Keith Jarrett: Facing You

In an era when most jazz bands were amping up, this improvised solo acoustic piano album was a refreshing return to the basics of jazz. Jarrett's mastery of this idiom is now taken for granted; his solo concerts are near-legendary, and his recorded output with his trio and quartets amply demonstrates his ability to blend his skills with others, most notably saxophonist Jan Garbarek, but with many other fine musicians as well. But this is the album that really started it all for Jarrett, and as such it has some historical significance beyond its musical merits, so Jarrett's fans will definitely want to own this one. For more casual listeners, rest assured that this is not an "early works" release - this is a fully realized work by a mature artist, and it still holds up very well today. Jarrett's detractors may be advised that this album contains almost none of the high-pitched (and sometimes annoying) vocalizations with which he's been know to accompany himself, nor does he indulge in any of the obscure Gamelan-style music that mainstream jazz enthusiasts often find so opaque. What he gives us is 8 tracks of exquisite jazz piano, starting with the masterful "In Front", a 10-minute showcase of Jarrett's delightful ear for melody melded to a bumpy, exhilarating rhythm - an instant classic. While none of the remaining tracks reach that same high energy level, Jarrett does take the opportunity to show his versatility. "Ritooria" is somber and ruminative, while "My Lady; My Child" and "Landscape for a Future Earth" reveal a more delicate and tender side. "Lalene" ebbs and flows, the more interesting segments being those that feature a more deliberate rhythm and a hint of that gospel feel that Jarrett does so well. The last three compositions are somewhat less unique, featuring lots of long, rambling runs, but of the three, only "Vapallia"'s halting melody line is really memorable. As a fan of generally higher-energy music, I can't help but wish there were one or two more selections with the exuberance of "In Front", instead of say, the pleasant but unfocused "Starbright". If you're a pianist, or otherwise really serious about solo jazz piano, consider this a 5 star purchase. For the rest of us, this is a fine effort, but there are more invigorating Jarrett albums out there.