Keith Jarrett
Album: Mysteries/Shades
Label: BGO
Tracks: 8
Website: http://www.bgo-records.com/

This is not the jazz of Jarrett's standards work, nor the improvisational intensity of his solo concerts. Recorded in 1976 and 1977 respectively, these two albums feature Jarrett's working "American Quartet" of Dewey Redman (tenor), Charlie Haden (bass) and Paul Motian (Drums) - with the addition of percussionist Guilherme Franco. At the time, Jarrett was recording chamber jazz for ECM in Europe, whilst playing with this regular quartet in the States. Like so much of his work, this music requires full attention and careful listening by the audience.

With such technically demanding players as Motian and Haden, these pieces are all very busy, and have an underpinning freedom of drums and bass, as you would expect from such accomplished free musicians. This effect is expanded by the addition of rattling percussion of Franco and (frequently) Redman or Jarrett. At times this is more collective improvisation than soloist and rhythm section. The results are a series of intense pieces that prove rewarding with replaying - there is usually too much going on to take it all in first time around, as is typical of such jazz, when you cannot actually see the musicians playing them live.

Each album features just four tracks, fitting snugly onto a single CD. Mysteries starts with Rotation, a jagged, edgy piece which features some strong solos from Redman and percussive piano chording from Jarrett. Everything That Lives Laments follows at a slower pace, with a Coltranesque introduction from Redman before developing into a long, loping latin-jazz solo from Jarrett; this shows him swinging soulfully and makes for a most enjoyable passage, before he gives way to Redman for a strong sax solo. Next up is Flame - a much more esoteric piece featuring Jarrett on bamboo flute and Redman on a Chinese reed instrument against a bubbling background of percussion. It could be 1967!

Finally, the long title track, Mysteries, closes the original album. This contains two long solos from Redman, and one from Haden, as well as another rolling, cascading performance on piano by Jarrett. Strong solos again, but what is particularly interesting is the way in which this is very much a quartet album - Jarrett does not dominate at all, and, in fact, probably gives Redman most of the solo space.

Shades was released some months later, but was actually recorded on the two days following Mysteries, (itself recorded in one day). This was clearly a group playing strongly as a unit. The material on the second album is rather different, but still varied. Several tracks contain more boppish playing, with Jarrett executing long runs - as Redman plays out - for example on the opening Shades of Jazz, where Jarrett solo makes several thematic nods to Coltrane's A Love Supreme. This is fitting as Redman follows this with some more of his Coltrane-influenced blowing against a backdrop of rhythmically frantic drumming from Motian. The result is a truly exciting example of collective playing. Southern Smiles essentially explores the varied possibilities of a groove - fast piano runs, bouncing sax themes, polyrhythms and a pervading sense of joy at the music. Rose Petals is a ballad, allowing Redman to bring some emotional intensity to the party. Jarrett's solo is cool and contemplative, but with an underlying swing that continues to engage the listener. It is followed by another Haden bass solo, leading into the closing theme, with its jagged feel. Finally, Diatribe is another up-tempo theme - really a string of disparate riffs - which provides space for a varied array of improvisations, and constitutes a kind of book-end parallel to the opening track of Mysteries. Jarrett plays a free, open-ended solo. which could have been overdubbed from one of his solo concerts. Redman responds with a another Coltrane-style blow, full of shrieks and grunts, but not lacking in form and development for all that! Jarrett and Redman then improvise together (the diatribe of the title) before coming to a sudden stop.

Taken together, these two albums form a surprisingly coherent and complete overview of a stellar band working at the peak of integration. A little gem, and one you want to keep revisiting.

Martin Price