The Köln Concert

I liked it!

Very nice improvised piano. Weird clap rhythm at the end.

Loved it. And I liked how it just rolled on into each new song like it was a continuous 1 hour song.

Good

Anytime an album is comprised of just one instrument I am hesitant. Especially because I'm not a very big fan of the piano on it's own. When I was actively listening I actually found myself really enjoying the ride. Keith does a good job of constantly mixing up what he's playing to help prevent it from getting stale. But eventually I did lose interest at times and I would get distracted by other things. Thankfully, this album works just as well for background music. The jazzy/improv nature of it makes it so that you can pop in and out of paying attention to it without feeling like you've lost your place. All in all, the fact that this is all improv and learning the story behind the creation of this album bumps it from a 3 to a 4 for me. Which is significant because my expectation when I saw that it was a solo piano album was that I'd come out of it with a 1 or 2. Just undeniable mastery of one's craft.

Nice background music for work. Impressive this was all improvised

Solo piano, unprepared, recorded by ECM has a certain ceiling of avant-garde. Jarrett develops his pieces in black-and-white length, dynamic range and vocalizations within dinner-party limits. When he hits the upper registers and/or switches styles, the music opens up in a big way. He never careens, never tires, and the record is utterly honest to a certain kind of live experience.

Prachtig piano album heeft me heerlijk door mijn assignment dag heen getrokken

Mooi album maar niet beste piano muziek die ik ooit heb gehoord ofzo. Wel een goed album maar niet “beste aller tijden”

good

Wonderfully technically impressive with moments of true genius, but it's a long time to listen to a solo piano.

Really enjoyed being introduced to this as something to accompany my work day. I'm not sure I would just listen to this, but as a backdrop and an aid to concentration, it was perfect

great performance, sometimes the voice sfx threw me off but still a strong 4

It was very relaxing. I loved the ambient atmosphere of it and the very vivid stories the piano tells. It never really got boring either with the continuous piano playing which is hard to do. Very enjoyable.

sing us a song ur the piano man

This was a delight. First album in this challenge that was a new discovery I intend to revisit.

Clearly very beautiful to me is sounds like Pokémon Diamond and Pearl OST tho. Which one would I rather listen to? Idk did this concert have a giratina?

I play instrumental solo piano music from time to time when I work, so as I was listening to this while working today, it just seemed kind of the same thing. I had to listen to this a second time to really get it out of the background and notice how good it is. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Piano on a Monday was a choice lol. Great piano though!

The infamous concert. Good. 3.9

I'll start by saying, I'd never heard of Keith Jarrett. I listen to some classical music, some pianist's here and there but not really often.. and this album blew me away. I was absolutely moved, taken away by this album. The places this album took me in my mind.. I loved this album. Keith moves a single, granted 20 minute long, track through sooo many different moods and themes its just.. incredible. he truly is a master musician. Overall: 4.7/5

Not my cup of tea but it was good!

instrumental piano parte 2a y final de la parte 1 brutales muy bueno

This was a pleasant surprise. This isn't my typical style of music to throw on but I was very interested in what I was hearing throuout the whole album. When listening to this, it reminded me of Adam Holzman. I consider both, him and Keith Jarrett to be piano virtuosos. To which, I am familiar with the former from being the active keyboard/pianist for Steven Wilson. I loved the live aspect of this record. You can hear subtle voices through out and it added a bit of charm, and humanity to what I was could only describe as inhuman talent tickling those ivory keys. This would be perfect to see live as I can't fully comprehend what I am listening to. If I could see what I hear, I would have even a higher appreciation to what I am hearing. Any type of record similar to this, I would day the same. Great listen.

In a nutshell: screw it, I'm just gonna play. If you haven't heard of this album, go to the Wikipedia page first. I can't believe that the promoter and Keith still went ahead with the show. What could go wrong leading up to the gig DID go wrong. Yet Keith pushed through and pulled off a remarkable performance. Pretty impressive on a half sized piano. Overall: 7/10

Faisal probably came while listening to this

Shoutout to the man having audible eargasms in the front row

5 minutes into Part I and I thought I wasn’t going to finish the album. I did not like it. 12 minutes into Part 1 I was looking up the history and reading all about it. This album was a very pleasant surprise for me. I dig Jazz a little bit straight up piano only Jazz isn’t my favorite. This extended jam has really changed what I thought piano jazz can be. I’m very happy with this one.

