Reviews (page 5 of 14)
This was an album I listened to before I died. Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Keith mate I know you are really good at piano and everything, but I don’t really enjoy this kind of thing
No doubt he’s a supremely talented pianist, but an hour of listening to an improvised jazz piano solo just isn’t for me.
Raw and reflective, as easy to listen to as it probably was hard to play. Had not heard of Keith Jarrett but will be adding this into my normal listening.
Lovely to listen to
I'm a sucker for a good "created great art despite the circumstances" story, and the wikipedia article absolutely elevated this for me
Nice piano live concert. Some really pretty sections and also some slower, boring parts. Cool album
i mean i don’t have that much to say.. i feel like it’s a nice album to play in the background as u’re working or cleaning up ur room.. lowkey can’t believe i spent more than one hour listening to full piano but it wasn’t bad… kinda long but ok
Not my usual go to but this is some seriously powerful jazz piano.
Was excellent. Hard to have "saves" with a piano concert but would listen again
Previously unknown. Again, didn't dislike this as much as I expected. Wouldn't listen again.
Didn’t have a chance to listen to it all. Will finish today.
Never knew it, never heard it, now I have. Excellence.
Good
я взагалі люблю інструментальну музику але цей альбом ну взагалі не зайшов
Easy listening, harmless record. Personally, I prefer the La Scala concert. Great to listen while studying or working.
Me hubiese gustado que hubieran más instrumentos. Está ok.
One of the great benefits of doing this is when you get to hear an album you’re aware of but have never had a good excuse to listen to. So, Keith Jarrett. I expected something more austere, po-faced, clever but charmless. But this, dear reader, is none of those things. Excuse my French, but it’s an absolute fucking joy. Jarrett’s incredible talent is in evidence throughout but as a means of bringing his imagined melodies to us, not for musical show boating. Beautiful, thrilling music
Not my style, but very beautiful ;) 7,3/10
This was wonderful to listen to. I've never come across a whole album of improvised piano music before and it was live. Great find!
Holy shit, that was gorgeous.
KJ is my favorite musician of all time and the KJT Blue Note box will be buried with me. I'm more partial to his work with his bands, but his solo work is incredible and this is probably the pinnacle of his solo records. If it were composed note for note, it would be an incredible, if scattered, achievement. That it was completely improvised elevates it to the stratosphere. I was blessed to see the Trio several times and KJ solo several times, and each time was unique and wonderful (and frustrating, for those of you who know his famous temper and the way it derailed some sets). This one would be high on the Time Machine list.
Started slow but got better as it went along. Impressive as a show of musicianship, but the music itself left me rather cold.
There was a wrong note at 20:40
eh
Astonishing piano playing and definitely interesting listening experience. At times the solo piano felt a bit chaotic and two of the songs (the part 1 and part 2 a) were too long for my tastes. The song part 2 b was my favorite of the album and I think the last two songs (part 2 b and c) were amazing in general. Also as this was played improvised on the spot that is just amazing.
Cool if it's your thing. It's really not my thing.
Couldn’t get beyond the first 15 minutes
This was such a joy to listen to. I will come back to this for years to come.
Just okay
Очень красиво
This was a great little listen, very serene.
esta bien pero tantísimo tiempo no hace falta
pas mal mais c'est vachement long et un poil répétitif, mais très beau
Idk not really for me
Very beautiful music and I can tell it's very important musically. But I found it hard to follow with few specific tunes or themes.
at first i loved it, used as good background music for my studying. but mid the third song, it kinda got wordy & it started to bore me and irritate me a little. i did however listen to the whole thing. don't think i'll relisten soon, but who knows.
Immer noch ein unvergesslicher Meilenstein
An incredible piece of music played beautifully. With that backstory, it earns a 5.
Muy pesado para escucharlo en el coche pero que hermoso instrumental
Blergh
1. Part I: love the part at 8 minutes, feels very jolly and then introspective, like the part around 18-20 minutes, and again at 22 min, 7/10 2. Part IIA: begins very jaunty, grows intense at 7 min before melancholy turn, very beautiful at 11 min, 8/10 3. Part IIB: kind of anxious? Two minutes of applause 8/10 4. Part IIC: short and sweet 7/10 Overall: impressive improvised, passionate, pleasant throughout 7.5/10
wonderful! i think its an album that i enjoyed more after knowing the background behind it. its crazy that the whole thing improvised, with conditions that would make me jump off a cliff- instead of banging out one hour of beautiful piano jazz
Is he making mouth noises while playing?
Nije lose dao bih 3.5 da moze al ono jbg
This had never been on my Radar and was a pleasant surprise indeed. I doubt I would ever had heard it without the 1001 albums project. Exquisite piano playing improvisations across an hour from a Live Solo one-off concert really impressed me. Whilst described as Jazz I thought this felt almost classical in many places (though maybe not the whelps and grunts that suggested how much Jarrett was getting into this performance himself). I listened to both the original recording and the 50th anniversary master. This album is a great listen without knowing anything about it but once you start reading the backstory the improvisations take on a whole new relevance and it adds to the overall appreciation of the album. It’s worth a read. No spoilers here. I know some will think the backstory shouldn’t change what you think of the music but for me I am a whole package person and it’s all part of the art. If you’ve appreciated the Divorce Album or enjoyed an album because you knew about creative tensions of the band or understood what pharmaceuticals or personal demons then appreciating the context under how this recording was made is no different. Will I play this new discovery again - Yes
Didn’t listen
Classic jazz piano... Such a random album I didn't expect to find on this list. Super good but I love piano music to begin with.
Loved it jazz was jazzy
A lot of times the Wikipedia entry is interesting but doesn’t really change my view on an album. For this album it did. An improvised concert on an accidentally provided old rickety piano that was barely tuned hours before thr performance, leading to the artist changing his style to fit the instrument. The pieces are a little long for my preference and I’d prefer more distinct melody, so that brings it to a 4 instead of a 5 for me. Actually on second listen I retract that last statement.
beautiful piano
Each song like 20 minutes did not listen to the entire thing but either way it was cool
So good I've listened to it three times.
so so beautiful
Zuhause, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Naja, gibt mir nicht viel.
It's ok, but I want a bit *more*. Very controlled and measured, and I really miss that sense of verve and energy you get from jazzier stuff. 3/5
Yo that was crazy, there were times where I had to remind myself that there was only one person playing the whole time
This first piece was not for me but it seemed as I got past the first one the next two pieces were more to my liking. The playing is brilliant. Just beautiful music that is soulful and heartfelt. This is one of my favorite albums I have listened to so far. A cohesive brilliance harmony and melodies are evoking emotions in me that I can’t explain. A really good album. I could listen to it again.
Awesome
The playing is fantastic. It is something you have to commit time to and listen to the whole thing, which would make repeat listens a little tough. 3.5/5 Might listen again
I enjoyed listening to it despite never really having listened to a full piano recital before. Feels like really upscale lounge music. Makes great background music to me which is a great alternative to what is typically considered background music.
Incredible piano album. I heard he had to use the practice piano because the grand piano he was going to use didn’t get shipped in time. I think that made it even better, the piano sounded like a rusty old car with an expert driver behind the wheel. Love his vocal inflections and passionate noises he makes.
Lovely piano music. An enjoyable listen. Perhaps good for background music in a relaxing setting.
Listened on 12.30.25. It’s okay. Not really any distinct sounds that really stood out. Felt like it’s one of those albums you listen to once and are done with it. Wasn’t bad, I just probably would never choose to listen to it again out of my own volition.
haven’t listened yet
some interesting stuff, but ultimately not my thing. I guess I listened midway through the second track before i thought - nah let's not listen to this any longer.
Very lovely album. I wouldn't have known it was a sub-par piano if I hadn't just read about it. He handled it very well.
I mean, it is beautiful... But I am only listening to song one. Cannot do an hour of piano right now.
Beautiful. A piece of history.
It was good it had some songs that I recognized. Not something I would listen to for fun but still good
Listened to it at the HNL museum of art, relaxing
Wasn’t expecting to enjoy an improvised solo piano record, but here we are, I guess. The biggest problem with this album is that it peaked early on, in my opinion. Part 1 is excellent from the begging to the end, but the rest is not nearly as good. He’s obviously an insanely skilled player, but everything outside Part 1 just didn’t sound nearly as exciting. Skill a very solid concert, and in person, it was probably mind-blowing, but as a recording, it’s good but not exceptional. 7/10
Somewhat enjoyable but got very boring listening to just piano for an hour straight
I’ve heard this once before and I get the same impression which is that it’s surprising how melodic it is for an improvised solo piano concert probably because any other improvised solo piano concerts I heard or experienced were by more ferocious types like Cecil Taylor. It’s very melodic and there’s a strong sense of pop harmony which makes it very appealing to conservative listeners so I can understand why this album is so popular. I just read the background to this recording and am fascinated that this beautiful music was made with so many obstacles to overcome that evening. Perfect listening for the hangover day after Xmas!
This is the perfect lemonade from lemons story I've ever heard. Tired, in pain, sub-standard piano...I'll just wing it for an hour and see how it goes. Brilliant.
So you’re telling me this was all improv? Also, those weird grunts he makes sadly give this an automatic 1, I don’t want to hear one of that weird grunting shit,
I like more structured jazz, not this improvisational stuff. But, as always, the musicianship is top-notch and there's no denying the artistry.
Relaxing concert pianist 2.5
I used to think more of this album when I was less experienced and had less confidence in my own taste
This was a good album, I am very into piano concerts
At first listen, it kind of put me off guard. Yes, the playing is incredible, but it didn't stick to me. However, when you learn more about Jarrett and the buildup to this concert, it all comes together. They even made a film about it. All in all, the playing is beautiful, the fact that it's all improvised for the entire playthrough is something else. Incredible!
Ok un piano seul pendant 1h, c'est non.
This was enjoyable - very interesting pieces and movements throughout this album. I wouldn't normally gravitate towards a piano album but this was a good one, although admittedly not one that I would probably return to too frequently.
Truly beautiful
Phenomenal performance. So intimate and clear.
Obvious that this man is very talented but nothing stuck out to me. The music all ran together after a while since it was an entirely instrumental album and a lot of it just seemed like him riffing/playing scales. Easy background music tho! Pleasant.
Is me thinking this is increible background music a reflection of my impatience? Pian-i RYM: Y (#882) Saved a song: N
Nope nope nope
Not my genre. Boring No doubt, excellent pianist.
It’s a landmark piece of modern jazz and a bravura performance, but it’s not a real favourite of mine. The improv style has more to do with folk harmonics then anything jazzy, which to my ears is a bit anodyne.
Background or soundtrack. Likely nothing I’d put on, but not a bad listen.
I listened to it on a quiet Sunday evening with a cup of tea, it sounds amazing.
