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Keith Jarrett: The Man And His Music
Keith Jarrett is probably the most influential jazz pianist living his concerts have made him world famous. He was a child prodigy who had his first solo performance at the age of seven. In the sixties he played with the Jazz Messengers and then with the Charles Lloyd Quartet, touring Europe, Asia, and Russia. He played electric keyboards with Miles Davis at the beginning of the seventies, and went on to lead two different jazz groups—one American and one European. He straddles practically every form of twentieth century music—he has produced totally composed music, and has performed classical music as well as jazz. Jarrett has revolutionized the whole concept of what a solo pianist can do. And his albums such as Solo Concerts (at Lausanne and Bremen), Belonging, The Koln Concert , and My Song have gained him a worldwide following.Now, with Keith The Man and His Music, Ian Carr has written the definitive story of Jarrett's musical development and his personal journey. This is a revealing, fascinating, and enlightening account of one of the outstanding musicians of our age.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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118 people want to read
About the author
Ian Carr
13 books10 followersIan Carr was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator.
Apart from writing a regular column for the BBC Music Magazine, Carr wrote biographies of the jazz musicians Keith Jarrett and Miles Davis. He was also the co-author of the reference work The Rough Guide to Jazz which has passed through four editions from 1994 (originally Jazz, The Essential Companion, 1988). In addition he contributed sleeve notes for the albums of other musicians (eg "Indo-Jazz Fusions" by Joe Harriott/John Mayer).
In 1987, he was appointed associate professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he taught composition and performance, especially improvisation and was founder of the jazz workshop at the Interchange arts scheme, where pianist Julian Joseph, amongst others, was one of his students.
Apart from writing a regular column for the BBC Music Magazine, Carr wrote biographies of the jazz musicians Keith Jarrett and Miles Davis. He was also the co-author of the reference work The Rough Guide to Jazz which has passed through four editions from 1994 (originally Jazz, The Essential Companion, 1988). In addition he contributed sleeve notes for the albums of other musicians (eg "Indo-Jazz Fusions" by Joe Harriott/John Mayer).
In 1987, he was appointed associate professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he taught composition and performance, especially improvisation and was founder of the jazz workshop at the Interchange arts scheme, where pianist Julian Joseph, amongst others, was one of his students.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 14, 2016
If you have listened to the Köln Concert by Keith Jarrett, you have only scratched the surface of this consummate pianist (and if you haven't - what are you waiting for?). Keith's music is incredibly diverse and oh, so full of beauty. Whether it is his solo improvisations (of which admittedly Köln is the most surprising and moving IMHO), his trios, his quartets or his classical work (Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Shostakovich,...), there is so much variety here. Any yet, I would have missed all this had it not been for this short but informative biography from Ian Carr (who also wrote one of the best Miles Davis' biographies). Keith is worth getting to know and this is a great way to explore his works - reading this and listening to the albums. Your ears will thank you and your mind will expand.
January 4, 2026
This was a good overview of Keith Jarrett's works and personality. The author does an admirable job of tracing Jarrett's development over the course of his career (up to the point this book was published, of course). I learned a lot about Keith's influences throughout his musical journey and what guided various developments in his career. It was especially fascinating reading about his decision to start playing solo concerts and the revelation that led to his hallowed "Standards trio."
There were a few aspects of the book that marred my enjoyment, however. Carr is obviously a huge Keith Jarrett fan--as one would expect! However, he really has a hard time admitting Keith does anything wrong, musically or in his personal life. Some of the praise of Keith's works is so lavish that I found myself cringing, thinking, "was Jarrett himself writing this?" Carr almost universally praises everything that Jarrett released, even works that I've never seen praise of. The worse he usually says is something like, "well, this is a work of genius, but it moreso helped Keith develop his other better works than it did work on its own."
Strangely enough, Carr is pretty quiet on Jarrett's "American Quartet," generally his most praised group, and focuses more on the "European Quartet," who are generally not as well-liked. I'm not saying Carr is not allowed his preferences, but it does seem strange not to delve more deeply into the works of one of the premier quartets of 70s jazz in favor of one that did not move the genre forward as much.
As far as Keith's negative aspects, the book comes off as almost Jarrett apologia at time, fighting tooth and nail to argue that Jarrett is not the diva he is purported to be. I will admit, there were some interesting stories here that made me feel that Jarrett may be slightly overcriticized for his antics, but not by much.
Overall, a solid overview of a fantastic musician that had some incisive things to say about his oeuvre.
There were a few aspects of the book that marred my enjoyment, however. Carr is obviously a huge Keith Jarrett fan--as one would expect! However, he really has a hard time admitting Keith does anything wrong, musically or in his personal life. Some of the praise of Keith's works is so lavish that I found myself cringing, thinking, "was Jarrett himself writing this?" Carr almost universally praises everything that Jarrett released, even works that I've never seen praise of. The worse he usually says is something like, "well, this is a work of genius, but it moreso helped Keith develop his other better works than it did work on its own."
Strangely enough, Carr is pretty quiet on Jarrett's "American Quartet," generally his most praised group, and focuses more on the "European Quartet," who are generally not as well-liked. I'm not saying Carr is not allowed his preferences, but it does seem strange not to delve more deeply into the works of one of the premier quartets of 70s jazz in favor of one that did not move the genre forward as much.
As far as Keith's negative aspects, the book comes off as almost Jarrett apologia at time, fighting tooth and nail to argue that Jarrett is not the diva he is purported to be. I will admit, there were some interesting stories here that made me feel that Jarrett may be slightly overcriticized for his antics, but not by much.
Overall, a solid overview of a fantastic musician that had some incisive things to say about his oeuvre.
April 16, 2025
I saw enough references to Carr's biography on Keith Jarrett over the last year or two that I finally sought it out. There were some pros and cons. Carr definitely has more than casual insight into Jarrett's music (although this biography was published in 1991, which doesn't tell the full story). However, it's fairly biased - more so than a lot of biographies I've read - especially the final chapter, which addresses Jarrett's critics. I've known about Jarrett for a long time and was first introduced to him via his brief, spectacular tenure playing electric piano in Miles Davis's early 1970s band. Almost everything else I've heard by him (and his catalog is massive) is exceptional. I do get annoyed and distracted by his little noises and grunts that you can hear in his recordings, but the power of his piano playing is definitely worth overcoming these little inconveniences. My big takeaway from Carr's biography is that I wish I hadn't read it. Jarrett comes across (and his personal thoughts are well documented here) as arrogant and conceited. Without a doubt, he has a gift for music, but the obnoxious, egotistical statements peppered throughout this book are nauseating. I don't think this will interfere with my enjoyment of his music going forward, but again, I wish I was still ignorant of his arrogance, which was super off-putting. This was worth reading for learning more about the first half of Jarrett's career, but also a little upsetting.
May 10, 2015
"For me, it’s hard to understand why a musician needs more than the music."
At the end of the book I realized that nothing more than Keith Jarrett’s music was needed – no words, no explanations, no facts… All I’ve learned (and felt) about him is from his music.
Nevertheless, simultaneously reading the biography and listening to Keith Jarrett’s music, I experienced an exciting artistic journey - from the 60’s Charles Lloyd quartet, the American and the European quartets, the unparalleled solo improvisations, classical music, “Spirits”, to present day solo and trio concerts.
Following all the stages throughout the years – no matter how much I value each of them – I was ultimately happy to reach the trio onset (with Jack DeJohnette and Gary Peacock). Because I adore the bass player and the drummer almost as much as Keith Jarrett; because the three of them share common values in music and life; and just because I’ve seen three fantastic live concerts of the trio (and just one solo).
I was also reassured of what I had perceived through Keith’s music - that he is an honest, authentic and straight person (though personal facts were not the at the core of the book, happily – the focus was almost entirely on music and Keith’s values).
At some points I found the account rather dry, at others I saw the words (about Jarrett’s music) that I’ve felt through the years but hadn’t been able to express.
"… there’s one thing that I know well – that I feel very alone. It’s the price you have to pay if you want to be yourself. And don’t believe that I don’t suffer for it, but it seems to me that I have nothing to say to the majority of people and it’s perhaps that which makes me feel timid… I'm very demonstrative when I play. I always make faces, laugh, jump about, gesticulate, and am very animated, and many people who see me like that think that I’m much more reserved when I’ve left my piano. In reality, I feel truly at ease only in music…"
"Peacock and DeJohnette have the same kind of integrity as Jarrett in their life and their work, the same values and commitment. Above all, they followed their inner needs and instincts and were always scrupulously honest: they would never continue to work with Jarrett if they could not commit themselves to his music; in such a case, they would simply leave. There was also a mutual respect of a very high order."
At the end of the book I realized that nothing more than Keith Jarrett’s music was needed – no words, no explanations, no facts… All I’ve learned (and felt) about him is from his music.
Nevertheless, simultaneously reading the biography and listening to Keith Jarrett’s music, I experienced an exciting artistic journey - from the 60’s Charles Lloyd quartet, the American and the European quartets, the unparalleled solo improvisations, classical music, “Spirits”, to present day solo and trio concerts.
Following all the stages throughout the years – no matter how much I value each of them – I was ultimately happy to reach the trio onset (with Jack DeJohnette and Gary Peacock). Because I adore the bass player and the drummer almost as much as Keith Jarrett; because the three of them share common values in music and life; and just because I’ve seen three fantastic live concerts of the trio (and just one solo).
I was also reassured of what I had perceived through Keith’s music - that he is an honest, authentic and straight person (though personal facts were not the at the core of the book, happily – the focus was almost entirely on music and Keith’s values).
At some points I found the account rather dry, at others I saw the words (about Jarrett’s music) that I’ve felt through the years but hadn’t been able to express.
"… there’s one thing that I know well – that I feel very alone. It’s the price you have to pay if you want to be yourself. And don’t believe that I don’t suffer for it, but it seems to me that I have nothing to say to the majority of people and it’s perhaps that which makes me feel timid… I'm very demonstrative when I play. I always make faces, laugh, jump about, gesticulate, and am very animated, and many people who see me like that think that I’m much more reserved when I’ve left my piano. In reality, I feel truly at ease only in music…"
"Peacock and DeJohnette have the same kind of integrity as Jarrett in their life and their work, the same values and commitment. Above all, they followed their inner needs and instincts and were always scrupulously honest: they would never continue to work with Jarrett if they could not commit themselves to his music; in such a case, they would simply leave. There was also a mutual respect of a very high order."
September 4, 2018
Jazz has always been too difficult and unapproachable for me, but that doesn't mean I can't try to learn some more about it. Throughout this book I've listened to a lot of records made by Jarrett and artists he's collaborated with. While I doubt I went too much into unknown territory it was a nice journey. One day I'll be familiar with jazz and I'm reaching that goal one step at a time.
June 27, 2010
Maligned in ways that I still can't quite comprehend, Jarrett is at least on par with Van Gogh: if that is not acknowledged in this lifetime then I am certain it will be in succeeding ones.
At 65, his recorded output is prodigious and astounding (70 recordings as leader plus 10 classical and another 25 as sideman); the diversity of compositions and performances, equally so. He is not a "jazz" musician but a Musician. Everything he does is about the music as the source of wonder and revelation and, ultimately, beingness.
This book is noteworthy yet a bit too fawning of Jarrett to be fairly critical. Still, there is no one else who has taken the time to document his professional and personal worlds so thoroughly, so even though it was written in 1988 it is nonetheless essential for its insights.
Quotes of note:
"If you play a note, it's got to mean something." KJ
"Jarrett's art is an art of the moment...a magical incantation.... (he) does not quote from musical history, he conjures it...he brings into being." Peter Ruedi
"Like Lester Young, Jarrett too believed it was necessary to know the words...before they played it...with utter respect for the song above everything else."
Regarding "Starbright" on "Facing You": "Art Tatum...often performed the fast runs which were his stock-in-trade and part of his habitual repertoire, Jarrett seems to be actually conceiving and playing new lines at this amazing speed and intensity."
"With consciousness, improvisation is a much deeper tapping of something than any other process (...a state of grace...ecstacy)." KJ
"Previous solo pianists had either improvised on song structures, or had played totally abstract music. Jarrett was doing neither."
"The music, the phrases, are a kind of breathing to him." Frank Conroy
"Jarrett's attitude to audiences...not as passive receivers...but active witnesses of and participators in a living process of music creation...when the (audience) impinges on that concentration it drags him back to self-consciousness, which is the least desirable state when improvising."
"It is the process (of creativity) that motivates every human activity.... If you know it incredibly well you write Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. If you refuse to even consider it, then cocktail hour may be your most important experience.... We were Created to Participate." KJ
"...ferociousness and the need to accept that struggle is part of the joy of creativity." KJ
"Ideally, I'd like to be the eternal novice, for then only the surprises would be endless." KJ
For more, ((http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/music...)), ((http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Ja...))
At 65, his recorded output is prodigious and astounding (70 recordings as leader plus 10 classical and another 25 as sideman); the diversity of compositions and performances, equally so. He is not a "jazz" musician but a Musician. Everything he does is about the music as the source of wonder and revelation and, ultimately, beingness.
This book is noteworthy yet a bit too fawning of Jarrett to be fairly critical. Still, there is no one else who has taken the time to document his professional and personal worlds so thoroughly, so even though it was written in 1988 it is nonetheless essential for its insights.
