KEITH JARRETT/GARY
PEACOCK/JACK DEJOHNETTE
My Foolish Heart
ECM
Keith Jarrett describes this recording of
his famed standards trio at the Montreaux Jazz Festival
in 2001 as showing “the trio at its most buoyant,
swinging, melodic and dynamic.” It’s difficult
to argue with that assessment, as this performance is one
of the most straight ahead, swinging, and joyous performances
of the group since the release of Up For It. That
disc was recorded in Juan-les-Pins, France, in July 2002.
It would appear that the month of July has been especially
good to Jarrett and the trios, as both of these performances
were done in July, a year apart. In addition, both had obstacles
to overcome—it was rainy at Juan-les-Pins, and the
group didn’t feel inspired before going onstage, and
Jarrett cites ‘bad problems with the sound, the lights,
the unbelievable heat, and the audience’ in his liner
notes to My Foolish Heart.
What makes this performance something special
in the group’s 18-record discography with ECM? Well,
as Jarrett himself says in the liner notes, “It shows
the trio at its most buoyant, swinging, melodic, and dynamic.”
And it’s impossible to argue with him. All three members
seem to be in top form here, playing as well as possible
on an individual basis while contributing equally to the
group experience. Gary Peacock’s bass is ebullient
and full of vigor, his solos gorgeous and limber. Jack DeJohnette
approaches the drums with great energy, but while his drum
work constantly interacts with the other instruments, he
is never bombastic or overly busy.
Then there’s Jarrett himself, who plays
with an energy that belies his age and his problems with
chronic fatigue syndrome, now nearly a decade in the past.
He plays the Fats Waller numbers “Ain’t Misbehavin’”
and “Honeysuckle Rose” with incredible swing
and swagger, and these are incredibly rare performances
for Jarrett. Together with “You Took Advantage of
Me” these songs show Jarrett reveling in ragtime and
stride, styles that he’s never explicitly performed
on recording before. It’s difficult if not impossible
to think of another group that is as comfortable with both
standard jazz and free jazz as this one. As the group enters
its 25th year together, it seems to have become more energized
than ever. Since Jarrett’s return to the stage, the
group has recorded two incredible albums of group improvisation
(Inside Out and Always Let Me Go) and
a series of standards performances that seem to grow ever
more joyful (The Out of Towners, Up for It,
and now My Foolish Heart).
This 110 minute complete concert is replete
with fantastic musical moments—an energized rendition
of Miles Davis’ “Four,” a gorgeous and
romantic version of the title track, Sonny Rollins’
“Oleo,” a sumptuous “What’s New,”
a mathematically perfect version of Monk’s “Straight,
No Chaser” and a swinging “Five Brothers.”
As this trio marks a quarter century together there is no
evidence of slowing down or not having new ideas to explore.
Here’s hoping Jarrett, Peacock, and DeJohnette will
continue to make exceptional music together far into the
future.