Good background music
Pretty good
Po pierwszych paru sekundach wiedziałem, że będzie maks nota. Bardzo osobiste doświadczenie. Wiem, czego będę słuchał na narkotykach następnym razem. 6/5
Album #7 Keith Jarrett: The Koln Concert Nothing bad about this album, really, just not my thing. The context in which I heard this album is probably ideal for a first-time listen. I was coming back from my 10 pm Philosophy exam, on my birthday, in a snowy yet moderate weathered night. As I rode the subway, a man dressed in an all-white pristine suit with a ponytail and a massive scar across his face, looking straight out of a David Lynch movie, began to dance. Almost seeming as if he were too listening to the piano playing of Keith Jarrett, he would slide when the subway bounced, and spin when it stopped. I’ve seen a lot of characters on the subway, but this guy almost seemed mythical, too put-together to be crazy, and too eccentric to be normal. He almost seemed to gain energy when the piano picked up, and slow down when it stopped. However, this brief amusement would turn out to be the high point of the album for me, which could also be due to part 1 clearly being the superior part. Overall, I feel as though there was a lack of truly expressive moments. I’m not claiming to know how to play better than Jarrett, nor am I saying I even understand just how impressive this improvisation was; just that I tend to enjoy music with huge payoffs. Part one is, in my opinion, the closest we get to that, but parts 2 and three tend to get a bit repetitive. This is the first album of this kind I have heard, so I’m not able to critique it for what it is, but simply what I wish it were. That said, there wasn’t really an unenjoyable moment; it remained pleasant throughout, though I wasn’t a fan of his occasional moaning. If it kept the momentum of part one and maybe trimmed a little fat, I would prefer the performance more, yet it is no doubt an impressive album and one that I feel I could grow to appreciate as I diversify my tastes. But for now, aside from the brilliant part 1, I don’t know how much I’ll return to this one. Best Tracks: Part 1, Part 4, Part 2 Worst Track: Part 3 Score out of 10: 5.5
Been listening to this on repeat this year
Piano makes me lose control. My sole complaint is the audience noise. I listened to this while walking on a barren, quiet path where my only friends were the squirrels. Every time I heard a grunt I whipped my head around to find the culprit. I must've looked loony.
lovely hour long piano jazz album, very nice and relaxing to listen to. beautiful playing.
This is an album that I don't think I'll ever return to, but for what it is, it achieves a highly skilled piano player doing his best. It being live adds to what makes this important to listen to.
A piano album of a live concert from Köln, Germany. Some moments felt like hip hop based on their cadence and repetition. Throughout the record, you could hear Jarrett moaning and emoting as he was playing. A very interesting easter agg during the performance.
un clásico en mi casa porque es de los favs de mi jefe. no sé si es nostalgia o qué, pero me encanta. y el soundtrack de monsters inc no sería nada sin este concierto!
primero dije hmm pero ya después se puso weno
sujeto a cambios xq no lo volví a escuchar pero cómo me mama, legendario. qué pedo que hicieran una película con el john magaro como keith jarrett, como decían en un video, imagínenselo con eric andre jsjsjs pero que según esto jarrett no es negro veá
Looooong songs. Appreciate the creativity of the genre.
soul jazz
2/10
beautiful
2.5
nice but just feel like the jazz on this list is so goofy and specific
Captivating, soulful, beautiful all the way through.
Yeah its a banger
Ome Keith rammelt een uur lang op de piano en ondertussen hoor je hem klaarkomen. Dat eerste vind ik wel prima voor een keer, dat tweede had van mij achterwege mogen blijven. Ik wil dit eigenlijk een 2 geven maar ik ben gezien m'n recente historie bang dat ik dan bezorgde berichtjes ontvang met de vraag of ik nog oké ben. Ik krijg momenteel nogal wat albums waarbij ik me zit af te vragen of en wanneer ik ze buiten deze lijst om nog eens zou gaan draaien, maar ze zijn zo typisch dat ik dat maar moeilijk kan beantwoorden. Ik ben oké, maar toch 2 sterren. Een lange zit. Wel een sappige Wiki zoals je in bijna alle andere reviews op deze site al hebt kunnen lezen.
Transcendental. Whispers and waltzes. Swinging in the breeze. Elderflower. Daffodil. Cream and golden yellow.
Not bad music to have on while cooking, but I won’t be revisiting this. Some parts were interesting but overall was not into it.
Not for me
The only time I love hearing a LIVE album is under these circumstances
Don't know much about jazz but nice piano.
He is very talented. But you’ve gotta be in the mood for long convoluted repetitive music. I like it anyway
This man can play piano like a madman
Very obvious talent but it isn't something I would listen to again.
This is an incredible achievement and an incredible story. I can’t quite get past the moaning to really love it but I’m go glad I listened to it!
Possibly the worst driving music I've ever suffered through. Maybe I would've enjoyed it in a more relaxed atmosphere
Mal was neues Klavier. Nun ja es iost Klavier Ohne Gesang hey, wem es gefällt
Obviously very talented piano play to the untrained ear , and is fine in the background whilst reading the Sunday papers and drinking coffee , hard for me to engage with
Im not educated enough to know the difference between a 5 star and a 4 star jazz album. I enjoyed it. 4.37
Único, irreproducible, fantástico. Keith estuvo en un momento sublime con un piano en un diálogo entre genios.
Bbbbbbboooooooooorrrrriiiinnnngggg
Wonderful 4/5
Considerably more enjoyable to experience if you know the backstory of the album before listening. Felt like you could hear the progression during Part 1, starting with individual asynchronous notes and melodies meandering into fully harmonic chords -- like he was testing the limits of what the instrument itself was capable of. A clear journey the artist is taking you on, before it culminates into something cohesive. Really cool, great addition to the list.
