Up for It: Live in Juan-Les-Pins

Keith Jarrett | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 20, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ecm Records
• ASIN: B00008ZPBU
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #162,219 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. If I Were A Bell

2. Butch & Butch

3. My Funny Valentine

4. Scrapple From The Apple

5. Someday My Prince Will Come

6. Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West

7. Autumn Leaves

8. Up For It

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Obviously a masterwork, yet obviously not for everyone, June 2, 2003

By 

David Solomon "Mahler9" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Up for It: Live in Juan-Les-Pins (Audio CD)

What makes this album interesting, is the exact thing that may make it displeasing to some listeners: it is the same trio doing most of the same songs they've covered for nearly 20 years. However it is the reinterpretations that makes this record worth buying. I've been confronted with many jazz listeners who complain of Jarrett's stiff playing. Of course, I don't agree, but they imply that his lack of swing (like Wynton Kelly or Oscar Peterson) makes him a lesser pianist. This record OF ALL KEITH JARRETT RECORDS will end that disclaimer. The playing on this record is different than most Jarrett performances because it the music has been approached with a bit more harmonic freedom (most problably because of their last two efforts.

In regards to statesments made previously about minimalism and 20 minute ranting; While that doesn't apply to this record, it should be noted that many of the great achievements in modern jazz are minimalistic compositions. This roots back to Kind Of Blue, and even more obvious, Coltrane's remarkable quartet designed their whole sound around minimalism.

If something inside your head made you curious enough to read these reviews, I would say you should buy the album. It's a hard album to review, because unfortunately....if this were a brand new pianist and a brand new trio, it would get more than enough praise, but because it's Keith Jarrett doing another one of his trio standards records, it gets some bad press. Still, if you are going to listen to jazz standards, listen to the best...Keith, Jack, and Gary WILL BE regarded in the same category as Miles and Trane in about 20 years and the reviews of records like these will be so different, mainly because, a record like this, while consisting of nothing innovative, is out and out GREAT MUSIC and great music is good anytime.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One HOT night for the Jarrett Trio, May 23, 2003

By 

D. Levy (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Up for It: Live in Juan-Les-Pins (Audio CD)

Even if you're a fan of the Jarrett standards trio's albums, you might wonder whether to pick up this year's release. On the surface, from the list of standards played, it seems like just another one in a series of fantastic, but possibly redundant, releases. (After a couple of releases of pure improvisations, this is the first album of standards since "Whisper Not.") Does Jarrett really need to release another version of Autumn Leaves? In terms of form, this is just another night of sublime piano trio playing by a master combo that has been together for twenty years. Intro-Melody-Solos-Recapitulation of Melody-Outro.

But even a first listen will clear out your ears. This is not just another night with Keith, Jack and Gary. It is HOT! Jarrett's liner notes reveal that the recording was made in adverse conditions: a very cold and rainy night on an outdoor stage protected by a plastic tarp. Only at the last minute were the trio persuaded to play. As Jarrett says, "...it had indeed started raining harder again as we did a very short sound check, but something wonderful was happening in the music despite all these things. Within seconds, we were 'in the zone.'...What ended up on the recording represents, to me, the triumph of desire over circumstance, the triumph of youthful exuberance over age, and our need for music and wisdom."

"Up For It" is a further expression of Keith Jarrett's original motivation to form a group to play standards, rather than his own compositions: that great music has nothing to do with the material and everything to do with what can be extracted by living musicians open to the present moment. Even if you are thoroughly steeped in the Jarrett trio's recordings, you will hear new energy on this record.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful Performance!, May 23, 2003

By 

A. Davis "astandavis" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Up for It: Live in Juan-Les-Pins (Audio CD)

Twenty years is a long time be in a relationship. Most marriages don't last that long, but the ones that do are usually filled with beautiful experiences that need to shared and honored. This Trio celebrates its' 20th year together with "Up For It". Returning to the traditional standards format that the originated in 1982, this is another beautiful musical experience to be cherished and shared.

Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack Dejohnette are exceptional musicians in their own right. As a Trio, they are magical. Take a beautiful tune like "Autumn Leaves". The melody is announced and restated by Jarrett before Jack grabs the groove and drives the tune into a toe-tapping-head-bobbing frenzy. Peacock locks in and Jarrett spins his improvisation into a hypnotic gospel-like vamp before fading off into the sunset. This kind of magic happens often on "Up For It". My other favorites include "My Funny Valentine" and "Someday My Prince Will Come". These updated classics have renewed bounce and energy in this Trios hands. For some reason, I am left with very warm thoughts of Miles Davis. There isn't a weak moment here. Even the Liner Notes take you on a wonderful journey that makes this experience even more profound.

I loved the last two improvisational recordings that this group produced. "Always Let Me Go" and "Inside Out" were landmark recordings that demonstrated how well this group has evolved as a unit. Whether they are "In" the pocket or "Out", the magic always finds the music with these three. "Up For It" brings us back to what makes this group special - insightful communications between them combined with exceptional musical chemistry. What more could you ask for? This is another wonderful addition to my music collection. Enjoy!!!