Quotes of note:
"If you play a note, it's got to mean something." KJ
"Jarrett's art is an art of the moment...a magical incantation.... (he) does not quote from musical history, he conjures it...he brings into being." Peter Ruedi
"Like Lester Young, Jarrett too believed it was necessary to know the words...before they played it...with utter respect for the song above everything else."
Regarding "Starbright" on "Facing You": "Art Tatum...often performed the fast runs which were his stock-in-trade and part of his habitual repertoire, Jarrett seems to be actually conceiving and playing new lines at this amazing speed and intensity."
"With consciousness, improvisation is a much deeper tapping of something than any other process (...a state of grace...ecstacy)." KJ
"Previous solo pianists had either improvised on song structures, or had played totally abstract music. Jarrett was doing neither."
"The music, the phrases, are a kind of breathing to him." Frank Conroy
"Jarrett's attitude to audiences...not as passive receivers...but active witnesses of and participators in a living process of music creation...when the (audience) impinges on that concentration it drags him back to self-consciousness, which is the least desirable state when improvising."
"It is the process (of creativity) that motivates every human activity.... If you know it incredibly well you write Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. If you refuse to even consider it, then cocktail hour may be your most important experience.... We were Created to Participate." KJ
"...ferociousness and the need to accept that struggle is part of the joy of creativity." KJ
"Ideally, I'd like to be the eternal novice, for then only the surprises would be endless." KJ
For more, ((http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/music...)), ((http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Ja...))
August 31, 2017
Worth reading but you may find you don't much warm to the man. His music, well most of it, is another matter. Some of it is very much of its time (70's) but the playing, musicality and improvisational genius of the later output is timeless and essential listening. "Standards live" and "Still live" would probably be my top recommendations. Those who moan about his grunts and wails just don't get it - for me they are part and parcel of the music and enhance my enjoyment of it. As a relief from the preciousness and self-absorption of this musician, watch a few YouTube videos of Russell Ferrante (Yellowjackets) talking about his craft 😊.
September 15, 2020
First of all, Ian Carr is (was) a musician and a writer, so that helps a big deal. The book is what it is and its approach (the music and artistic evolution of the subject) very adequate.
Then, Mr. Carr is a Jarrett enthusiast but that doesn't deter him from being harsh when describing a subpar album like "Restoration ruin" (1968), stating that "As a bit of juvenilia, this is an impressive achievement in terms of instrumental competence, but as art it is disastrous."
It's a pity that the biography ends in 1991 but that also means that both the publisher and Mr. Carr took a bold stance writing about a 45 year-old genius whose healthy life (it's a fact) would take him a long way. In 2020 Jarrett is still alive (but not kickin') and Mr. Carr has gone to heaven. That means that, unfortunately, we are not going to see a revision book, like we had with Miles Davis' when "the man" passed away and Carr decided to complete his extraordinary and half-finished Davis' biography. Thus, 30 years will be gone, like tears in the rain ... (however, those are the less interesting in terms of Jarrett's output).
Due to all these cold facts, I am for 4 stars instead of 5. Of course that refers to the book as an object, not to its quality.
*******
Aside from all the great comments and praise that has been (and will be) uttered, having read and even "combed" the book chapter by chapter (several times!), after some research (Google mediating), here I present a few "chronology mistakes" that Mr. Carr included in the text, just for the sake of comprehension:
a) It is not accurate saying that "after" Keith Jarrett got sacked from Columbia in 1972 (after releasing "Expectations") he "magically" received a letter by Manfred Eicher (head of ECM Records). In November 1971 Jarrett had already recorded "Facing You" in Norway with Mr. Eicher. That story is told on page 57-58 and it seems that "before 1972" Jarrett did not know who Eicher was. In fact, Mr. Jarrett was juggling a little bit here (between ECM and Columbia), so the story is not as romantic as Mr. Carr seems to portray it.
That mistake has its origin in the wrong "Expectations" recording date included on page 215 (discography). It wrongly states September-October 1971 (so that is coherent with Jarrett going to Norway just one month later) but in fact it was April 1972. That information is included in the original credits of the Columbia album.
b) Pages 218-19 in the discography also contain mistakes that make Mr. Carr stumble on the chronology of events regarding the disbanding of the "American Quartet." (1971-1976) The recording dates of "Mysteries" and "Shades" (December 1975) are somehow alright (the month is not included) but for "Byablue" and "Bop-Be" (October 1976) he is a little bit confused. From that information, he constructs the (wrong) tale that the group's last sessions were those belonging to ECM ("The Survivors' Suit" and "Eyes of the Heart"). Actually, the last sessions were documented in October 1976. This is explained quite well in the wikipedia article à propos de "Mysteries" (American Quartet's last sessions).
