first recordings of a trio become unavoidable ...

Upon its release in 2008, I had procured this mini-box set the first three sessions of the Standards Trio Keith Jarrett (Standards, Vol.1, Standards, Vol.2 and Changes). At the dawn of the 90s, when I was a student and spent most of my time in music stores rather than on the benches of the university, I had not been displeased to find the first volume in LP format for handful of peanuts. Javais made a deal. In this first volume, I remember being particularly captivated by two themes: "The Meaning of the Blues" (the piece that opens the album, and I discovered a few weeks earlier in a very good record of Shirley Horn) and especially this version of "God Bless The Child" I must admit it was quite a surprise for my young ear buds that do not even know the version sung by Billie Holiday. Refer to these two singers is not a chance in itself, since it Jarrett trio by taking the great American repertoire is very close to the edge, beyond the few moans of pleasure that sometimes loose pianist. In the early 80s, when the first volumes were published, Bill Evans had left us after a good ten years of rule in the formula queen of jazz, and even if Jarrett was already used to the configuration of any trio sound (we réécoutera his diptych with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian, namely Somewhere Before and especially Life Between The Exit Signs published between the late 60s and early 70s), the pianist surprised his fans by taking to a directory (the standard so) that we thought had been exhausted as he operated until more thirst. Jarrett with his trio would perhaps show that these songs were always an inexhaustible source of inspiration and could even be a source of spontaneous composition in its collective form. This was achieved despite the skepticism of some critics.

When they meet in the New York studio (Power Station) in January 1983, the three men have already committed together an album (Tales of Another, signed by Gary Peacock and published by ECM in 1977). While Peacock session was built around original compositions bassist, that of Jarrett is to resume standard compiled from the great American classical repertoire (compositions of Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers). These are also (with excellent Bye Bye Blackbird published in 1991) their only traces studios. This is in effect during sessions "live" the trio was about to reach its peak, including Still Live (ECM, 1986) or Standards In Norway (ECM, 1989). So here I listen to this music for the reassessment, taking into account the climate lépoque (the early 80s): a return to conservatism notably the trio of Keith Jarrett and especially the collective of Wynton Marsalis in reaction perhaps the experimental nature of the 60s and 70s (the new thing). Fortunately, parallel to the overproduction of new talent was then called "young lions"), artists in the margin continued to occur (on Black Saint and Soul Note label including ...).

Astonishing as from Jarrett sabandonner body and soul in this kind of project (1), who had accustomed us to such a level of excellence in terms of musical creations whether with its European and American quartet (My Song constituent for me one of her recording vertices). But lon no mistake, the beginnings of this trio are anything but conventional as evidenced by the third album "Changes", built as a suite in three movements (Flying, part 1 and part 2 and Prism nod to his quartet European precisely because the latter composition, he had already performed alongside Jan Garbarek, Palle and Jon Christensen Daniellson). This time, Jarrett is again surrounded by Gary Peacock on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums (a real fireworks this Jack). What demblée hits, this is the lyricism of ALL OPERATING ("The Meaning of the Blues", "Never Let Me Go"), the power and the interaction of the trio ("The Masquerade Is Over," "Moon and Sand"), the liberator song Interior ("So Tender"), also some trance ("God Bless The Child"). The structure may seem limited, but it is very compact, and the trio found in these well-chosen standards an excuse to talk quietly while seeking the right feeling, never losing sight of the dune song framework (the melody is privileged y). But this is also harmonically Jarrett shows breathtaking. Dune unusual wealth (simply Decouter "All The Things You Are" in Volume 1 or "Never Let Me Go" and "If I Should Lose You" in Volume 2 to be convinced). In the most improvised parts (Changes the disc 3), Jarrett and his trio take risks sacred. In this example assumed totally free and dimprovisation (will follow in the same vein Changeless 1987 Inside Out in 2001 and Always Let Me Go in 2002), the trio shuffleboard after three minutes of tonal music. Peacock and DeJohnette in perfect harmony provide a strong impetus but also flexible to allow Jarrett to take off. And that, this is great art.

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(1) Note however that the term "standard" means "standard" English. We remain in lacceptable, léquilibre, melody. Point of free jazz in the first two volumes.