Keith Jarrett on a Rant

[marcello]

I wonder what his feeling are about performing in front of a audience? I mean most artists, no matter what the discipline, crave the energy from a audience and their performance may suffer from one that is indifferent or doesn't give the right vibe.

If he doesn't want to suffer the presence of a audience, why does he tour? His actions here, are totally and unforgivably wrong and unprofessional.

What am I asking that for? It's the money, stupid!

Edited July 13, 2013 by marcello

[Big Beat Steve]

Too many assholes with cameras wherever at cultural events - they turned viral long ago. When have you been to a museum last where people actually were looking at the pictures or sculptures or artificialised crapola, instead of just taking pictures?

I don't understand that mindset at all - you miss the entire magic of the moment ... by preserving it for eternity (or rather until the memory card breaks or the hard drive goes amiss) ... and you'll never, ever, revisit those thousands and thousands of photos anyway ... and yeah, you're annoying those that don't want you to take all those pictures, so bugger off and eat your cameras or stick them someplace else, please.

Working oneself into a frenzy about a scant few members of the audience taking pictures? Artistic sensitivity ...my eye!

I'd venture a guess with most "artists" who act this way it's more about controlling how one wants to be seen and which (contrived) pictures one wants to sell as exclusive (!) merchandise to a gullible audience (little importance if Jarrett indulges in those commercial strategems ... the mindset (of how to hold the audience hostage - as if the audience is there to please the performer, disregarding the fact that it is a give and take BOTH ways) is almost the same.

I used to take lots of pictures at concerts (but have cut down on this quite some time ago, mostly for reasons of convenience and oversaturation) and do not pretend they will ever serve any purpose but to fuel my own memories and those of my friends every now and then about concerts we attended some 10, 15, 20 or 25 years ago, but I sure am glad others took pictures privately to capture moments of musical history through the decades (where no other photographic records exist - no professional ones, in particular) that have since been assembled in books on specialist musical subjects for posterity to enjoy.

Jarrett plainly has a major problem, that's all. More or less like Klaus Kinski (if not even worse) in his stage behavior towards the audience in his day. BTW, I wonder if a 1000-sensitivity film would have been able to capture something of substance even under these measly illumination conditions? I hope some adventurous soul will try it at the next Jarrett concert!

Edited July 13, 2013 by Big Beat Steve

[king ubu]

Nah, just having some fun

Seriously: it disturbs me more in museums than in concerts, though professional photographers in concerts can be a very obnoxious bunch (and having the entire thing filmed by various cameras - and even better if they drench the whole darned stage into blue light for later TV presentation - is a major nuisance and should be announced beforehand, since I would very likely not attend any such concert).

I guess we're in the age where it does not count what you know and what you actually have done and seen in your life - rather it's all about "I know where I can find any information (not knowledge, mind me!) at any given time at any given place in orbit" and about "look world, I've been there, ain't I cool?" - the photo-mania to me is but an expression of that mentality, which is very alien to me. Call me a renaissance man

[JSngry]

Jarrett's nuts, that's all it is.

Big deal, lots of us are. Perhaps all of us are when it comes to one or two things.

Navigate. That's all anybody needs to do - navigate.

[TedR]

I think "celebrity" or fame is something that turns most into self centered narcissists. For instance, when Jarrett was starting to make inroads as a young musician would he have said "I think the privilege is yours to hear [me]."? Now he does, I'm guessing, because he has been treated as and sees himself at the center of some music universe. Maybe arrogance is in his genetic makeup but celebrity changes anyone.

Edited July 13, 2013 by TedR

[JSngry]

otoh, if you're looking to become a celebrity, being a self centered narcissist puts you on the fast track as well as does anything.

[A Lark Ascending]

Keith ain't alone:

"Pianist Krystian Zimerman storms out over phone recording"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22780812

I saw a performer handle this brilliantly last summer. A few songs into his set Chris Wood (brilliant British folk singer) noticed someone filming his performance. His words, roughly, were "Please stop filming me. Let's keep this between you an me, an intimate event. We don't want it shared with the world on some crappy Youtube clip." Round of applause from the audience. The offending party was shamed into desisting.

Edited July 14, 2013 by A Lark Ascending

[Guy Berger]

I think "celebrity" or fame is something that turns most into self centered narcissists. For instance, when Jarrett was starting to make inroads as a young musician would he have said "I think the privilege is yours to hear [me]."? Now he does, I'm guessing, because he has been treated as and sees himself at the center of some music universe. Maybe arrogance is in his genetic makeup but celebrity changes anyone.

If you have the Impulse 1973-74 box, there's a snippet of him giving a lecture to a Village Vanguard audience not to clap. He's been eccentric for a long time. It predates the Koln Concert, when he became the jazz equivalent of a "celebrity".

[JSngry]

Yeah, he's always been more fun to listen to than to look at.

[Chuck Nessa]

Saw him in an auditorium in Chicago in the early '70s and the entire audience was on "pins and needles" - scared of the performer. A couple of minutes into the solo set he stopped and glared at the crowd. The recital went on without any more drama. I stopped caring.

[Scott Dolan]

I think it'd be great if the entire audience mimicked his grunts and groans every time he made them.

[robertoart]

I'd take my chances & go to a live concert.

god forbid anyone will need to thoughtlessly go to the men's room!

Everyone should piss their pants in protest.

No cameras Keith, but try concentrating on your music with all that stench.

'will you all stop pissing your pants...it's a privilege to hear me...'

[GregK]

I saw the trio in Ann Arbor in 2000. No problems. It was a great concert. I appreciate the no photography rule. It doesn't distract just the performers.

[paul secor]

I don't buy his records, don't go to his concerts. don't listen to his music, so I have no problem with him.

[Face of the Bass]

I hate people who take pictures at concerts. It's extremely distracting to other people in the audience, and extremely selfish. I personally would not be bothered if we passed a law saying that such people would be immediately removed from the concert and beaten with whips out in the street. I would support the establishment of a totalitarian state just to get assholes with cameras in their phones to put them away, and just once in their lives, try enjoying something in the moment instead of being obsessed with recording it for posterity. Seriously, live in the moment for once.

If we can't publicly beat such people, at the very least we should destroy their cell phones on the spot.

Edited July 14, 2013 by Face of the Bass

[jazzbo]

I've never been to one of his concerts. I have most of his recorded material. I'm a fan of his music and don't pay attention to the rest.

Unlike most of my family, I've never been one to chronicle my life in pictures. Perhaps it's because I don't have kids, but snapping endless photos of the most mundane actions just seems like a waste of time to me, and I don't click on most of the images and links to facebook pages etc. I get sent with photos. Life is way too short.

[king ubu]

I hate people who take pictures at concerts. It's extremely distracting to other people in the audience, and extremely selfish. I personally would not be bothered if we passed a law saying that such people would be immediately removed from the concert and beaten with whips out in the street. I would support the establishment of a totalitarian state just to get assholes with cameras in their phones to put them away, and just once in their lives, try enjoying something in the moment instead of being obsessed with recording it for posterity. Seriously, live in the moment for once.

If we can't publicly beat such people, at the very least we should destroy their cell phones on the spot.

Gee, you're even grumpier than me!

[robertoart]

ooohhhhh....the wispy watercolour impressionistic flourishes of Lord Keith are so deep.

[sonnymax]

Stop taking pictures of me!!! Don't you know how special I am?

[Face of the Bass]

I hate people who take pictures at concerts. It's extremely distracting to other people in the audience, and extremely selfish. I personally would not be bothered if we passed a law saying that such people would be immediately removed from the concert and beaten with whips out in the street. I would support the establishment of a totalitarian state just to get assholes with cameras in their phones to put them away, and just once in their lives, try enjoying something in the moment instead of being obsessed with recording it for posterity. Seriously, live in the moment for once.

If we can't publicly beat such people, at the very least we should destroy their cell phones on the spot.

Gee, you're even grumpier than me!

Last month I was at an Enrico Rava concert and during the entire performance the asshole next to me kept holding up his cell phone right in front of my face in order to take meaningless pictures that nobody in the history of the world would ever care to see. If somebody had put a bullet in his head right then with a silencer I would have felt only a little bit bad but mostly would have felt that it was necessary for the good of society.

[robertoart]

Enrico Rava's not even famous.

[kh1958]

I hate people who take pictures at concerts. It's extremely distracting to other people in the audience, and extremely selfish. I personally would not be bothered if we passed a law saying that such people would be immediately removed from the concert and beaten with whips out in the street. I would support the establishment of a totalitarian state just to get assholes with cameras in their phones to put them away, and just once in their lives, try enjoying something in the moment instead of being obsessed with recording it for posterity. Seriously, live in the moment for once.

If we can't publicly beat such people, at the very least we should destroy their cell phones on the spot.

Gee, you're even grumpier than me!

Last month I was at an Enrico Rava concert and during the entire performance the asshole next to me kept holding up his cell phone right in front of my face in order to take meaningless pictures that nobody in the history of the world would ever care to see. If somebody had put a bullet in his head right then with a silencer I would have felt only a little bit bad but mostly would have felt that it was necessary for the good of society.

You must be really pleasant to sit next to.

[Steve Reynolds]

Too many better musicians or pianists to my ears than Keith to care too much about how big of a douchebag he may or may not be.

Craig Taborn is one them and he also comes across as a nice guy to boot.

And what he played last Sunday night was more invigorating and original than anything I've heard from Keith Jarrett.

And I think Jarrett is a fine musician and pianist

Point is all this hand wringing and what about the musicians today who kick ass and take risks in all sorts of musical situations and still deal with young, old, new partners in their music.

Not just play in one format with the same musicians for going on or past 20 years??

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

[Blue Train]

Jarrett hasn't been relevant for most of my life. It's all about the Benjamins for him


When you get down to it....it's a covers band that has been mailing it in for half of my life. I get DeJohnette's FB posts. He makes more money in Jarretts's covers band.

P.S. Buy "Sleeper" and get back to me about the covers band.

Edited July 14, 2013 by Blue Train

[robertoart]

Covers....oohh no. Jarrett isn't doing covers. He's offering his genius to a hoary old chestnut like Yesterdays and elevating it to his lofty thresholds.

The tune isn't really worthy of it. And neither are we. But Jarrett persists. For our own good. It's his pro-bono work.