Really good. More "pop" piano than Jazz, but pure improvisation and remarkably melodic themes pop in and out throughout. As the only solo piano album on the list so far, I'm thinking that maybe more pianos should be de-tuned and forced to be played by jazz masters (if you don't know the story of this album, definitely look it up)!
An hour of improvised melodic jazz piano which only suffers a bit from repetition. Interesting back story that meant this album nearly never got made but it did and went on to be the top selling LP of all time for the solo piano genre. Never heard before and it was worth a listen although not sure I will play again. It did put me in mind of Guaraldi.
Nice background music. And some dude grunting throughout (maybe the artist) was distracting.
it's a jazz album....on piano.
Will return to this, incredible to work To
This is okay. It's a pleasant enough listen, especially as some background music but I don't really enjoy the piano enough to listen to a solo piano performance for over an hour. There are some nice progressions like the start of Part 2 but it's not really for me. I won't come back to this Highlights: Part 2
peaceful
i was not expecting piano/jazz however it was pretty lit, i was doing a graveyard shift tho so i did not need to be lulled to rest
Yesterday morning, I was all "Keith who?" and wondering whether I was going to stay awake during piano compositions of 25 plus minutes. But then you listen to the music. You marvel at the improvisation, the handspeed, the endless jaw-dropping connotations around a simple theme or motif and the thrilling segues between the sections. And then you find out about the story, the late night concert and the 'broken' piano and you realise the genius of the musician you are listening to. Of the albums I have listened to so far, this is the most mindful and moving. It is real time emotion, where one subtle key change can instantly elevate or totally devastate you. It is a beautifully crafted musical collection, and the easiest five stars that I'll ever give.
My cup of tea. Loved it. The quality of the recording is astounding given the year.
Well yeah
I really enjoy jazz but I am not super familiar with specific jazz albums. As a result, I've been blown away by pretty much every jazz album I've been assigned on this site (seriously I think they've all been 5 stars so far). When I saw that this was the best selling solo jazz album of all time, I must admit my expectations were high. But I quickly realized that what I love most about jazz is absent from this album. The interplay between musicians, the dynamic of different instruments speaking to one another, inspiring a new direction and then bringing it all back together. This is just one guy exploring themes on his own. And while it's cool and undeniably takes incredible talent, the end result is that it's just...boring.
This was already a favorite of mine. Jarrett is just brilliant.
I don't know what to rate this. On one hand, it can be viewed as an optimal "ambient listening album". You doing your chores or talking to someone in a social setting, I wouldn't mind this playing in the background. On the other hand, there are moments of brilliance in the music that make me want to rate it 5/5. But then again, for some people this may never warrant a revisit, while for others they will discover new things in the music on every listen. For some this is just glorified elevator or background music, while for others it is a landmark album. This the "Schrödinger's album". I have listened to it 3 times today, and I can't seem to make up my mind. I will rate it 3 as a middle ground, but that just seems unfair. So I will reluctantly give it 5
Really great album. Surprised it is on this list that is loaded with such garbage filler. Give a listen - good background music at work or on a task, nd give yourself a dose of class.
When it's an hour of just piano, it's hard for me to get into it. But somehow it was so well done that I actually enjoyed myself. There weren't many dull moments and it felt very emotive
Ganz schön aber es gibt Pianisten, die ich besser finde (z.B. Lambert). Hat etwas von Restaurantmusik oder einem Lied was auf Klassikradio läuft, wenn ich Auto fahre. Schön, wenn es da ist aber ich würde es auch nicht vermissen.
NIce background music m8
Not my usual listening, but it was an excellent chill album
I’m not fancy enough for this
Not for me. Boring
Play piano man. Play.
Such a calming relaxing album!
WHERE WAS THIS ONE WHEN I WAS STUDYING FOR FINALS 1001 ALBUM GENERATOR
3.5
This is actually not my usual Fair of albums solo piano improvisational jazz. (Quite frankly any solo one instrument album usually wears thin on me after a while due to lack of dynamics.) But quite frankly Keith Jarrett really keeps the dynamics going throughout the album and compellingly engaging especially the first piece. I did read the back story behind it and, I'm not a big fan of backstories of albums, just because most people will put that as the most important thing. However, it always works when the backstory actually backs up a rather compelling piece of work and I think that even without the backstory this would be a compelling piece of work. (8.95) ★★★★ I could see this grower, it being on the edge of four and a half makes me think that I might bump it up with further lessons .
Mesmerizing piano playing! Wonderful! 4.5 stars
I can't say I was really looking forward to an hour long album of solo piano jazz improv. The first piece was pretty cool and exceeded my expectations. The second maintained my interest for about half the track, but after that I really got bored with this album. Sorry jazzheads, I'm too much of a Philistine to get this one. 3 stars.
Mesmerising stuff. Officially the best selling piano album of all time, its brilliance drifts in and out but when it’s on it’s on like sky-high geysers of fluffy soothing fire and overall you do have this fantastic impromptu jet stream blur of jazz, classical, new age, gospel and immense ivory inkling soul. Plus a little bit of Jarrett’s trademark high frequency Bugs Bunny singing bleeding through too. There is actually a full-length movie made this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary but they missed a trick by not casting Eric Andre as Keith.
Super talent
It’s a great album but I have to admit Jarrett’s noodling and noises whilst charming detracts from the focus.