The book is marvelous and it's the Bible of every Jarrettist, don't get me wrong. I'll keep updating this post as long as I find other well documented inaccuracies.
Then, Mr. Carr is a Jarrett enthusiast but that doesn't deter him from being harsh when describing a subpar album like "Restoration ruin" (1968), stating that "As a bit of juvenilia, this is an impressive achievement in terms of instrumental competence, but as art it is disastrous."
It's a pity that the biography ends in 1991 but that also means that both the publisher and Mr. Carr took a bold stance writing about a 45 year-old genius whose healthy life (it's a fact) would take him a long way. In 2020 Jarrett is still alive (but not kickin') and Mr. Carr has gone to heaven. That means that, unfortunately, we are not going to see a revision book, like we had with Miles Davis' when "the man" passed away and Carr decided to complete his extraordinary and half-finished Davis' biography. Thus, 30 years will be gone, like tears in the rain ... (however, those are the less interesting in terms of Jarrett's output).
Due to all these cold facts, I am for 4 stars instead of 5. Of course that refers to the book as an object, not to its quality.
*******
Aside from all the great comments and praise that has been (and will be) uttered, having read and even "combed" the book chapter by chapter (several times!), after some research (Google mediating), here I present a few "chronology mistakes" that Mr. Carr included in the text, just for the sake of comprehension:
a) It is not accurate saying that "after" Keith Jarrett got sacked from Columbia in 1972 (after releasing "Expectations") he "magically" received a letter by Manfred Eicher (head of ECM Records). In November 1971 Jarrett had already recorded "Facing You" in Norway with Mr. Eicher. That story is told on page 57-58 and it seems that "before 1972" Jarrett did not know who Eicher was. In fact, Mr. Jarrett was juggling a little bit here (between ECM and Columbia), so the story is not as romantic as Mr. Carr seems to portray it.
That mistake has its origin in the wrong "Expectations" recording date included on page 215 (discography). It wrongly states September-October 1971 (so that is coherent with Jarrett going to Norway just one month later) but in fact it was April 1972. That information is included in the original credits of the Columbia album.
b) Pages 218-19 in the discography also contain mistakes that make Mr. Carr stumble on the chronology of events regarding the disbanding of the "American Quartet." (1971-1976) The recording dates of "Mysteries" and "Shades" (December 1975) are somehow alright (the month is not included) but for "Byablue" and "Bop-Be" (October 1976) he is a little bit confused. From that information, he constructs the (wrong) tale that the group's last sessions were those belonging to ECM ("The Survivors' Suit" and "Eyes of the Heart"). Actually, the last sessions were documented in October 1976. This is explained quite well in the wikipedia article à propos de "Mysteries" (American Quartet's last sessions).
The book is marvelous and it's the Bible of every Jarrettist, don't get me wrong. I'll keep updating this post as long as I find other well documented inaccuracies.
June 27, 2023
I enjoyed it very much. Ian Carr has a very nice style and the artist portrayed in the biography is the most sensational musician ever existed. Mr Jarrett owns my soul.
January 24, 2025
When Carr restricts himself to talking about the music he manages an impressive deep dive through nearly all of Jarrett's discography; I can't imagine what the research process must have entailed since in 2025 I had trouble finding some of the more obscure records even with the aid of the internet. But when Carr shifts focus to the other half of his book's subtitle and talks about the the man he lets both his fawning fandom and interviews with Jarrett himself tell the story of a deeply misunderstood, humble, talented genius who has never been mean to anyone in his life. Did KJ pay for this little piece of promo fluff?
But I was inspired to write my own fictionalized take on the recording of Jarrett's 1975 Köln Concert so I can't say I got nothing from the reading.
But I was inspired to write my own fictionalized take on the recording of Jarrett's 1975 Köln Concert so I can't say I got nothing from the reading.
April 28, 2012
Ian Carr is a solid biographer and manages to explain (straight faced, so to speak) the orgiastic joy Jarrett goes through on his epic improvisations. You'll understand why a C major chord is so painful.
August 14, 2012
My favorite piano player. It was great to read about the genius of Keith Jarrett. His solo piano playing had a very profound influence on my guitar playing. I love his epic solo piano works, and read with great interest his thoughts and philosophies on music.
May 31, 2016
Had this book a long time but avoided reading it thinking it would be just another recounting of details. Instead the book was well written with great insights into Jarrett's process. Inspired me to listen more and confirmed many feelings I had about his music.
April 29, 2008
A good bio about one of the greatest living pianists, in jazz, classical, or any other genre.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews