KEITH JARRETT — Fort Yawuh (review)

KEITH JARRETT — Fort Yawuh album cover Live album · 1973 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
snobb
The only live recordings of Jarrett's so-called "American quartet" (and occasional participation percussionist Danny Johnson).Besides of his solo improv concerts and his better known (and commercially more successful) "European quartet" with Garbarek and other Nordic musicians, "American quartet" sometimes is overshadowed with no reason.

Musically quite similar to what is played with Garbarek and co., this album represents Jarrett "American quartet"'s strongest sides: all musicians are excellent improvisers, and they are not afraid to show it!Differently from Jarrett's albums recorded with Garbarek for ECM, this Impulse! label's debut is warmer, freer and much more risky. Based more on soloing than on interplays, four long album's compositions demonstrates great energy and inspiration. Usual Jarrett's love to melodies and classic influences in his techniques aren't such influential and don't push free jazz atmosphere to chamber frames (as happens quite often with Jarrett recordings). At the same time, album is still very Jarrett's: there are plenty of tunes,even ballad presented, and his piano quite often sounds more classic-influenced,than jazz.Fortunately, live recordings atmosphere and lot of other musicians improvs give strong alternative and it really help to have balance on the avant-garde jazz side.

If you like me prefer improvs jazz and free atmosphere against framed well structured (and often too formal and boring) compositions, I expect this only live Jarrett "American quartet's" release is possibly one of the best his album for your taste.
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