keith jarrett-treasure island

[Guest donald petersen]

i have been listening to a lot of this jarrett album lately. it is kind of cheesy. maybe a lot cheesy.

but it is almost a fusion album to my ears. a happy mellow acoustic fusion album...actually perfect for that recent roosterreties acoustic fusion thread! but how do jarrett fans feel about this album? dewey redman and sam brown seem to split time (redman only really a presence on the two expected ornette-ey sing-songey jazzier tunes and brown on some of the more rock numbers) and this is about the most direct i have heard paul motian play. but a lot of the compositions hit on that "nostalgiac"(not my term but one i have read describing jarrett and this must be what is meant) rolling jarrett sound which i guess comes from jarrett using a lot of the "right" chords and notes in the tunes, which is sort of cheap, but nonetheless sounds nice.

but anyway, to me, this seems like the most successfully realized jarrett album of the 70s. is that a good thing or a bad thing? i don't know.

[Guy Berger]

Dip,

You bet I like it! I like a few of the freer dates on Impulse better, but this one is really good. I especially like "The Rich (and the Poor)" -- Dewey is just fantastic on that one, so soulful. "Blue Streak" is also a lot of fun.

I have a bit of trouble getting into the two tunes w/Sam Brown on guitar -- they are a little cheesy to my ear. But maybe I'm being "too hip".

This is probably the most accessible of his Impulse recordings.

Guy

Edited March 2, 2007 by Guy

[jlhoots]

I have it in one of the Jarrett Impulse box sets.

Sounds fine to me.

[jazzbo]

I like this one, and all the stuff with Sam Brown on guitar, especially the Atlantic with Burton.

[JSngry]

I'm still not convinced about Sam Brown, but that's my problem. Otherwise, yeah, this is a great album.

[Guy Berger]

I'm still not convinced about Sam Brown, but that's my problem. Otherwise, yeah, this is a great album.

Jim, have you heard him on Paul Motian's albums (Conception Vessel and Tribute)? I feel like he's better utilized on those. That said, there's one really cooking track on Keith's Expectations ("Roussillion" or "The Circular Letter") where he solos over a burning Motian-Haden rhythm section, it's fantastic.

Guy

[JSngry]

Oh, I can hear what he's playing. It's totally an issue of tone for me. I just don't feel his tone. But like I said, that's my problem.

[Trumpet Guy]

I'm now just discovering this period of Keith Jarrett and am buying up the 70's trio and American Quartet on vinyl. got this one and of course I liked it.

First hearing of Sam Brown for me...I dug it--made me think of local legend Mick Goodrick---was Mick influenced by Sam Brown? Or is it possible(which a friend suggested) Sam was at Berklee and quite possibly studied with Mick...I don't know about that!!

Hello to my old friends here, Jazzbo, Jlhoots and Jsngry!!!! 3 J's!

[JSngry]

Good to see you again. Don't be a stranger!

[jazzbo]

Hey Phil, howdy!

[clifford_thornton]

I'm still not convinced about Sam Brown, but that's my problem. Otherwise, yeah, this is a great album.

Jim, have you heard him on Paul Motian's albums (Conception Vessel and Tribute)? I feel like he's better utilized on those. That said, there's one really cooking track on Keith's Expectations ("Roussillion" or "The Circular Letter") where he solos over a burning Motian-Haden rhythm section, it's fantastic.

Guy

Conception Vessel is a GREAT record, both the Jarrett and Sam Brown contributions certainly help that. Ditto Leroy Jenkins (RIP) and Becky Friend...

Edit to say: which of the "freer" Jarrett American 4tet recs would you recommend?

Edited March 3, 2007 by clifford_thornton

[ep1str0phy]

I like Sam Brown on Liberation Music Orchestra (almost wrote Libation...). He's only really a "presence", though, on a few recordings.

Re: 4tet discs--not a fan of Jarrett myself, but I enjoy Fort Yawuh for the fine Dewey Redman and some excellent rhythm support (Jarrett isn't quite so "cheesy" on that one--actually a little menacing). That's probably as "free" as the group got, granted that (due in large part to Jarrett's square-as-hell-peg comping/arrangements) even their "open" music sounds rather tightly organized. Silence (a comp?) has some good, freewheeling music on it, but somehow the ECM reverb seems to trail Jarrett wherever he goes...

Now, the ECM American 4tet albums have some extremely bright moments, but mainly because they seem to purchase into the KJ mystique/romanticism and try to run from there. The Survivor's Suite has some terrific playing on it by all involved, and even Eyes of the Heart (as fetishized by the Do the Math blog) has its moments--mainly because of some sanguine, passionate playing by Dewey, who somehow made out well with the bloated emotionalism of Jarrett's compositions.

[Guy Berger]

I'm still not convinced about Sam Brown, but that's my problem. Otherwise, yeah, this is a great album.

Jim, have you heard him on Paul Motian's albums (Conception Vessel and Tribute)? I feel like he's better utilized on those. That said, there's one really cooking track on Keith's Expectations ("Roussillion" or "The Circular Letter") where he solos over a burning Motian-Haden rhythm section, it's fantastic.

Guy

Conception Vessel is a GREAT record, both the Jarrett and Sam Brown contributions certainly help that. Ditto Leroy Jenkins (RIP) and Becky Friend...

Edit to say: which of the "freer" Jarrett American 4tet recs would you recommend?

Fort Yawuh, Shades, Mysteries. Only FY is available on CD, for the other two you probably have to go on itunes or buy an expensive import.

Survivor's Suite is pretty good but I think at least 5 or 6 of the Impulse albums are better. Eyes of the Heart is one of their worst albums.

Guy

[Trumpet Guy]

Very interesting!!

On Treasure Island I love the tune--"Fullsuvollivus"!

So far I've purchased--"The Mourning of a Star"(drop the needle on this one; they're in the middle of it all and truly killin'!!!), El Juicio, Treasure Island, Death of a Flower, Shades. Each one is truly doing it for me I would not call it cheezy but I know what you all are sayin'---I didn't care for it some of that gospel-ly straight 8th stuff, but now am feelin' where its comin' from somehow...Opening my ears, mind and heart.

I'm just scratching the surface with this music--but I find the somewhat opposite directions of some of the tunes enlightening. There definitely is a thread through all of it--- the flow of improvisation...

Maybe what I find most remarkable( as I've been sleeping on this period--I started with Standards Trio)--is the huge influence this music has had on other musicians over time and especially RIGHT NOW---now I can hear where many bassists, drummers and pianists and sax players got a LOT of their ideas and style. Who knew ?

I will be buying more

[jlhoots]

Hi Phil.

Good to "hear" from you.

[milestones20]

I like this one, probably for the reason that some people don't like it. It's true that it doesn't share much in common with Keith's other stuff from this time period, but that's why it stands out to me. It's just easy-listening, good music with no thrills attached (for the most part).

[Parkertown]

Pulled it out yesterday and really dug it...Thanks for the reminder!

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

you guys are so weird- this is actually the only keith jarrett album i DO like.......