A man and his piano...to celebrate the 40th anniversary of legendary pianist Keith Jarrett's first recording for ECM back in 1971 comes Rio, a sprawling 2CD set of a live concert recorded in Brazil on April 9, 2011. Performing at the Theatro Municipal in Rio de Janiero, Jarrett takes the audience through a 15 track suite mixing jazz, blues, swing, funk, and pop, that is magical, classy, and beautiful all at the same time.
Whether much of Rio was improvised on the spot or composed prior means little, as the soaring melodies and quirky passages flow from Jarrett's fingers, proving what a master of the piano he truly is. Just close your eyes and allow all the grand arrangements to permeate your soul and infiltrate your senses. As one track practically segues into the next, save for some audience applause in between songs, both CDs flow extremely well, and it's the genius of Jarrett as he changes moods and tempos with the drop of a hat that keeps things varied and enjoyable.
The packaging here on Rio is a little change of pace compared to most ECM fare; in place of the usual bleak/dark artwork or photography that is common with most ECM releases, the cover art here is drenched in bright orange and reds, and the booklet contains barely any info or photographs, again unusual for ECM CD booklets which normally are jam packed with goodies. Regardless, Rio is a wonderful live set from Keith Jarrett that is a must hear for fans of solo jazz piano.
Track Listing
Disc: 1
1. RIO Part I
2. RIO Part II
3. RIO Part III
4. RIO Part IV
5. RIO Part V
6. RIO Part VI
Disc: 2
1. RIO Part VII
2. RIO Part VIII
3. RIO Part IX
4. RIO Part X
5. RIO Part XI
6. RIO Part XII
7. RIO Part XIII
8. RIO Part XIV
9. RIO Part XV
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
