Home » Jazz Articles » Play This! » Keith Jarrett's European Quartet: Innocence

Keith Jarrett's European Quartet: Innocence

By Scott Lichtman
March 6, 2024
View read count

It just so happens that two of the most poignant jazz ballads—in my opinion—were released in the same year. I'm not talking about throw-back masterpieces, such as Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight" or Horace Silver's "Lonely Woman." Rather, they are Keith Jarrett's "Innocence" and Egberto Gismonti's "Palhaço," both originally issued in 1980. What makes these pieces stand out are their simple melodies; harmonic progressions with pop, not bebop, sensibilities; unexpected key modulations; and the nuanced musicianship of the supporting bands. Norwegian alto saxophonist, Jan Garbarek, lends his haunting tone to both pieces.

Choosing the preferred "Play This!" is a tough call, but the selection goes to "Innocence"—the version on Personal Mountains—because no one can touch Keith Jarrett's musicality on piano. His introduction takes you on a quiet journey from the first notes. Enjoy both pieces front-to-back or jump right into the "Innocence" head lead-in at 2:03.

Contact Scott Lichtman on All About Jazz.
Jazz/fusion keyboardist & autograph collector in Stamford CT.

Contribute to Play This! Recommend a favorite song, album, or performance and we'll share it with your fellow All About Jazz readers. Submit it here.

PREVIOUS / NEXT

The Brotherman Project
< Previous

Roswell Rudd, Minnie Riperton, Tomok...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.