Customer Reviews

Inside Out

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This album brings a whole different concept to the trio's music and continues to add new possibilities to standard jazz playing. As Mr. Jarrett explains in the notes included in the CD, the trio uses standards as a framework to express their "jazz" from inside-out. As a result the trio's music is not a cover or tribute to any standard, but instead is a free expression of their music and talent, where standards are use as the material to guide their inspiration. The result is 78.08 minutes of fresh and new fabulous music played live at the Royal Festival Hall in London during July 2000 with an excellent recording. If you seek for standard covers or classic versions of jazz material this album is not for you, unless this time you want to listen to something different. On the other hand, if you already own the trio's CDs Standards I and II, Still Live, Blue Note, Standards in Norway, or any other I can anticipate you that this album is very different from the others. The trio's free playing is based on 4 compositions of Jarrett (From the Body, Inside Out, 341 Free Fade, and Riot) and the standard "When I Fall In Love". There is more improvisation and more dialog among the three players than usual. The double bass and drum solos are spectacular and are on the same level of Jarrett's piano playing. This album comes right in time to refresh the trio's music. I only wish it would have been a double CD due to the new music direction that the trio is achieving.

This is a damn good piano trio album. While not as "out there" as some of the free jazz you may find, the Keith Jarrett trio captures both accessibility and some very profound free moments.

This album is essential if only for the first and third tracks, where the improvisation carries the musicians into some downright profound sonic bliss. The first song, "From the Body" is a definite high point. In the beginning of its 21 minutes, Keith Jarrett plays a simple, catchy, odd-timed modal melody. The others join, immediately cohering their minds to create an open, extra-sensory means of communication. Quite simply, it's uncanny how well they play together, their collegiality informing every note they play. For nearly 12-minutes they carry on without a dull moment, but it only gets better. Towards the end it shifts into a subdued, high speed shimmering pointillist whirl and it's spine-tinglingly energetic. It swells to Keith Jarrett bringing down a majestic piano performance of classical power.

Then there is "341 Free Fade", my other favorite piece on the album. It opens with Peacock's heavy solo, then the others join him and they weave through a telepathically flowing jazz improv. It gradually shifts into more abstract territory, finally becoming an avant-sounding clatter that carries on for eight minutes or so, decidedly unjazzy -- un*anything* -- with DeJohnette's drums clacking, Jarrett's atonal piano plinking in odd time signatures, and Peacock's bass erratically thumping and buzzing. The most intense part is near the end where Jarrett and Peacock approach a nearly post-minimalist restraint of notes, with the spaces of silence between them just as powerful as any sound, all the while DeJohnette's high-hat hisses a steady 4/4 pulse while a continuous snare buzz radiates through the otherworldly ambience created.

The rest is very good also. I won't describe the pieces individually but they are excellent - however, the improvisation doesn't carry them into the exciting realms of the pieces I described above. "When I Fall In Love" is not improvised -- it's a gentle jazz standard that is the 'weakest' song on the album in and of itself, although it is a nice way to end the CD.

First of all, I'd like to ask who else can accomplish "total improvisation" on as high a level as this trio.

Keith's "total improvization" (e.g. 'Koln Concerts' or 'Vieena Concerts') is different from "free improvization" of avan-jazzers. While free-jazzers often stick to 'atonal improvization' most of the time, Keith prefers (and can do) 'tonal improvization'. That means Keith pays respect to more conventional song forms and chord changes. Thus, his improvization is actually instant composing like that of J.S. Bach: he can write a melody.

Melody is the the most important element of music that often a lot avan-jazzers as well as non-avan-jazzers forget.

I am not saying that all avan-jazzers cannot creat a melody: listen the phrases of Ornett Coleman, Eric Dolphy or free-jazz period Gato Barbieri...their distinctive phrasing sings storys...thus these abstract phrases for me are melodies.

But still Keith is the only one who actually can compose a song simultaneously on stage show after show...if you need proof of this statement, listen to his solo piano impriovizations.

In this album, Keith, Gary and Jack expanded the notion of 'total improvization' to trio-performance level. Yes, they have done similar things before: albums like "Changes," "Changeless" or the thought provoking song dedicated to the master "For Miles." They have already succeeded in carrying out 'trio total improvization' or in Keith's word 'trio-jazz' prior to this album.

Yet, I believe this is the first conscious declaration from this greatest jazz piano trio for exploring unseen realm of jazz improvization.

The Keith Jarrett Trio, feeling uninspired during a recent tour, tried to explore new platforms from which their improvisations could take-off. I take exception, however, to the expected rave reviews so far.

First, let me state at the start that Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette form one of the world's most accomplished jazz trios. As a testament to my deep affection for their music, I am fortunate to own the majority of Keith Jarrett's solo as well as his Trio's recordings. Their music can be sublimely poetic and lyrical, as in their 1998 CD Tokyo '96 (ECM 1666) or overflowing with energy and musicality as in their 2000 CD Whisper Not (ECM 1724-25).

'Inside Out' is a major departure from their previous work. The first difference is their lack of use of 'standards' for tonal and rhythmic support. And here is my first disappointment - while Jarrett is a 'complete musician', he does not compose well and falls all too easily into a drone, a repetitive phrase and tonal key that all too soon becomes tiresome. He seems to fall into a trance and cannot wake up for minutes on end.

You cannot simply dismiss this as an inability to appreciate abstract improvisation. Those of you who are familiar with and appreciate the work of Bobo Stenson's Trio, Peter Erskine's Trio or the more recent Vassilis Tsabropoulos Trio (all on ECM by the way) should think of the difference between these abstract improvisations and Jarrett's. These are wonderfully creative compositions (not 'standards') and improvisations - five stars to each of these.

My second disappointment lies not only in what's present in Inside Out, but what is lacking. No rhythmic pulse, playful interplay, and most importantly lyricism that this trio can bring to painfully beautiful heights. They are very much missed.

A couple of examples: 1) in two of the compositions, fade-in/fade-outs are used to keep these from running too long. What does this say about these peices? 2) as if admitting that these improvised sets are lacking, the CD ends with a rather oversweet version of When I Fall in Love.

Are Jarrett's motivations side-tracked by his sour references to Ken Burns and Wynton Marsalis's lack of appreciation of free improvisation (liner notes) rather than a genuine inspiration to create something new? Has he tired of the same old jazz trio format that has inspired his Trio, and us, for three decades? I hope he'll reconsider abandoning that 'old' for this 'new' direction, or at least that he'll keep both old and new alive.

Keith and the trio doing the only form of music that really tells the truth--freeform! Screw the standards! This is the house that Keith built and it has no walls and no ceiling!!!

Like fine wine, this trio keeps getting better with time. The four improvised pieces (using the blues as a stepping stone) are superb. The interplay among Jarret, Peacock, and DeJohnette is truly amazing. This generous (78+ minute) recording ends with a delicate, beautiful reading of "When I Fall In Love". As usual, the ECM sound quality is extraordinary. This one is not to be missed!

Some music can be played as both background music and "foreground music". Most modern music is in this category. Other types of music is only suitable as foreground music, i.e music that demands an active listener.

"Inside Out" is of this type. Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Jack DeJohnette it at it again, producing gorgeous music. The trio has played standards in many years in a free way. On this album they have gone one step further to so-called "free" playing. Each of them has experimented with it in the 60s, so it's not a new experience for them.

The first tune on the album, "From The Body", begins with Jarrett playing a theme-like introduction, the others then follow. The next tune, "Inside Out", is blues-inspired, at least after a while. The songs don't follow a strict scheme in any way, it's up to each of them to form the music as he likes while of course paying atttention to the overall direction and flow. Most often it's Jarrett who begins with new ideas. But the other two has as much to say as him. The album ends with a standard, as if to say, "we still can play standards!" It's to beutifully played that it leaves the listener wanting more.

This popular trio has went a new way, making some listeners displeased, others pleased. If you like free music or this trio and are open to different types of music, you will like this album. But some concentration and active listening is required to appreciate the music. If this type of music is new to you, pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit down and relax and concentrate. Then let the music speak.

There are no tracks. The whole disc is a 78 minute wall of sound from a live concert. But they take applause 3 times before the end so there are 4 sections

Section 1 starts out with an open airy Monk-like structure by Jarrett. There is lots of hooting and groaning in the background, presumably by Jarrett. He is probably required by contract to do it since it is his trademark but I still think it sounds contrived. If you have to declare you're having fun, you're not. The theme morphs into African drums, then some Asian tones.

Jarrett picks up a narrow insect-like pitch range on the piano. I may be imagining this, but starting here it seems like he slowly and systematically narrows the pitch range in a kind of artistic statement I don't understand. Before long he is doing finger exercises in an extremely narrow range. It's almost like 5 fingers on 7 keys. Nothing is going on and it finally just runs out of steam.

A very quiet passage follows, with a pitch range so narrow that an actual drone note is introduced. Jarrett has almost got his variance down to zero! But what is the point? I don't get it. Finally the RH moves out in a narrow melodic range and gradually becomes communicative but the message is unmotivated. There are some interesting cymbals that sound like a person sighing.

The next section reminds me of the opening parts of Beethoven's last piano sonata #32, opus 111, which is a theme and variations structure. Jarrett makes some delicate gestures in this section, then moves out into a stream of consciousness with the same kind of magic he introduced in the Koln concert.

Section 3
This section is rhythmically driven with lots of single note phrases doing a Count Basie kind of swing. Great bass work.

Section 4
When I Fall in Love is gorgeous. A great bass solo too.
This disc is a winner.

This is truly an excellent album where Keith blends his solo improv wizardry with the magic of Jack and Gary. The results is an album one can listen to over and over again and it's always different. Keith has inspired a whole new generation of improvisational pianists, both professional (like Brad Meldhau) and web-based (like Rudy Tanzi of "The Quiet mind Project: ... Bravo Keith--it's good to see that you realize that you don't need the security of standards at this point in your amazing career...

Living in London as I do, I jumped at the opportunity to go and see the fabulous Keith Jarrett Trio live at the Royal Festival Hall where the selections for this record were apparently recorded. I was somewhat disappointed, having expected to hear and see some "standard" playing at the highest level!!! Many did not agree with my disappointed assessment of the performance, as the trio received a fantastic standing ovation and one I could not truly understand.

It really seemed to be a matter of personal taste and this is indeed reflected here too, in the reviews section of this web site. Personally, had I known that the trio would not be playing standards that evening (and clearly they took a rather spontaneous attitude towards this themselves), I don't think I'd have paid to go and see the show as I did.

The truth of the matter is, if you like free jazz improvisation (or more importantly paying for it), this will be a record for you, as these are 3 of the finest musicians on the planet playing their instuments and improvising to the hilt. I much prefer playing free-jazz than listening to it, as I can be a part of it's creation that way. There tends to be (in my opinion) very little audience participation in a lot (not all) of free-jazz, much less than in any other form. There is often very little for a listener to grab onto, despite the fact that the instrumentalists themselves may indeed know exactly what they are on about.

Do not go and buy this record thinking that you will be treated to "more of the same" of the trio's previous fantastic work. As one other reviewer has already written, make sure you have a good listen to the album before you part with the cash!!!