Kyoto, November 5, 1976 / Osaka, November 8, 1976 / Nagoya, November 12, 1976 / Tokyo, November 14, 1976 / Sapporo, November 18, 1976 / Encores
Long out of print. One copy in stock!
I think it was Patrick Moraz who called himself "an unconditional fan" of Keith Jarrett's music. Jarrett has certainly taken his listeners on an unconventional ride over the years, from more or less traditional jazz (albeit more masterfully realized than any vitually anyone else's) to straight classical interpretations, to avant-garde experimentation, with many, many stops in between. But it is as a solo piano improviser, alone on the stage, producing awe-inspiring suites of music in a spontaneous, unprepared explosion of creativity, for which Jarrett is most famous. His KOLN CONCERT and SOLO CONCERTS were seminal 70's jazz recordings, and remain timelessly popular today.
This recording, SUN BEAR CONCERTS, represents Keith at the height of his solo powers. An enormous 10-LP set, (now 6 CDs) this album sold for the unheard of [price] when it was released...and remained on the charts for months. While it was hailed as the work of genius in many circles, it also raised a few critics' eyebrows by reason of its sheer size, leading to accusations of ego-tripping. Jarrett claims that he and ECM founder Manfred Eicher came to the conclusion that the music worked best as a coordinated whole, and this released the entire package rather than mere excerpts. To me, it shows a great deal of courage to produce a collection that they knew would have limited commercial appeal because of its size and cost, out of conviction that the music would speak for itself.
It does, magnificently. This piece is truly an organic whole, with each concert contributing to the collective work in a way never surpassed in Jarrett's career. For anyone who is familiar with Keith through his shorter solo works, this album will produce immediate and lasting dividends. For the uninitiated this may be an acquired taste, but once it is fully understood, SUN BEAR CONCERTS will provide a lifetime of musical excitement and inspiration... ~ Doc Sarvis