Very relaxing. Surprise of a listen

Amazing piano performance. The vocalizations remind of GameCube video games and take me out of it. Sorry Jarrett.

Fantastic record that I wish I had discovered sooner. Keith Jarrett creates an atmospheric sound with just keys, and adds in little yelps when getting excited about the sounds and the feels. Part II B was my favorite. Found a groove that is unmatched by many pianists out today. Would love to own this on vinyl.

Relaxing. Interesting story on the recording.

Beautiful, sounds incredible for a live performance recording even if it is just instrumental. Thought that was a young Lionel Richie on the album art for a second

Really enjoyed Pt. II C and Pt. I, easy to see why it's a bestseller!

my ranking system is very random but I do feel like I lend a lot to my feelings on the impressiveness of a recording. and from all I’ve read & heard of this album, it feels genius. who am i to deny that impulse.

nice background music

Beautiful album - great songs. 4/5

I love this album. There’s so much emotion in it. You can hear him going where the piano leads him. Also, that is an exquisite sounding piano. This album accomplishes everything you’d hope. It, first and foremost, entertains, as it is undoubtedly enjoyable. Secondly, you have the technical stuff, like production, arrangement, instrumentation, and structure, which are all fantastic. Lastly, it makes you think as all good albums should. Makes me wonder if music is any less of an art if it’s created on the spot instead of being composed beforehand. In this case, I don’t know how Keith could have done any better except for maybe having a little more time to create bits that spread the album out a little more so there’s more versatility and range. Otherwise perfect in my book. 4/5

I’ve never been much for jazz piano, and with little background info the first part of this concert felt unremarkable. But upon reading about the significance of this album, the out of tune piano, Jarrett’s late arrival, his few bites of pasta, and his playing changing based upon the condition of the only instrument he was able to rely on- this quickly changed to a remarkable show. Jarrett’s playing, while something that I am admittedly not well versed in, was beautifully improvised and transcends the classical jazz piano that one would expect with a number of grooving “bass lines” coupled with his wandering right hand.

First Keith album. Jazzy piano. Not my thing but gave it a listen

A great listen from end to end, very impressive.

Lovely album.

Jaunty soulful album. Didn't fully resonate with me but I liked it a lot still

A beautiful work that falls flat in some places. After looking up the history of this concert though, it makes sense as only the middle keys of the replacement piano worked. A beautiful piece of art.

Enjoyed this. I'm glad I heard the music before reading about the back story. The imperfections only serve to emphasize the improvisation and I couldn't work out whether the infrequent calls made by the artist during the performance were from euphoria or annoyance. Having read the story about the piano, I'm sure both. I would be happy to add this to my collection and check out his other work.

Was not familiar with Keith Jarrett. Perfect album to have on in the background at home or work.

Ух, как же он стонет 8/10

mesmerizing

Serious piano overload. I would love to listen to this album with a piano player. I feel likes it’s so technically brilliant that it’s a bit lost on me. Can’t help but admire the shear talent and passion. Incredible!

This is beautiful music. I really enjoyed it. I had heard of the artist but for whatever reason thought he was some sort of "soft jazz" type deal, which is of course completely wrong. A nice find in the 1001.

A fun introduction to Keith Jarrett, nice for on the subway or cooking dinner

Starts slow but ends up taking you on a journey. Apparently best selling solo jazz album of all time!

It's pretty impressive how captivating an hour of just solo piano improv can be, music is weird. Enjoyed this a lot though, he manages to put so much emotion into his playing, and knows exactly how to build intensity throughout these long pieces. Again, the fact that this was all improv is incredibly impressive, deserves a high rating just for the technical ability on display.

"The Köln Concert" by Keith Jarrett is a testament to his exceptional talent as a pianist. Recorded in 1975, this live performance is a remarkable display of improvisation and musicality. Jarrett's piano work is nothing short of extraordinary, showcasing his technical prowess and creative depth. The album's production captures the intimate ambiance of the concert, allowing the listener to feel as though they are in the room with Jarrett. However, the extended improvisations can occasionally feel meandering, which might not resonate with all listeners. While "The Köln Concert" is undoubtedly a remarkable showcase of Jarrett's skill and creativity, its free-form and lengthy nature may limit its appeal to a specific audience. For those who appreciate virtuosic instrumental piano music, it's a must-listen, but others might find it challenging to engage with over its duration.

Calming, nice blend of classical and jazz piano. Must be in mood for lots of piano

Delightful.

Technically superb, listened to it twice to try and take it all in, although unlikely to listen again in future

Beautiful jazz piano, love the vocalizing

4.5

I had no idea what this wa and liked it a lot

Jarrett really jams despite the awful circumstances of this concert. It's pretty impressive. I didn't at all mind the long length of this live album.

baita som, clássico e tals, pianao muito bem tocado né tcha

HAIKU REVIEW Drifted away with mesmerizing piano like a waterfall

The ability to improvise something that sounds so carefully crafted, with every chord and melody spending virtually no time between conception and existence and yet still sounding like it's exactly where and when it's supposed to be, is an incredible talent.

приятный альбом в начале был

Happy to have read the story behind this concert and recording prior to starting. I would be interesting to be able to hear an identical performance with correct piano. I dug further into the life story of Keith Jarrett and continued to be impressed. The background info, the fact that most of the music is improvised, and bad luck of Jarrett's evening make this album a must listen album. The moaning was weird though.

I don't know what this is. There is something about it that is deeply appealing in the same way that other experimental artists like Battles, Silver Apples, and Can are. But this has soul in a way that those groups do not. The live, acoustic nature of this recording makes it so human.

Very cool!

Extremely beautiful but much too long (just like my butt cheeks)

very cool

Haunting, melodic and utterly transcendent. Although, would it be sacrilegious to say it reminds me of build mode in the original Sims game? 8/10

A 60 minute piano improvisation that never felt forced or incohesive. A very strong change of pace from the typical sort of music I listen to.

Ik start dit op zaterdagochtend, met weinig verwachtingen. Het opent als een poppy track, wat me doet denken aan Jackson Browne of Fleetwood Mac. Al snel begint hij wat te improviseren lijkt het. Ik hou toch meer van een bepaald stramien qua songstructuur, een bepaalde houvast. Maar onmiskenbaar is gelijk de virtuositeit. De man is geen pannenkoek. Bovendien is de stijl best wel rocky en bluesy, absoluut niet klassiek, dat bevalt me wel. Ik krijg er steeds meer een glimlach van op mijn gezicht. Al is het wel aan de lange kant. Maar omdat ik in een goede bui ben, zal ik 4 sterren doneren.

4.4 - I wouldn't put this guy in the pantheon of GOAT jazz pianists alongside Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Ahmad Jamal and Thelonius Monk but I do appreciate his crystalline clarity and the constant flutter of colors throughout this performance. Mostly it tracks somewhere between "film score for a 1970's Dustin Hoffman movie" and "Mr. Rogers explains how crayons are manufactured." It's the type of record you'd hear playing at your favorite indie bookstore.

The first song is an epic and made for a great listen. The second two kind of fell into the background for me. And the final was a nice closer. Far from a close listen or analysis on my part, but my general take was this was a very enjoyable piece of piano. Kind of strange to hear him grunting with effort or effect at times, but otherwise high quality stuff that I don't know how to properly review. So on the feels alone this is a soft 4.

Concierto para piano. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

Precioso, sobre todo la primera canción.

There's only so much you can do with just a piano. But God damn it, if Jarrett doesn't do it all here. Great improvisations that go from eclectic jazz to sweeping balladry to rocking blues. The story behind the titular concert is quite interesting too. But as I said earlier, there's only so much you can do with just a piano. As fantastic as he is at his craft, I started to get a little bored as I neared the hour mark, missing the interplay of other instruments. An extended improvised solo can be impressive, but it can also grow wearisome. After hearing this album, I now rank Keith Jarrett amongst the best pianists of his time. But I don't necessarily feel compelled to listen to this recording again.

Nice background music for a 4am morning in the cold on a full moon night

Classic

I don't think I'd ever choose to listen to this but it is pretty good.

The first 20 minutes of this and the last 15 or so are really good! The middle I could take or leave, but I still really liked the album. The story makes it something else, and it's always great to get introduced to new instrumental music.

So chill, he's a brilliant player and honestly love this album.

Nothing like listening to a man tickle the ivories for an hour. Good stuff.

I wish I knew more about piano to give this a more credible review. But this was by far the best solo piano album I have ever heard. It even tops Peter Griffin's performance in Family guy when Lois would force him to get absolutely buckled because it was the only way that he knew how to play piano.

This was extremely enjoyable to have on in the background whilst working. Once I'm all caught up on these albums I'm gonna listen to some of his live stuff with Miles Davis.

