By Mark Corroto

Without a doubt Keith Jarrett is a modern master of jazz. His reputation as a perfectionist proceeds him with every new CD released. His formative years included stints with Art Blakey, Charles Lloyd, and Miles Davis. Later he indulged in a now infamous solo career.

Perhaps the pinnacle of his music has been realized in his Standards Trio. Nearly twenty years in existence, Jarrett along with bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette (sometimes Paul Motian as a substitute) have been the gauge upon which jazz trios working today are measured.

Not that being a fan of Jarrett has been easy. His hum/singing while playing sounds like Marvin the Martian on helium. It is a sort of jazz Tourette's syndrome. I guess the devoted either ignore or get use to it. Actually, after your Jarrett CD titles grow beyond say a foot you don't even notice his humming, yells, and breaths.

Enter the video age and that mountain of vocal distractions is joined by the visual complication.

Recorded in 1994 at Open Theatre East this live date of standards is not unlike every marvelous Jarrett Standards Trio of the nineties. The sound is top notch, and the camera work reveals the exacting approach of this music making. The question is are you ready for the very distracting body language that was (is?) Jarrett. He contorts his body throughout, writhing while he plays. All seemingly unrelated to the sense of the moment.

Is this music painful to make? Because of its joyful nature, I think not The visual distraction that is Jarrett deflects your attention immediately from the music. Just like the critics that could never get beyond his humming, viewers might not get past the visual.

Turn you glance and the Standard's trio come alive. Watch for a moment and you glimpse Jack DeJohnette's seemingly effortless swing and the large hands of Gary Peacock plucking the strings. The camera works in close for facial and body expression throughout. Focused solely on Jarrett's hands we see a genius approach dancing on the keys. Pull back and he's half standing, bent in some savant post. Then the humming becomes more apparent. It's all very confusing. One may seek refuge in the audio track, as I did, venturing a glance here and there at the action.

Keith Jarrett DVDs are going to take some getting use to.

Musicians: Keith Jarrett – Piano; Gary Peacock – Bass; Jack DeJohnette – Drums

Set List: In Your Own Sweet Way; Butch And Butch; Basin street Blues; Solar-Extension; If I Were A Bell; I Fall In Love Too Easily; Oleo; Bye Bye Blackbird; The Cure; I Thought About You.

Technical Notes Presented in a 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio that is enhanced for 16:9 television.