Rio

This is not a record to listen to in the background whilst doing other things. It is not a record to be interrupted by phone calls or shouts that dinner's ready. Plan a couple of hours for yourself or with a friend. Turn the lights down with a glass of wine and just concentrate. You will be rewarded with a remarkable journey of sound. After each track you will wonder what Keith can possibly come up with next. The first track, and one other will throw you if you aren't used to the, let's face it, highly unusual multitonal pieces which Keith puts into a concert. I still find these pieces challenging but am starting to get it. I won't spoil it by describing each track, let this be part of your journey. But along the way you will be open mouthed at the beauty, tapping your foot to the beat, and laughing out loud at the humour in the musical twists and turns. To be fair, the above describes many of Keiths solo concerts, but there is something extra special about this one I feel. He is getting sounds out of the piano which just don't exist.

Keith Jarrett's solo concert recordings have become increasingly difficult to review in recent years. Have they actually become more predictable and less inventive, or is it simply that I am too familiar with them? Either way, Rio - like Carnegie Hall and Testament - seems to feature a few dazzling patches set against an all-too-familiar background. Rio is another multi-section concert. It's a shame that Jarrett has given up the long, flowing improvisations of his early career because he no longer has to manage the transitions between sections and this has pushed him towards generic sections. Section 14, for example, is a soulless, crowd-pleasing ostinato such as he could have done at any moment in his career, and Part 11 is a (mercifully brief) example of the blues piece that he has been throwing in towards the end of his concerts since Paris '88. Nonetheless, there are some notable highlights on these two discs. Part 1, for example is a masterpiece of concentration as Jarrett unfolds a dense contrapuntal fabric that can stand as one of his most serious extemporised pieces. Part 9 is a breathtaking example of Jarrett's "sacred hymn" style and explores the high register of the keyboard to great effect. Fans of the trio will enjoy parts 4 and 7, which sound remarkably like standard ballads. Part 3 is an exuberantly swung waltz that starts, pleasantly enough, on an ostinato but then shows some real progression from its mid-point. Part 5's Latin groove reminds me of his early 1970s work and will suit long-term Jarrett fans. Part 15 - an aria over rippling sustained chords - brings the concert to a satisfyingly emotional climax. With regard to the recording itself: there must have been an outbreak of plague in Rio the week that Jarrett came to town. Never have I heard so many coughs and sneezes on an ECM recording. Although they never hit the distracting peaks of the Carnegie Hall Concert audience, their applause is also a factor in a noisier recording than one would like, and Jarrett's vocal contributions (e.g. on Parts 5 and 10) are awfully prominent. Overall I feel that if you're going for a concert from Jarrett in the period after he recovered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Radiance is still the recording to go for. Rio is unquestionably good, but with such a prolific recording artist one can afford to be picky.

Bought this for my husband and he was delighted with it. It was a mix of the more "avant-garde" which is Jarrett's trademark, and the more "accessable", as I would put it!!

Keith Jarrett hits top form in this recording of a concert given recently in Rio de Janeiro. His piano playing is both stirring and moving and leaves one clamouring for more.

I like most of Keith Jarretts work But this one is like Marmite "you love it or hate it" listen before you buy !