While it is overlong, this album simply demonstrates a great musician with his back to the wall, who comes out fighting. The record works beautifully as a late-night relaxation, or first thing in the morning. Brilliant, timeless playing.

Now I need to listing to more Keith Jarrett solo stuff. I love the piano sound, and reading the story of how this concert came together made it sound even better.

Perfect on its own way especially considering the backstory of circumstances leading up to the concert. Couldn't listen to this every day but when I do listen - wow!

I hadn’t really listened to an album like this before—and the fact that something like this can exist, with genuinely ear worm Melodies and brilliant variations on themes, while being IMPROVISED, is just mind blowing. The first part especially, just due to the novelty and the scope of what I was hearing floored me. However, the charm did begin to wear thin by the latter second part, where I just ended up more impressed than musically satisfied. Still a triumph, and an essential listen.

Highlights: "IIB" I try to avoid any argument for an album from backstory, but the main justification for me would be that someone can claim it's *what* you're hearing. In this case, you're hearing a master performer adapt to create something for a specific difficult object. That's more of what John Cage had in mind than whatever industry gossip tells you about an artist's mental state or personal life during an album's production, or even its political climate and public reaction. I don't have the musical knowledge to nail down specific revelations this album could give us. Maybe we could say a characteristic of Davis alumni was searching for continuity without decisive key centers, and this is one more adventure of that kind. I wonder how Jarrett feels about the success of this album. A lot of its success is a conversation starter from its backstory about constraints and suffering in artistic process, and my main takeaway is question as well: if an artist sees fit to take up improvisation, do they accept that one day their greatest work will just move through them athwart all their intentional career?

Yeah look someone with as little musical knowledge as me ain't qualified to write about this. Multiple times throughout this id forgotten it's just a dude on a piano. I was left in awe every time I was brought back to that reality. To think that people can create hours of music like this, of what I presume is unwritten? Is just so wild. I listened to this whilst grinding out Orthos in the lab and it still took me to places. Fav Track: that bit where he was stupendously rapid on them keys

Sometimes a piano instrumental record hits just right for me, and sitting in the soul-sucking office today it was what I needed to get me through. Really enjoying the flowing and flourishing passages that recalled for me the environmental narratives of Lubomyr Melnyk. Even heard a bit of Joe Hisashi in there - Jarrett's influence seems wide-ranging. Hard to intellectualise something like this without any music background to speak of but I can grade it in how it created narratives for me, recalled sensory experience and developed emotions, and I think this did all of the above pretty well. Fave track: Pt. I

Happy to come across some more records I hadn't really had a deep dive into before - had this on my radar before but never found an opportunity to sit with it and give it a proper listen. Such precision playing and creativity beyond comprehension to construct an hour long improvisation like this. It's easy to get a bit lost in the sound and have it become background noise, and there are those moments of laughter or cheering or groaning that snaps you back into reality and makes you remember this guy is playing live and everything is right off the dome. Overall, I'm not sure it blows me away in the same way some of the other jazz entries have, but still a great listen. Three and a half. Fave track: Part II

The amount of talent on display here is jaw-dropping. To be able to improvise a full hour concert that holds the attention throughout is nearly unbelievable. Another I might want to by on vinyl. 4/5

I really enjoyed this. If you haven’t read the Wikipedia article for this album, do yourself a favour and read it. Probably more of a 4.5.

I try not to let meta biographical considerations influence my judgment of music, but every time I hear this, I just shake my head in awe: the dude was hungry, sleep-deprived, and playing on a out-of-tune practice piano with badly-working pedals. And it was almost midnight when the concert got started. The way Jarrett is able to take all that and just go with it and manipulate the piano in the middle register is just amazing. And those little moans and wails throughout, adding just the right touch of soul to it all. It all melts away into such a sublime beauty that could be the soundtrack to monarch butterflies migrating. Look up! Look around you!

Très partagé sur ce disque. Mais au final cette improvisation de plus d'une heure reste impressionnante et parfois très belle. Je pense que plusieurs écoutes m'aideront, mais au bout de deux, je suis déjà plutôt emballé

Good album. Loved hearing Keith Jarrett sing along at points.

Very zen, good to put on in the background for chill work or to zone out to. Would listen again

8/10 it was really cool to imagine being there in the cocnert hall for this, amazing talent.

8/10. This was really pretty, may return to it in the future.

