Keith Jarrett provides a counter-example to the idea that artists fade away as they age. This release ranks right up there as one of the finest of Jarrett's career.
This coming Sunday is Keith Jarrett's 60th birthday. Interested listeners can check out Sara Fishko 2003 interview "An Hour With Keith Jarrett, which will be rebroadcast on WNYC (93.0 FM) at 6PM EDT. The interview is also available at WNYC's Web site.
Mark Saleski is a writer and music obsessive based out of the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. He is an editor and writer for Jazz.com. He also writes reviews for Blogcritics.org and produces the weekly feature The Friday Morning Listen. …
Radiance
Returning to the solo live format for this double-disc, two hour and 20 minute long set, Keith Jarrett is in fine form. Recorded on two nights, three days apart, in Osaka and Tokyo in 2002 (but not ...
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
super job Mark, I just listened to disc 1 last night and had a similar if less articulate reaction. I resisted the rather jarring opening jagged tonality, but it really does come ogether just as you suggest. Thanks!
2 - Temple Stark
I boosted thi review over to Advance Mark.
- temple
3 - Triniman
I'll have to check this one out. I just wish my local jazz festival could bring him to Winnipeg. He's got to be the biggest name in jazz yet to play here.
4 - iMusici
I just wrote a brief review of Keith Jarrett's 'Radiance' for the rateyourmusic.com web-site only to have them refuse my review due to technical difficulties. And so, taking this opportunity just as serious, I offer highlights from that review.
I am a collector. My fascination with Keith Jarrett extends well beyond 30 years. Up until I heard the 'Radiance' concert, I was rating my entire collection based on what I felt was Keith's best work, the Köln Concert [5 stars]. Although I love his ‘Sun Bear Concerts’ with equal passion, I concluded there still was no room for a second five-star performance, which meant ‘Sun Bear’ earned its max [4½ stars]. And even the sum of all his outstanding Trio standards were no match. Frankly, neither is 'Radiance', at least not until I realized exactly what I was hearing. At that point I knew this concert is in a class all by itself. And once my mind passed that plateau I easily rated it [5-stars] as well. Please let me continue.
'Radiance' is a free-improvisational masterpiece saluting Keith's sojourn from the spur of one moment, spontaneously transforming the next. I've heard his style evolve from childhood compositions through maturity, grasping, and performing up to even this moment without restraint. And for Mr. Jarrett, this format is the essence of his creativity. In this performance we are caught within the nobility of his mind, not trapped as it may at first seem, but just as free to hear individual interpretations that we think we hear, the same as he does. He makes that not only possible, but actually enjoys articulating it for us. 'Radiance' is free thought, manifested obliquely as a composition of compositions, unparalleled without precedence in the world of improvisation. Beauty, harmony, and tranquility prevail, as you hear dominant in part.15. Also, you heard it earlier in part.6, and as early as in part.3. I say this as sincerely as is my love for both his hands capable of reverberating as four; Keith Jarrett is truly a musician's musician and ours too. Please assure yourself, this concert represented for me my first master class. Salute again, a simple gesture; he bows his respect for our ardent appreciation, making it truly superlative, as we applaud a thunderous ovation. And I cannot help saying, I loved this concert best of all. "iMusici