OK, so I'm coming to review this one a little late, but I thought it might just be worth it. This 1.5 hr concert kicks off with the most "difficult" piece of the 15 sections, being a little abstract and for me Jarrett appears to "loose his way" at times. I was not overly keen and it reminded me of his trio's work on Inside Out . However, once past this rather strange opening, which I am sure surprised the audience, then a wonderful varied concert develops. I use the word "develop" on purpose as that is what happens in my opinion, or perhaps one could say gaining momentum as a creative experience. In stark contrast to section 1, 2 opens with almost an ethereal feel - gentle relaxing classic Jarrett which is followed by a very rhythmic movement, before returning to a gentle piece with almost a 1930s mood to it. Section 5 returns to (almost) dramatic rhythms with another up tempo one to complete CD1. The second CD opens with a most beautiful emotive piece. I don't know why one reviewer made a criticism regarding "blues" as there is only one to be found in section 11, and as blues was the foundation of jazz, I see no harm in one being included here. There are again some beautiful sections to be found at 12 & 13 and by this stage of the concert the applause is coming on strong as well! Whilst I have always enjoyed Jarrett's lengthy improvisation which he undertook for so many years, as I said in my review of Paris / London - Testament , he no longer has the mental or physical stamina for such marathons. However, as long as he can continue to produce concerts, and therefore albums of this quality, I am not going to complain as for me no other pianist in the jazz field can hold a candle to him - even his material which does not reach his best surpasses everyone else in my opinion. So, why only 4 stars - due to the opening track and he has produced better, but this is still an amazing album! Packaging is a slim plastic jewel case with a cardboard sleeve (why??!!) - no information is provided apart from a recent photograph, typical of the man's releases.

Il est devenu très commun de critiquer Keith Jarrett. Ce nouvel opus ravira les détracteurs de l'artiste car il leur offre une nouvelle occasion de s'exprimer à peu de frais. Certains avis seront étayés et respectables alors que d'autres ne feront que suivre consensuellement et c'est bien là que se situe le problème: il y a un réel consensus contre Keith Jarrett ! Mais oublions un peu l'homme et penchons-nous sur sa musique... Durant tout l'album, Keith Jarrett nous distille une musique sans innovation mais variant toujours entre le très bon et le sublîme. On n'atteint certes pas le sommet créatif de Radiance ou la profondeur incroyable de La Scala , ce disque s'inscrivant plutôt dans la continuité de l'oeuvre magistrale du pianiste. Seul bémol, la prise de son n'est pas exceptionnelle. J'ai hésité entre quatre et cinq étoiles pour cet opus. J'ai opté pour cinq car les meilleurs oeuvres de Jarrett en vallent bien six et puis, il faut un peu équilibrer les notes excessives précédentes :-) Quoi qu'il en soit, je recommande chaudement Rio qui ne fait pas tache dans la carrière de Keith Jarrett.

Ich höre sie gerne, seine Solo-Platten, ich mag auch andere Besetzungen von Keith Jarrett gerne und gebe allen eine chance (wobei es nun wirklich schwierig ist, hier das Wort "alle" zu nutzen, denn was sind schon alle Veröffentlichungen, wer kennt sie bzw hat sie wirklich gehört?). Rio finde ich persönlich supergut, ist für mich ein Fluß am Piano dargestellt, ruhig, abwechslungsreich, wild und treibend. So mag ich es, der Sound passt, die Produktion ist wie immer bei ECM hervorragend und die Titel haben halt wieder mal keine Namen. Das ist es, was ich manchmal in Frage stelle, fällt ihm da selbst nichts mehr an oder was steckt dahinter? Vielleicht kann man das ja mal diskutieren. Aber egal, Nr 2 und 5 auf CD1 sowie 1 und 7 auf CD hab ich auf meinem Mini-Disc-Player meistens dabei und muß sagen, mir persönlich gefällt diese Gesamtaufnahme beinahe so gut, wie das Köln oder Vienna-Konzert und wesentlich besser als Carnegie Hall- sehr schön! Was gar nicht geht, ist hier auf Random zu stellen - das passt überhaupt nicht mehr ins Gesamtkonzept der Platte.

