Paris / London (Testament)

Keith Jarrett | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: October 6, 2009
• Release Date: October 6, 2009
• Number of Discs: 3
• Label: ECM
• Copyright: (C) 2009 ECM Records GmbH under exclusive license to Universal Music Classics & Jazz - a division of Universal Music GmbH
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 2:42:29
• Genres:
• ASIN: B002QDB4OU
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #91,002 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars solo jarrett at his best, October 6, 2009

By 

Ivor E. Zetler (Sydney Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Paris / London: Testament (Audio CD)

My first exposure to Keith Jarret's solo pianistic magic was at an unforgettable London concert in the late seventies. I have been a loyal fan ever since and have enthusiastically followed his progress through his various jazz and classical explorations.

I presume that most readers would be familiar with Jarrett's solo jazz performances. Here we have the usual combination of abstract, sometimes difficult music, together with more lyrical numbers. I must admit to preferring the latter (my favorite album being The Melody At Night, With You) and am pleased to report that there is a generous amount of achingly tuneful and soulful pianism to be encountered. This is to be found throughout both concerts but particularly in the second part of the London concert. Jarrett is not an artist to let the listener off easily; sometimes I feel that the songful parts are a reward for sharing the more difficult journeys!

In the booklet notes, Jarrett writes frankly of the personal crisis that he was experiencing at the time of the London and Paris concerts. He intimates that these traumatic circumstances spurred him to produce something special out of this adversity. My impression is that the standard of these events is equal to very good, but not extraordinary solo Jarrett.

The Paris concert (or part thereof?)runs for around 70 minutes; the London event lasts just over 100 minutes. The sound is up to the usual excellent ECM standard and the 3 discs are compactly enclosed in cardboard sleeves. This set should be an obligatory purchase for all Keith Jarrett fans.

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From the Wilderness into the Light, October 8, 2009

By 

Dr. Debra Jan Bibel "World Music Explorer" (Oakland, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Paris / London: Testament (Audio CD)

Having been a fan of Keith Jarrett since his early journeyman jazz days, his solo and trio explorations have always been of interest, although some recent recordings have left me wincing. The joy and extroverted romance of his popular solo concerts of Köln, Tokyo, Paris, and La Scala had turned to long series of brief, darker and edgier, introspective free jazz and classical-like statements in Radiance and The Carnegie Hall Concert. In this three-CD package of Testament, Jarrett increasingly exits the Mahlerian wilderness to find some sweetness or some jazzy fun. From his deeper ramblings emerge extraordinary lyricism, impressionistic and nostalgic (Disc I, track 3), only to return to the rapid note din of Chaos in the next track, awaiting the Muse of changing moods, such as a staccato blues (I:6), or a song of longing and remembrance (I:7), or a passionate meditation (II:1), or a nervous rhythmic study of urban modernity (II:2). However fine was the Parisian Testament, the London recordings are even stronger, sometimes more classical in form, sometimes steeped in traditional jazz. Jarrett seems to be more relaxed, with a greater liveliness and creativity. Moreover, Jarrett in London relies less on those irritating, amorphous, noisy baseline beginnings of Paris and earlier recordings (though they, alas, do occur). Jarrett's solo journeys are as frank and apparent as his narration of his troubled marital situations. The drama of his short pieces engage us; he is a powerful artist of the keyboard and each section is a new emotional scene in the unfolding Act. These recordings are significant, mature milestones in Jarrett's long career. **** 1/2

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intimate, but exhausting., November 11, 2009

By 

Timothy G. Niland (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Paris / London: Testament (Audio CD)

For the past twenty or so years, pianist Keith Jarrett has alternated between extemporaneous solo performances and trio recordings with his longtime bandmates Gary Peacock and Jack JeJohnette. This three disc collection is a recording of two long solo performances recorded live in Europe. It is a fascinating, if exhausting listening experience with Jarrett moving from gentle melodic improvisations to abstract, at times dissonant sections. He has stated in the past the he is merely the conduit for the music and that sense is continued here with the music flowing onward like a river, broken only by lengthy stretches of buoyant applause. It must be said that Jarrett never takes the easy way out as a solo performer, he demands a lot from himself and the audience. Using the length and breadth of the keyboard he crafts elaborate stories with the piano. If you are a fan of the Jarrett solo canon, you will most certainly like this album, but newcomers are probably better served with The Koln Concert album as a starting point.