This album has a pretty magnificent backstory, so thankfully the music is pretty damn good too. Incredible the kinds of sounds that Jarrett can coax out of an out-of-tune piano and a pair of deft hands. The sounds coming out of that baby grand feel so natural underneath Jarrett's mastery that it just sweeps you away. It feels like a natural extension of his body. It's lounge-back background music that simultaneously demands your attention. They have their reasons for not putting more classical and old-jazz adjacent works on this list (not that this is 'traditionally composed' like most orchestral pieces by any stretch of the imagination - it's still improvised jazz, even if the 'jazz' label feels a little iffy) but it makes me long for more of this sort of conventional hall-style instrumentation in the 1001 marathon. fav tracks: Part I, Part IIb
Given the write up about this being a double album I expected it to be a lot longer than a shade over an hour - and only four tracks. This is a completely forgettable album. Fine as a bit of piano background music - although not keen on the live aspect (clapping and cheering gets in the way of the ambiance). But this is certainly not what I’d consider a “jazz” album and am amazed it was the best ever selling solo jazz album in history (or atleast for the time). It’s more just a classical piano piece - and an unobtrusive one at that. Tempted to give it a 2, but given the jarring clapping and the general forgetfulness of the entire album it’ll could end up with a 1. That said, it’s not dire like some albums have been… hmmm… maybe back to a 2 then.
Just flowed over me - nothing captured my attention
One of the best things the world has to offer. Can never get enough of this album or Keith Jarrett.
wow
majestic
Beautiful. I feel he could have tried a little harder with the song titles.
This is great, I was going to give a 3 but after reading the back story, a bonus point for being 🤯improvised🤯 on a bad piano. Pretty mind blowing. But I'd argue this this is more classical than jazz and as such I'm not sure it's place is on this list?
Boring. Elevator music. Didn’t hate it. Would never play it.
Background music.
No comment
Pleasant enough background music but I wouldn’t consider dedicating much time to listen.
this is nice but very repetitive and ultimately boring. Did people really pay to come hear this? Might be good background music.
Love love love
This is great to put on when you want to concentrate - it doesn't go anywhere specific and when you catch on to where it might be going, he changes - with long spells of skilled improvisation but more new age than jazz to me. Piano for piano's sake.
At least it’s just a piano
I love jazz and I play the piano so this should be a shoe-in for me. Trouble with piano-only is that it's a percussion instrument. it's jarring, it puts me on the same level of system alertness as death metal but there's way more to pay attention to in death metal. bravo but not something I could enjoy
This is wonderful. Perfect record.
Mmm, delicious. Like hot chocolate on a cold afternoon, but the most interesting hot chocolate. What are all those subtle flavors? The tone is constantly shifting from melancholy to happy, cool to warm, still to moving. I'll be coming back to this one.
good but boring
Jazz piano is the most enjoyable improvisational jazz to listen to.
Piano concert, as you might expect, with jazz passages. I suppose it's all live, maybe even improv, so quite impressive. Some really lovely phrases and passages. Best track - Part I, even though it's long! 3 stars
The yelling when he’s really feeling it is good stuff.
Vyras aimanuojantis virš muzikos labai daug prideda (edit, tai buvo pats keith lol)
Very impressive. Very boring. The piano version of overwrought singing, in my opinion. Fewer wibbles for me...
Only great piano can make you moan that much
not an active listen for me. good stuff though I give myself Koln concerts on the piano instead of practicing all the time.
Loved this
Look, the story behind this is sensational and the album definitely needs that story to be interesting. The problem is as it’s just an hour of various piano instrumentals it just becomes background music. He’s clearly a phenomenal player to just improvise a whole concert on a shit piano though, like I want that to be clear
My 3-star rating doesn't reflect the artistry of his playing. It's just that this piano music didn't catch and hold my attention.
A movie about the young woman who put on this concert just came out and I'm dying to see it. This album is a perfect selection for this list. There was probably a certain kind of smug turtleneck wearing mustachioed prick in 1978 who would prominently display this record when his dates came over, but there's a good reason why he thought this was a good marker. Simply a fucking brilliant performance by an amazing musician at the peak of his powers.
It probably says a lot about me that although I've heard of Keith Jarrett (and even own a Jarrett/Peacock/DeJohnette album), I've never heard of this, the world's best-selling piano album. Nor did I really understand until I read the entries on this album that the entire hour-plus session is a master class in pure improvisation from start to finish. I have no idea where he got his inspiration, but it was a lot of fun to listen to the various parts of this album, and hearing him audibly enjoy what he was playing. It's also amazing to read (mainly in the Wikipedia entry) about how ill-fated this session was. The most striking aspect is of course that the Opera House staff and the 18-year-old promoter completely botched the piano selection, providing an old and out-of-tune practice baby grand piano that was apparently so weak and bad that Jarrett had to change his whole approach and played mainly on the middle keys to avoid the weakest parts of the piano. And he had little sleep, little food and a bad back on top of all of that. It makes you wonder what might have been if things had gone to plan....
I remember in the early 80s when I came across this album in my aunt's record collection. I didn't get into it then and didn't really get into it now, but I suspect for those in the audience it was a magical experience.
Lush, inspiring, bonkers
Never gets old
It’s good but all the self congratulatory “ohhh uh” and woo orgasmic sounds in the background are goofy. Change your shorts.
Sounds like shopping at Von Maur on a busy Saturday. It’s nice while you’re in the shoe section but after a while your nerves have had enough.
I love piano but this was a little too experimental for me. I'm a classical girly
Definitely needed a better piano. I see why he almost didn’t perform.
Keith Jarrett – The Köln Concert Rating: 5/5 It’s hard to overstate what Keith Jarrett pulls off on The Köln Concert. Improvised solo piano albums aren’t exactly rare, but nothing else in the genre feels this alive, this inevitable, this impossibly whole. Jarrett walked onstage exhausted, annoyed, and saddled with a subpar piano… then delivered an hour of music so coherent and emotionally rich that it feels like it must have existed long before he touched the keys. The opening section alone is a bit of a miracle. It’s mesmerizing, full of looping vamps that bloom into long, lyrical arcs. Jarrett stretches ideas until they glow, then lets them melt into something completely new without ever losing the thread. What should sound like an improvised maze instead comes across as a fully realized composition unfolding in real time. As the concert moves through its later movements, the emotional colors shift—sometimes meditative, sometimes earthy and rhythmic, sometimes weightlessly melodic. The whole performance somehow balances vulnerability and command. It’s spiritual without being precious, virtuosic without showing off. Just a guy at a piano, channeling something bigger than technical skill. I put this in the rare category of music that feels like it rewires your brain a little. It’s both maddeningly inspiring and completely humbling. And it earns its reputation: this is one of the greatest solo piano records ever made, full stop. A stone-cold five.
1975 improvised piano live
Mesmerizing.
Hornsby's hero
This was great.
Really great, emotive piano playing. Especially liked the part of the first song between the 10 and 20 minute mark. However, this does end up fading to being background music without additional instrumentation IMO.
Beautiful album, enjoy this for work but as it’s limited in usability for me it stays off the highest tier
I'm sure the skill present is very impressive but the bloody endless piano and the odd little grunts just got on my nerves
I enjoyed this. Relaxing music while reviewing a report. Solid 3, possibly after reflection it may be upgraded.
I am the music man, I come from down your way and I can play. What can you play? I play piano Pia-pia-pia-no Pia-no pia-no Pia-pia-pia-no Pia-pia-no
Very good technical playing. Not melodic enough for my taste.
- kuulostaa siltä että ilmestyessään olisi voinut olla melko uraauurtavaa pianomusisointia - hyvin toimii tänäkin päivänä
Absolutely stunning.
Do you like listening to a world class pianist vibe on a piano? Then this album is for you. All piano, all the time. He's good at it. Good background music for a fancy dinner party.
The fact that you can hear him moaning and groaning at times makes me laugh. He’s really feeling the music. And I don’t blame him because holy cow, what an incredible performance. Legitimately took me on a musical journey with highs and lows and the route that we took was just filled with incredible scenery. Not exaggerating when I say, not a minute went by where I thought this was bad. Front-to-back, page-to-page absolutely beautiful. 100% saving this album to come back to.
This guy is clearly really talented, but the album was lost on me.
This album is truly something special, there is something enchanting in the way the songs sound and evolve. I've liked it a lot, it's very sweet and delicate but also very interesting and with many variations. There is nothing bad I can say about it. This one is really good!
This is one of my all time favs, it’s such a joyous, beautiful album.
This is good.
Me gustó, muy ambiental y para estar en casa a la mañana. Nota: 3.9
It’s really beautiful and I feel like there are so many ways to listen to this - background, half-engaged, fully-engaged and can hear something different everytime. Just love the skill, the phases, the feel, the pleasure and would always have something new. And would never have come across this otherwise. One track in and already ready for more (and to listen to the first track again, already) And the structure and phases of each track are fantastic. Really build a journey and get sucked into it and it’s magic. Lots of lovely turns and hooks. Love hearing his little chirps every so often. Enjoyed the third track the least. Felt a little more disjointed, endless and dissonant, feeling a touch more tense listening to it. And fourth track also maybe a touch inferior. Got the gold in 1 & 2
This was nice but I think no matter how good the performance there is a limit to how much I will enjoy a piano solo performance that goes for over an hour. Certainly well done and the best playing I have heard but it doesn’t make me feel as much as other kinds of music.
without a doubt one of my favorite albums ever (vinyl)
Pure music!
I hate live albums
I'm going to be honest, I didn't like this very much. But I recognise that it might not be my genre and music, and most likely other people would consider it to be good. The problem is that I found it to be very boring. I guess it could kinda work like ambient background music, but even then I'd rather listen to something else.
Objectively, this is a brilliant solo piano concert. One that has made it to the highest level of jazz composition and improvisation. It has and should be poured over, analyzed and scrutinized for its subtleties and musical explorations. But I think I'm too lowbrow for this because it didn't do much for me. I mean, it's an HOUR of solo piano, ffs!
I feel like this is one of those occasions where I need to justify my scoring system, if only to clear my conscience over handing out so many one-star raings recently. My thought process is this - one star is the lowest score I can give to the bottom of the top 1,001 albums. So I am not necessarily always saying that an album is terrible (although that may be the case also) I am merely relegating it to the bottom tier of this particular list of 1,001. With that in mind, Keith Jarrett is obviously amazing talented, and the back story that (as I understand it) this entire improvisation was dictated last-minute by the circumstances surrounding the venue and the instrument provided makes it even more amazing. Not a field of music I am an expert on, but there seems to be structure and formality to the improvisation which is sympathetic to the concept of a "song" rather than just noodling endlessly like so many other jazz / improv-centric things I have heard so far on this list, so I applaud him for that. Is it something I would listen to again, and do I consider it an important album in the grand scheme of things? No, and no.
Nice tunes, good background music. But it’s not something I’d ever go back to kinda the nature with these unless they really hit.
Now THIS is interesting! This might actually be the most interesting album I've gotten from this list all year. This is a recording of a live solo piano performance that was entirely improvised by Keith Jarrett. The context behind this one is super interesting. Apparently the piano that he had to play on kinda sucked, which makes the high quality of this performance all the more impressive. Yeah, I really enjoyed listening to this. I will say that it's probably more suited for background music than a full-focus album, but that doesn't mean there aren't things to appreciate here. You can tell that Keith Jarrett was really good at piano. Like, this might be some of the best piano playing I've ever heard. His fingers must be pretty fast. The chord progressions and such are sonically captivating and demonstrate a number of cool musical ideas that I'm not enough of a music theory nerd to understand. And he gets into it too! You can hear him reacting to what he's playing and it does a great job of making the performance feel special. I will say that it is pretty long and isn't the most exciting thing to listen to, but I still think that this was a worthwhile way to spend an hour of my time. You know, in addition to the Balatro run that I had going while I listened to this. Light 4/5.
not my type of music
Interesting.
Four songs, one hour and six minutes. This isn't bad in the sense that it isn't just a melange of noise and found sound, but it feels li9ke background music. This is like the music from the "Romantic Classics" CD series sold on late night TV. The sporadic shouting while he's playing easy listening music is great. There's nothing unpleasant about this, it's just hard to imagine how far up your own ass you have to be to suggest this album belongs on this list. It's just Keith Jarrett and a piano for over an hour. After learning a little more about Keith Jarrett, he sounds like a real peach. I cannot imagine going to a concert where the performer is actively discouraging any crowd noise, including coughing, while he moans his way through his music.
He's obviously talented, but I would never listen to an hour-long improvised piano session by my own accord. I audibly laughed every time he grunted. How could this be one of the best albums of all time? 1/5
This brilliant concert was entirely improvised live, on a piano with broken petals that could not be properly tuned, requiring Keith Jarrett learn a new instrument as her performed. It ended up becoming the bestselling piano solo album of all time. Is great music about invoking emotions? If so, musical improvisation from highly talented musicians is a raw expression of this. For me, sometimes truly great music is more about creating new and interesting sounds, again well-done improvisation can deliver, as this album demonstrates. Anyway, this was absolutely Incredible music. I loved it. Considering that most modern music can ultimately be traced back to jazz, it would be great to see a little more of the genre represented on this list. For those wanting to take a deeper dive, Devens’ “A History of Jazz” podcast is a great start and does so one album at a time, much like this project. If you are reading this and want something more recognizable as modern jazz, I strongly recommend Jarrett’s “New Vienna (live). I have specif criteria for what constitutes a 5* album for this project. It has to be personally enjoyable, it needs to remain consistently solid throughout, it needs to be something I will revisit again, it needs to be a seminal album for an artist or an album that was highly influential contribution to music, and ideally something that makes me want to take a deeper dive tnto the artist or similar music. This album hits all of these notes. **************************************** Here is a brief video that provides the fascinating story of this album’s production, the challenges go way beyond the broken piano: https://youtu.be/wIXMkZAcgRo?si=5v0azTCB-9Sk6NNw
Piano!
Nice piano music but a bit one dimensional as a result?
Pretty good! Definitely a passive listen at times due to the length but even when focusing on what's being played there is a lot to offer. 4 stars.
I’m sorry I can only say: This is impressive as hell and this is kinda pretty so many times, before the fact that this is boring and that I’m bored becomes impossible to ignore It’s an hour of piano music. God
Not everyone can improvise a whole concert and end up being one of the 1001 must-listen albums in the world
Beautiful.
Bit too jazz for me.
This was great. I listen to a lot of classical music during the work day and particularly like piano pieces (I get that this is more jazz than classical). His playing is incredible and he has some cool variations on themes throughout the piece. My only quibble, which makes this a 4 star is that there is a fair bit of background noise in the concert hall which comes through on the recording (reading after writing this tells me that is actually him making the noises while playing)
This is what this project is all about for me - would probably have never known of or listened to this on my own (despite playing piano myself and this being, apparently, the best selling solo piano album ever?) His playing is so impressive, especially for an extended improvisation, and he finds these mesmerizing sort of grooves in parts. Runs that display his virtuosity but also slow and atmospheric vibes as well. Very cool chord voicings (I heard some echoes of this in Hornsby's playing). Really really enjoyed this one.
Masterful piano playing & improvisation. Great tunes. I’ll have to give this another listen or three before it can come to the desert island with me. But i *will* listen to it because it’s so interesting and i know there’s more to discover. A classic 4.
When you have the right kind of performer, improvisation can be really impressive. In the case of Keith Jarrett's Koln concert, it was never the plan. A series of errors led to Jarrett not having the piano he needed for the planned show. After nearly pulling out, he was convinced that the show must go on. It's one thing to go into a concert knowing that you'd be creating as you went along but it's particularly impressive to know that it was a last minute decision. The music is beautiful and must have been exciting for the audience to hear for the first time. As an album, it's more background music than anything but it has some gorgeous moments. It would be worth revisiting this some day.
Phenomenal musician.
Really cool. This is totally new for me, will listen again. 4.25 stars
I would generally consider myself to be a fan of piano music (not necessarily classical music), but The Köln Concert is honestly one of those albums I appreciate more than I actually enjoy. Reading about the backstory of the show and learning that Keith Jarrett came up with an entire hour of music on the fly instead of playing what was planned, then seeing that the recording of the concert ended up becoming the bestselling solo jazz (and piano) album of all time… I’m impressed, to say the least. At the same time, the music definitely felt improvised. There were some really cool pockets of musical prowess here and there, but there were also stretches of these songs that seemed to just go in circles for minutes and minutes on end, which diluted the experience a bit. While The Köln Concert is a solid three for me (based on how much I enjoyed listening to it in reality and how likely I am to actually revisit it), I would say the uniqueness of the story surrounding it automatically puts it in the “essential listening” category – every music fan should hear this recording at least once. Highlights: Part I, Part II B, Part II C
A classic—and deservedly so.
