Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette: Setting Standards: New York Sessions (2008)

C. Michael Bailey

Senior Contributor since 1997

...wants to know if Gene Harris is playing "Summertime" in Heaven...

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Published: January 20, 2008

Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette: Setting Standards: New York Sessions

Setting Standards is a clever repackaging of three Keith Jarrett Standards Trio releases: Standards, Vol. 1 (ECM, 1985), Standards, Vol. 2 (ECM, 1985) and Changes (ECM 1984). These releases were the ostensible ground zero for what would go on to be the pianist's Standards Trio for the next twenty-five years.

This limited release box set is a perfect introduction to both Jarrett and the trio, in addition to the concept and recognition of what a jazz standard is. Having said that, Jarrett's more compositional-improvisational proclivities are included also with Changes. This disc documents the genesis of one of the most popular and enduring jazz combos in history.

For all of the ink liberated about the simpatico shared between Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, and Paul Motian, that same simpatico certainly exists with this trio. The three artists function together like the fibers of a woven cloth, closely knit yet independent. An advanced empathy among the three principals is already apparent in these early recordings, and this empathy has only deepened in the intervening quarter century.

Keith Jarrett and this trio have no problem breathing fresh air into the Great American Songbook, a song mine that has been used for the entire history of jazz. Standards, Vols. 1 & 2 show the listener only the jumping-off point of this trio. Subsequent Standards Trio releases have been equally revelatory. Changes illustrates Jarrett's ability to spontaneously compose in the trio format as he did solo on his famous Köln Concert (ECM, 1975). Changes predicts the sublime Inside Out (ECM, 2001) as the Köln Concert predicted Radiance (ECM, 2005).

Track Listing: CD1 (Standards, Vol. 1): Meaning Of The Blues; All The Things You Are; It Never Entered My Mind; The Masquerade Is Over. CD2 ( Standards, Vol. 2): So Tender; Moon And Sand; In Love In Vain; Never Let Me Go; If I Should Lose You; I Fall In Love Too Easily. CD3 (Changes): Flying Part 1; Flying Part 2; Prism.

Personnel: Keith Jarrett: piano; Gary Peacock: double-bass; Jack DeJohnette: drums.

Record Label: ECM Records
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream