KEITH JARRETT/CHARLIE HADEN – Last Dance
ECM 378 0524
Keith Jarrett (piano); Charlie Haden (double bass)
Recorded March 2007
This album of more material from the recording sessions that yielded Jasmine from the duo that was released in 2010 would normally be cause for celebration if it was not for the sad news of the passing of Charlie Haden on Friday 11th of July.
Quite why Jarrett, Haden and label boss Manfred Eicher chose to release only a single CD from the sessions recorded over a four day period at the pianist’s home studio in March 2007, given the pianist’s penchant for releasing double albums or multi CD sets, is a mystery but it now seems right and fitting that more of this magnificent music by this wonderful partnership should now be made available at this time.
How the music was selected for release for the original album must have been a struggle and a difficult process of elimination, because, naturally enough is there is no hint of Last Dance being made up of hither to rejected or second choice takes, but one that sits comfortably with its predecessor as completely realised work. This is borne out with alternate takes of ‘Where can I Go Without You’ and poignantly ‘Goodbye’, with little if anything to choose between the takes issued on the earlier disc and those presented here. Both have a quality about them that speaks volumes, but they are of course subtly different with the two players never feeling the material exactly the same way twice.
Of the other selections on Last Dance the duo again focus on ballads and love songs, although the scope is also widened to include some jazz standards. This will also raise the question, do we really need another version of ‘’Round Midnight’, and the answer must be an emphatic ‘yes’ when played as inspirationally as this. Indeed the pair only hint at the tune until about two thirds of the way through its nine and half minute duration, when Monk’s written melody is the tune is finely stated. ‘Dance of the Infidels’ dances to a completely beat, and provides a nice contrast to the remainder of the pieces that are naturally more reflective in nature.
The emphasis on this wonderful music is strongly on the lyrical content of the material and the shared empathy between Jarrett and Haden. The duo are totally at the service of the music and Kurt Weill’s ‘My Ship’ has rarely sounded better than here, whilst Richard Rodger’s and Oscar Hammerstein’s ‘It Might As Well Be Spring’ is just about a perfect as one could wish for, and is totally absorbing from start to finish.
If you already have Jasmine in your collection, then you will wish to add this; if you are yet to acquire either of these discs, then be prepared to want both.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
ECM 378 0524
Keith Jarrett (piano); Charlie Haden (double bass)
Recorded March 2007
This album of more material from the recording sessions that yielded Jasmine from the duo that was released in 2010 would normally be cause for celebration if it was not for the sad news of the passing of Charlie Haden on Friday 11th of July.
Quite why Jarrett, Haden and label boss Manfred Eicher chose to release only a single CD from the sessions recorded over a four day period at the pianist’s home studio in March 2007, given the pianist’s penchant for releasing double albums or multi CD sets, is a mystery but it now seems right and fitting that more of this magnificent music by this wonderful partnership should now be made available at this time.
How the music was selected for release for the original album must have been a struggle and a difficult process of elimination, because, naturally enough is there is no hint of Last Dance being made up of hither to rejected or second choice takes, but one that sits comfortably with its predecessor as completely realised work. This is borne out with alternate takes of ‘Where can I Go Without You’ and poignantly ‘Goodbye’, with little if anything to choose between the takes issued on the earlier disc and those presented here. Both have a quality about them that speaks volumes, but they are of course subtly different with the two players never feeling the material exactly the same way twice.
Of the other selections on Last Dance the duo again focus on ballads and love songs, although the scope is also widened to include some jazz standards. This will also raise the question, do we really need another version of ‘’Round Midnight’, and the answer must be an emphatic ‘yes’ when played as inspirationally as this. Indeed the pair only hint at the tune until about two thirds of the way through its nine and half minute duration, when Monk’s written melody is the tune is finely stated. ‘Dance of the Infidels’ dances to a completely beat, and provides a nice contrast to the remainder of the pieces that are naturally more reflective in nature.
The emphasis on this wonderful music is strongly on the lyrical content of the material and the shared empathy between Jarrett and Haden. The duo are totally at the service of the music and Kurt Weill’s ‘My Ship’ has rarely sounded better than here, whilst Richard Rodger’s and Oscar Hammerstein’s ‘It Might As Well Be Spring’ is just about a perfect as one could wish for, and is totally absorbing from start to finish.
If you already have Jasmine in your collection, then you will wish to add this; if you are yet to acquire either of these discs, then be prepared to want both.
Reviewed by Nick Lea