Keith Jarrett
"The Melody At Night, With You"
(ECM)
This album slipped in right at the end of 1999 and easily could have easily been lost amidst the pre-millennial countdown. As it stands, 'The Melody At Night, With You" was the prettiest solo piano record of last year, and maybe more than that. Comprised almost completely of standards composed by the likes of Gershwin, Kern/Hammerstein and Ellington, this album showcases Jarrett as a master of restraint and delicate beauty. Originally recorded in bits and pieces as a gift to Jarrett's wife Rose Anne, Jarrett breaths new life into "I Loves You Porgy, " "Someone To Watch Over Me" and even the old traditional "My Wild Irish Rose." Immaculately recorded and boasting pristine production from Jarrett and ECM stalwart Manfred Eicher, this is an extremely contemplative collection that is sure to please non-jazz fans as well as all those die-hard Jarrett fanatics. One of my personal favorites here is the maestro's handling of "Shenandoah"--Jarrett's interpretation of this old chestnut speaks volumes in a wistful yet proud voice that reaches back into the essence of great American culture. Filled with melodic wisdom and understated to the point of meditative (there's even a Jarrett composition entitled "Meditation"), this is certainly a record made for close encounters of the intimate kind. While Keith Jarrett has endured both extreme illness and relative fame over the years, he's certainly become an elder statesman of the jazz piano. This album is a grand illustration of his talent.
by Mitch Myers
copyright 1999 New City Communications, Inc.