Strange World Music

The oeuvre of Keith Jarrett is not exactly lacking in "peculiar" plates. There is the early album "Restoration Ruin", on which he tried in the Bob Dylan-style (and even sings!). The church organ recordings from the 1970s for "Hymns / Spheres" or "Invocations" give sometimes also puzzling. His recording of "Sacred Hymns" of the esotericist Gurdjieff also one of the very atypical albums of master pianist. And in this category is "Spirits" classified, a solo album in 1985, on the Jarrett with a variety of instruments, flute-heavy world music are the best. A very private album either, he once said about "Spirits".
Keith Jarrett on instruments other than the piano, which in itself is so unusual is not, he has often accompanied already in both the American Quartet with soprano saxophone Dewey Redman's tenor sax (and again also played percussion) as well as its interaction with Scandinavians Garbarek, Christensen and Danielsson not only played piano. And of course, Keith Jarrett is on all other keyboard instruments at home. In "Spirits" he plays alongside various flutes and piano even guitar, glockenspiel, tambourine, all kinds of percussion instruments and also the oriental saz, a long-necked lute.
But with all this variety of instruments and musical approach, creating trance-like, Near Eastern or Indian-looking sounds, Jarrett never developed the magic that spring from his solo piano or the Standards Trio. "Spirits" You can listen to quite, there are some very nice pieces or passages below, if you close your eyes, for example, in the Arab world put the one. But all in all, this is not convincing mix. Some spend more reminiscent of a Christmas market, where a bored Bolivian Andean music combo drums, droning and whistles.
The best parts of a total of 26 parts on "Spirits" Jarrett has been selected for the "rarum" sampler. The five gathered there pieces (parts 2, 13, 16, 20 and 25) should be sufficient as a taste test. But what is missing here is the part 23, the best piece of the album. Here it sounds right times jazzy when developed over a blue-note-like piano carpet the saxophone cool lines. Unfortunately, much, much too short! Also interesting is track number 15th
Otherwise: Well ...