quiet rhythm by base and drum and progresses to the earthy ultimate. This sounds like sophisticated "Death and Flowers" in the 21 century. "Paradox" was the last tune of April 23 Tokyo concert. I did not go the April 24, 2001 concert, but disk 2 of this album is from stage Part I on the night. The play on the night was harder featuring DeJohonette's drum than the night before. It is funny that his drum sometimes sounds like Japanese traditional Drum (Taiko) on Disk 2. Only the "Relay" seems to be taken from the concert on April 30, 2001 Tokyo (Ueno).

During the Japan tour, also standards were played but only free tunes are selected in this album. I like this album for this reason. Big tunes e.g. "Hearts in space" and "Waves" sound best for their avant-guard tone and rhythm. The interactions of the three when Keith poses a phrase with new rhythm are far beyond the level found in "Inside out". Thus, this album should be regarded to persue different musical fulfillment compared to other albums, basically based on standards. This album is well satisfactory judging from the liner note in "Inside out" by Keith that is saying "the play by this trio will be much more hard and free". I do not really understand the direction of this trio because their recent two CD are based on standards and no truly free tune is included. Personally, I look forward to listening much more free tunes by this trio, as further development of their free style. Fourth instrument may be added to aid their fulfillment of free style.

Inside Out was a breakthrough effort for Keith, Jack and Gary. Moving into a unscripted format refreshes the music in a way that using standards as vehicles for improvisation did not. Jack is clearly the heart of this set. Keith's melodies are familiar to all who have followed his music and they inform this date and his technique and touch remain extraordinary. But it is Jack DeJohnette who pulls this music together and gives it cohesion.

The moaning and grunting are a bit distracting but they come with the program. Interestingly, Jarrett is silent on his classical dates.

The telepathy that exists among this trio is truly rare. Buy this recording. But even better, check them out when they come to your town. Live, it's even more remarkable.

To the KJ fans who disparage this release, open your minds. Yes, Disc 1 opens with free, free jazz but like always, Jarrett's conflicts resolve. Tributaries is mesmerizing, like the Jarrett compositions on the Blue Note sets. And it's completely improvised. DeJohnette's drums on this track are simply amazing. And Paradox could be any strong be-bob standard. Disc 2 follows with more of the same. And to accuse these men of flaunting egos!! That's exactly what I want out of these amazing musicians.