The Most Beautiful Sounds Next to Silence

…as single entity this latest album from that final tour makes an absorbing listen.

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There is a certain degree of inevitability that with much, if not all, of Keith Jarrett’s final European tour of 2016 having been recorded that ECM have released a fourth album of music from the series of concerts.

So, what does one make of the music recorded at Goldener Saal, Musikverein, Vienna, and yet another solo concert of improvised music from the pianist? In my review of the Bordeaux Concert released in September 2022 I wrote that “These concerts from 2016 stand as a testament to Jarrett’s creative abilities as an improviser and storyteller par excellence, and as a concert series it is remarkable how an artist can sustain such heights of creative brilliance ensuring that each concert has its own unique character and form from the one that proceeds it.” and this latest release substantiates that statement in a remarkable run of performances by Jarret in July 2016.

If there is a danger of the concerts becoming formulaic in any way, Jarrett is acutely aware of any such pitfalls and avoids this by an approach that appears to take in what has gone before in a previous performance and looks to build a new improvised suite that may contain elements and devices used previously but reshaping them in the moment to bring forth another unique musical story.

The opening ‘Part I’ does once again find Jarret discovering just what the instrument he has been presented with is capable of in a flurry of notes that encompass the range and dynamics of the piano, while ‘Part II’ makes much use of space as the melody slowly evolves. This is also evident in the beautifully constructed ‘Part IV’ which can be construed as the first part of a suite within a suite as the music flows through the ballad form of ‘Part V’ and more fractured lyricism of ‘Pat VI’.

The pianist brings this segment of the concert to a close with the songlike improvisation of Part VII’ that once again is considered and patiently developed with the music flowing seamlessly, and as so often with music of such beauty is incredulous that this can be conceived in the moment.

Two shorter pieces bring the improvised section of the concert to a close with a brief exploration of the blues in ‘Part VIII’ that makes use a left hand ostinato to support Jarret’s melodic development and the lovely relaxed Pat IX’ that brings in elements of both con try and gospel that have been a constant throughout the pianist’s career from his solo concerts as well as recording with the European Belonging Quartet and beyond.

Closing as he often does with a standard, Jarrett performs ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ that is different from his encore on Munich 2016 that was recorded a week later on July 16.

As those who have tackled Jarrett’s boxed sets will know, it is a fascinating process to follow these concerts with careful listening to hear how things develop over a short period of time, and the thought of listening to Budapest Concert, Bordeaux Concert, New Vienna and Munich 2016 in chronological order makes for a tantalising proposition.

For those less inclined to take on such an undertaking, rest assured that as single entity this latest album from that final tour makes an absorbing listen.

(https://jazzviews.net)

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