Besides the fact that Keith Jarrett recorded these solo piano pieces live in front of Japanese fans, he seemingly displays a sense of oneness with himself. Therefore, he truly does invite an audience into his private space. It’s akin to a balancing act between solitude and an acute sense of the dynamic where an artist might tackle a new project -- from the ground up -- in front of a horde of spectators. With this two-CD package, Jarrett improvises thru seventeen parts while occasionally rendering an opaque demarcation point between jazz and classical stylizations. Whereas, the inner most workings of a brilliant artist are set into motion, spanning works comprised of diminutive chord progressions, spiced with lush harmonics and other components. And when he finds a groove, he generally works it into another thematic launching pad.
On "Part III," Jarrett develops a quietly melodramatic, hymnal based tone poem. Nonetheless, he generates a vortex of emotive processes. And with certain movements, the pianist develops Schubert-like sonatas, followed by gospel and folksy slices of Americana. Elsewhere, Jarrett lunges forth with circular ostinatos amid a few bumps and grinds. Understated surprises abound, and of course few pianists on this planet can rise to such lofty heights while sustaining the listeners’ attention from start to finish. (Recommended.... )
