Customer Reviews

Expectations

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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Young Keith Jarrett was interested in a lot of different music -- gospel, rock, folk, free jazz, jazz piano trios, soul jazz, classical piano music -- and decided to put it all on Expectations. On about half of the album, he features the "American quartet" with Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden and Paul Motian. The other half has guitarist Sam Brown subbing for Redman. Two pieces include both Brown and Redman. Airto chips in with percussion on some tunes, while a couple of tracks feature string or horn sections.

The least interesting music on here (at least to me) is the rock-oriented stuff with Brown ("The Magician in You" and "Expectations"). Things get better on the challenging and rambling "Nomads" (reminiscent of Jarrett's stuff with Miles). "Common Mama" is one of the high points of Jarrett's career -- an infectious Latin rhythm and a catchy melody, fun brass interjections, some smoking tenor playing by Redman, and even some KJ soprano. "Roussillion" and "Circular Letter" are Ornette-ish pieces. "There Is a Road (God's River)" begins with an abstract solo piano intro, then bursts into one of those joyous, rollicking gospel-infused pieces that Jarrett *owned* in the early 70s.

There are so many different ideas on Expectations that I doubt anybody would like everything on here (kind of like the Beatles' White Album). Jarrett would become a more mature player on later recordings. But few of those recordings would have the same sense of fun that pervades this album; what Expectations lacks in coherence, it makes up in youthful enthusiasm.

This is the second CD issue of Jarrett's 1972 release on Columbia records and as it turned out his only one-but what a record it is. This release showcases Jarrett's wide ranging musical pallette in a way that none of his susbsequent recordings would again. Jarrett's collaborators provide the landscape and the means to fully realize his vision. This is one of the few double albums tranferred to CD format that bears listening through in one sitting. 5 Stars.

Pianist and composer Keith Jarrett's sole Columbia album is ironically titled, since scarcely a track on it gives the listener much indication of what follows. Originally a double LP, this 1972 set features at least half a dozen different combos - Jarrett's American Quartet with Saxophonist Dewey Redman, bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Paul Motian; the same quartet with guitarist Sam Brown replacing Redman; a quintet with both Redman and Brown and all of the above variously augmented by strings, brass and/or percussionist Airto Moreira - interpreting a broad emotional and stylistic range of original pieces, with results which are perhaps inevitably mixed but equally inevitably worth hearing. The collection hits more often than it misses, with "Common Mama", the string-sweetened title track and the ambitious, epic-length "Nomads" among the solid winners on what ranks as quite a singular entry in Jarrett's catalogue for more reasons than just its label. Showcasing a decidedly seventies jazz sound which manages to avoid stepping too far into fusion territory, EXPECTATIONS offers something to satisfy those of just about anyone.

The other two reviewers are spot on. I only want to mention that this is also one of Charlie Haden's most remarkable performances as well: from start to finish. If you're a bass enthusiast this is a must... (I'm a guitar player). He is SO ON; SO IN THE ZONE that the percussionists revise their norms accordingly and sound as if they are wonderfully entranced in doing so. Just what you might expect from Paul Motian with Charlie Haden and Airto along with Jarrett and Redman ripping through Jarrett's wickedly good tunes.

Hats right the hell off to all: Own It And Play It For Others.