Rio de Janeiro, and Brazil at large, has long been appreciated for its wide variety of music -- samba, bossa nova, choro, forró, African spiritual, Latin jazz, and American- and European-influenced popular -- that seem to pervade its atmosphere. This 2-disc album of Keith Jarrett in solo improvisations performed before an audience in Rio seems appropriate to the musical spirit of this vibrant city. Indeed, the recordings are his best solo studies in decades, and we are delighted that he has regained the lyricism and joy of earlier times. One new distinction over recent albums is the happy near absence of the random din of keys at the beginning as he vamped for inspiration from some cluster of notes. Instead, he plunges in directly and allows the adventure to dictate the course. The first track, for instance, is full of jagged kinetic energy and closes with a touch of playful wit. This is followed by a slow thoughtful melancholia. The third track is strong in traditional jazz form whose several themes give the etude romance and cheer. Part IV, an urbane ballad in mood and development, is a 4-minute gem. The next piece propels forward as a lively soul anthem. The last track on the 39-minute first disc has a flavor of Spain, a bolero with tinges of flamenco and the bullring. The second disc of 51 minutes consists of 9 tracks, which also vary in style. It opens with a very romantic ballad. Part VIII is another song, this one allegro and joyful. A sea of high arpeggios leads the next track; its sweet gossamer development has a Chinese mode and a pastoral mood. The aforementioned noisy vamp does return with Part X, although there is a musical core that seems to spin out flares. The ensuing brief boogie-woogie blues allows us to exhale and smile as we are again in familiar territory. The final four pieces -- a quasi-classical chordal diversion; a serious song full of passion and regret; an uplifting R&B hymn; and a tremolo-driven sentimental farewell -- complete the outstanding concert. The musical miasma of Rio was good for Jarrett, and now this album, truly a major opus and milestone for him ranking with the fabled Köln Concert, is good for us.

Bought it for my wife who thinks Jarrett is the best! She is smiling so I am ecstatic! g RIO (2 CD)

前作のテスタメントに引き続き、キースのソロの新着がはやくも到着した。今年の４月９日、リオデジャネイロのコンサートだが、暖色系のジャケットが目をひく。前作が妻だったローズ・アンとの別れがあり、孤独感にさいなまれ、精神的に厳しい状況の中で作成され、ジャケットからして暗さを感じさせたのに比べ、リオという場所もあったのだろうか。その孤独感を脱し、新たな段階に入ったことを感じさせる。 音楽的にも２０年ぶりというブラジルの土地柄、熱狂的なオーディエンスに刺激をうけ、ここ最近には無い明るい印象を受ける。Part 1 は最近のソロの導入が現代音楽的なものが多いが、今回も同様で想定内とおもっていたらエンディングがPart 1 からユーモラスな雰囲気。Disk 1ではPart 3 やPart 5のような同様に明るいナンバーがやはり印象的だ。特にPart 5 はケルンのPart II - a に似たダンサブルなナンバーで、（ケルンを今更引き合いに出すのは個人的には好きではないが）終わった瞬間、観客の「Bravo」の声がかかる。納得。 Disk 2 でもPart 11 のブギやPart 14 の軽快なゴスペル風が目立ち、それ以外も全体的に静かなメロディアスなナンバーが支配する。個人的にはテスタメントのLondon Part 8のような超美メロといえるようなナンバーは無いと思ったが、終始難解にならず、聞きやすい。とにかく楽しく聞ける印象である。 この１ヶ月後にキースは東日本大震災後初の来日コンサートを東京で２回行うが、東京公演初日に行った私の印象は今回のリオとは全く違うもので、全体的に「祈り」「癒し」を感じるような静謐な展開であった。あえていうなら、今回の最終ナンバー、Part 15 はその印象にもっとも近いかもしれない。 何と今回２０１２年５月に再び、キースがソロで来日するという。３年周期をずっとここ最近は守ってきた彼が２年連続で公演をおこなうのは極めて珍しい。これは何を意味しているのか。彼の調子が良くなっているのだろうと信じたい。ただ、今回のリオのリリースで、２０１１年の東京公演が本当にリリースされるのか疑問符が付いてしまう。今まで数度キースのソロを観ているが初めて、今年の公演では第二部のラスト、咳一つ、物音一つない、ピアノ音とキースと観客が一つになったようなマジカルな瞬間があった。個人的には是非完全版でリリースして貰いたいのだが。ただいずれにせよ、このリオは２０１２年の来日まで十分私たちの心を温めてくれるだろう。