Customer Reviews

Whisper Not (Live in Paris 1999)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Seriously, are these guys just getting better? As if to remind us (after the beautiful, understated 'The Melody, at Night, with You') of his stunning technique, Jarrett presents here a repertoire that tends toward the bop, and hair-raising bop it is. I had the great good fortune of seeing the Standards Trio in Feb '99 in LA and, as this disc confirms, Jarrett seems as focused, or perhaps more so, than ever in his latest dates with this group.

Jack DeJohnette is continually insistent and compelling in accompaniment while his solos, as usual, challenge you to find the one while reminding you that he knows exactly where it is. Gary Peacock combines solid up-tempo playing with his usual, probing solos. The interplay of these three masters is nothing short of telepathic. Apparent on this disc, as it was when I saw them, is how much joy and gratitude they feel at being together again.

The fact that Jarrett is coming back from debilitating illness seems almost irrelevant when considered in light of the stunning level of play contained herein; however, as his heartfelt words from the stage in LA reminded me, only a courageous struggle allowed him to get back to the piano. Well, back he is, achieving with this long-standing trio the summit of jazz today.

Having just seen the Keith Jarrett Trio live in Boston, I jumped at their newest selection of standards and was amazed. Arguably the best jazz trio in the world today, these guys live up to their billing with some of the slickest piano improvisation by Jarrett, cool drum set by DeJohnette, and brilliant work on the double-bass by Peacock. The Trio has forged a connection over the years, and it's wonderful to see that some things just get better with age. Played at the Palais de Congrès in Paris, all I can say is that I wish I had been there, but this delightful collection of classics comes amazingly close. A must buy for any jazz lover.

As on other recordings, Jarrett's enthusiasm leads to humming which comes close to singing at times. Even so, as with Glenn Gould's humming and his creaky chair, the performance overrides all. It might be said that the noises in the recording give the music a "homey" or personalized feel. This record has become one of my favorites. It would be my choice as an introductory recording for those who are jazz-curious!

As a devoted fan, I always ask myself when a new release comes out "Do I really need another Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette CD?" Inevitably the answer is yes and I have yet to be disappointed. That is certainly the case with this double CD set of their concert last year in Paris. The selection of music, the pacing of the trio and the intuitive way that they blend together on every cut makes this a must own. If you're unsure, listen to the first three cuts of the second CD (What is This Thing Called Love, Conception and Prelude to a Kiss) to see what I mean.

The Keith Jarrett Trio of Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette has continuously pushed the envelope of jazz standards for many decades, and this album shows that the best is getting even better. Keith Jarrett's intense piano work is accompanied by Gary Peacock's imaginative and abstract bass lines, and Jack DeJohnette's impeccable sense of swing.

With blazing, intense and imaginative bebop as the primary showcase of this album, the trio lets no signs of slowing down, despite Keith Jarrett's struggle with chronic fatigue syndrome. In "What Is This Thing Called Love" the trio again showcases their limitless improvisational imagination with their magnificent encore. The explosive ending to the solo in "Conception" again highlights the intensity of Keith Jarrett's playing, along with the haunting playing in the latin-infused "Poinciana"

After many decades of collaboration, the communication between Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette is beyond magical, and it's hard to imagine how the jazz piano trio would be today without them.

As a result of Keith Jarrett's physical condition, they rarely perform nowadays. So get this album, and go see their next concert in your area at all costs!

This recording is a wonderful affirmation of my memories of the trio's performance in San Francisco last year. It's hard to understand how they manage to get more and more interesting with every recording. The totally original and delightful twists and turns that they introduce into these standards might seem arbitrary when played by less experienced performers, but Jarrett and friends will convince you that they've found the inner soul of each song. And I wholly agree with the Amazon reviewer that the intense energy on this recording is quite surprising, my particular favorite being the hard-swinging rendition of What Is This Thing Called Love, where our heros go on an extended improvisational journey far beyond any other performance I've ever heard of this otherwise modest little tune.

Special feature: The audience on this recording is exceptionally attentive (i.e. quiet), responding only when appropriate, and the engineering has a wonderfully immediate sound, both warm and clear at the same time, giving us a chance to appreciate musicians who understand subtlety. You've got to hear it to believe it.

Just a quick not here. I agree with everyone, this is a fantastic recording, the interplay is amazing. One thing I do not understand is why they didn't ditch the first three tunes. Gary runs consistantly on all three, so much that I can't really listen to it, and at several points it causes problems for the other two, you can hear Keith trying to rein him in with a couple heavy chords. So, overall, nothing serious, but this band has such a fantastic production, why put out something clearly inferior? Still, buy it, the rest of the package is killer.

C.

No fatigue here. Tons of his typical energy. This is Meldhau's Daddy. Jarrett can stretch the time and the harmony, muse, reharmonize, play beautiful ballads, blaze with amazing chops AND he swings his butt off on those medium grooves. Can other modern players make this claim?No dancing around the edges here. He really shows his understanding of the history of piano and his ability to show creativity while paying homage.

It is known that the music of Keith Jarret sounds different playing alone or playing with other musicians. This well known trio with Gary Peacock an Jack DeJohnette has recorded excellent music with very few exceptions. This new CD shows this trio in its best moment. The concert in Paris was recorded in 2 CDs of very high sound quality. Really this recording is excellent. A special comments for the slow songs. The combination here of Keith's left hand with Gary's bass creates very modern nice harmonies. Among these slow songs it's necessary to make a special remark on the excellent version of Round Midnight. The rest of the songs are also excellent being in my opinion Groovin'High the top one. In few words I really consider this CD as one of the best Keith Jarret's recordings.

I find "Whisper Not" to be Keith Jarrett at his best. A wonderful compilation of standard jazz tunes. I was particularly impressed with his cover of the Billy Strayhorn tune "Chelsea Bridge." I was also impressed with Jarrett's interpretation of "Poinciana" and "When I Fall In Love." I have been listening to Keith Jarrett since the mid 70's and all I can say is that like fine wine, he just seems to get better with age.