Музыка и сложная вроде бы и доступная при этом. Очень интересно.
Not actually my favorite from Jarrett but a great album
Nice to have something a bit different. Good for concentration
I liked this as I listen to classical to help me sleep when I'm anxious
Not my cup of tea zzzzzzzz
Great piano playing.
Hard to rate this one due to lack of experience with the genre. It never left me bored throughout the run-time and knowing the backstory certainly adds to the experience.
The best jazz solo album ever! The story behind this performance is amazing as well
Some beautiful piano playing. Only after a while does it start to feel a bit stale. Listening to the entire album in one sitting may not be the best idea.
2 minutes in and you can already hear him humming to his own solo. What a performance. One of the best pianist on earth!!
Perhaps the story behind the album is better than the album itself. At times, the music reminded me of Minecraft (in a good way - fond memories of playing with the kiddo) and it was nice. 4/5
not my cup of tea
I found it kind of hard to rate this album. It's so different from everything else I've listened to so far. The story behind this album is interesting. The piano is beautiful and it's amazing that the whole concert was improvised. The songs were really joyous although it did get a little repetitive.
Great jazz record
liked it alot
Okay. Lots of piano. I get it. And I like the piano. I even tried learning at one point. But that’s too much.
I'm not sure if I would call this Jazz, but it's still an interesting album. I was expecting more dissonance and tension for some reason, but it was still good. I know a lot of people don't like it, but I love Jarrett's vocalizations as he really gets into his improvising. Liked Songs Added: Köln, January 24, 1975, Part II b
Spirit, beauty - evolving over and over and over..........
It's Keith Jarratt on piano for an hour. Don't hate it, don't love it. 2.5/5
Live album.
yawning
13 minutes into the first song and it feels like I'm listening to the Peanuts theme song. Filed under "jazz I don't understand."
I’m not sure how to feel about this as is.
This man is, quite simply, a revelation. It takes a special kind of talent to notch up a performance of this calibre on an entirely improvisational basis, at the dead of night and with a last minute substituted, hastily tuned and adjusted baby grand piano. It's those imperfections and limitations with the instrument heard, combined with Keith Jarrett's boundless creativity, that firmly imprint this recording into the history books. An emotionally poignant and immensely passionate showing, not just through the breathtaking playing in and of itself, but also through the interspersed vocal ticks and welps of enthusiasm from Keith Jarrett that give the recording a deep-seated interpersonal feel. I wish I could have been there.
4.5 πολυ καλό μόνο πιανο
Really enjoyed this
Is great as background music. Not something I think I'll be listening again. 3 stars
Leuk verhaal, klonk soms ook beetje als Zelda. Eigenlijk 5 maar Justin Timberlake gisteren al gematst
Not my thing, talented, very beautiful
I was already familiar with this album. It is a solo piano performance, but I feel like that kind of undersells how good it is. It contains a good deal of improvisation which I appreciate, but is cohesive and tells a story in the music. I would listen to this again for sure.
A very pleasant double album of live Jazz Piano from the talented Keith Jarrett. It's just not my cup of tea, but I wouldn't switch it off.
The name sounds somewhat familiar but never listened to him before. Legit really fascinating, ahead of a concert he was hungry, had a backache, and the only readily available piano was of poor quality. He still gave an hour's worth of improvisation that could work with the piano's limitations, to great applause. I love these "lemons into lemonade" stories so this definitely will stick with me
I’m continually amazed at how this list keeps revealing corners of music I’ve never explored. Solo, improvisational piano—especially in a cavernous concert hall—is entirely new territory for me. With jazz, I’ve always wondered: how do they know when a piece is finished? In a band, each instrument tosses out ideas that others catch, expand, and return. Here, it’s one man alone, following the pathways of his own imagination. Keith Jarrett moves, within the same track, between passages that are cool and meditative and others that are tense and unsettled. What fascinates me most is that even his devoted audience seems to share my uncertainty—hesitant bursts of applause break out before full ovations, as if no one is entirely sure when a section ends. I can’t say I was swept away; for me, this was more of an endurance test than a revelation. But I can appreciate the artistry, the risk, and the sheer audacity of letting a performance unfold without a net.
Inte 100% min grej men häftigt
Kan inte tänka mig en snyggare dans mellan jazz, klassiskt, pop, rock o gud vet vad men att kunna utföra såna sömlösa passager på ett piano är inget mindre än fenomenalt.
Enformigt.
Wonderful. Excellent in background while working. Phillip Glass vibes during some moments.
His artistry on the piano is just nuts. Wouldn't regularly listen to this but enjoyed it.
Good piano, I might even relisten.
smooth piano jazz, really nice listening.
Not for me
Elegante né
Супер класика, залюбки переслухав
Це сходу 5. Топ концерт, де сам контекст і історія не менш цікаві за музику.
Sauceometer: Upper Borderline Vibe: staring out a suite while holding a glass of whiskey pondering your actions that got you where you are today What was I doing: showering/commuting to TJ's Favorite Song(s): N/A Blurb: As good as a classical album can be but it does all blend together a little and isn't an album you can listen to whenever
very enjoyable to have on in the background. 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I gather from Wikipedia that this is supposed to be good or remarkable or something. To me it just feels like I'm in trouble for something. This is the exact kind of music you hear against your will at a depressing bar in a huge soulless hotel attached to a convention centre.
Piano heavy.
Not something I'd listen to every day, but can't deny the talent.
I owned this on CD for years before hearing the story of the fucked up keyboard he had to do gymnastics around to get this gorgeous performance. Can we give it another point or two for degree of difficulty?