Definitely enjoyable but it’s a lot of just piano. It’s crazy to think about the talent it takes to improvise so freely on the stage. 7/10

Hyvää kamaa erittäin! 4/5

Täähän oli hieno. Pitää kuunnella joskus sunnuntaiaamuna tai vastaavana uudestaan.

Kaunis levy, tullen kuuntelemaan lähitulevaisuudessa usein. 4/5

What a story! Happy to have had this brought to my attention here because I don’t think I would run into it anywhere else.

I was pretty reasonably impressed with most of this. There were a few moments that were a little "lobby music" for me, but I did enjoy listening to it!

Very good for a live album, very good for a Jazz album, and very very good piano. It starts to drag at times, but quickly overcomes that hurdle by switching moods completely. All in all I really enjoyed listening to this cross faded as hell.

Don’t give me Live Albums come on now.

Never heard of Keith Jarrett before, and I was impressed with his music. I wouldn't say that I'd listen to this music regularly, but it was enjoyable for what it is. Very cool to experience.

The idea that this was largely improvised is astounding. Amazing performance.

great work listening

Delightful and totally out of my normal comfort zone!

You can hear quite a few people on the recording just awkwardly grunting or going ‘yeah’ when the jazz is just too good and honestly same

Very good

Nice enough background piano music, good background noise

I wouldn’t have known this was improvised if I hadn’t read up on it. It’s an entertaining story and explains the moaning! Would definitely listen to this again.

Not much of a Jazz person but this really kept my interest. The story behind the recording is very interesting as well. I might even listen to this again.

Actually quite captivating for just an hour of piano. It made it onto the 'work facilitators' playlist. I'm not sure the grunts were necessary

I enjoyed the bit where it went “ding-a-ling-ding-ding-a-ling-ding-ding-a-ling-ding-dong”, accompanied by periodic grunts. Think I listened to this 7 times over in the end. Mad that it was improvised

That’s some expressive piano, son. Gets so much across with one instrument. Struggling to think of anything else like it. 4.5/5

Begendim

Beautiful.

Amazing that this is improvised. Truly a generational talent. I liked this one way more than I thought I would. 4.5/5, but rounding down to 4 since it's re-listenability is fairly low. Still, wow.

Deez keys dey please. Beautiful, atmospheric, reminded me of a soundtrack. Lovely day to have ears

This was a super impressive album. Loved the wide journey of different vibes it would take you on. Had some excellent Breath of the Wild Vibes.

Beautiful and calming. Put me right to sleep on the train 4/5

We went from all sitar to all piano. I enjoyed this much more. It's sort of a cosmic gumbo. It almost moves to the beat of jazz. Wikipedia says his performances are completely improvised, which is also pretty neat.

Relaxing piano music, great for background music while working.

This being entirely live is really cool and makes it even more impressive

This was beautiful piano solo background music. No complaints.

Wow this surprised me. Never heard of this album or Keith Jarrett, but this one was great. Amazing that he improvised the whole thing on a substandard piano.

Not what I usually listen to, but certainly not bad. Peaceful.

I thought Keith Jarrett was a country star. I know I've spent some time living under rocks in my life but this is not what I expected country music to sound like. Great stuff. Maybe I need to go check out Bocephus next.

I'm certainly no piano expert, but Keith Jarrett's playing on "The Köln Concert" does appear pretty special even to my untrained ears. It is the only album of it's kind on the 1001 list, suggesting again that it must be pretty special. And pretty special circumstances led up to it's recording, as an 18-year-old concert promoter dealt with several complications in the run-up to the show. What it produced despite challenges is an impressive work of art.

Im a bit blown away, surprised, contented. Coming in, I was expecting to have to bare this album begrudgingly to the end. Never in a 1001 years would I have listened to this album, and I’m glad I did. This is labeled jazz, but I don’t hear it as such. I guess I don’t know enough about jazz to recognize it. Keith displays piano mastery, in both technicality and expressiveness. He knows how to rip off crescendoed runs and dial it back into the intimacy of pin drop anticipation. Truly an emotional experience.

Keith Jarrett is a jazz pianist from the USA. This is a live album, recorded at the Koln (Opera House) in Cologne in 1975. Before heading out on his own, Keith played with the likes of Art Blakely and Miles Davis. The story behind this album is a fantastic one. Before the show, Keith requested a concert grand piano be supplied for him to play the concert on. There was a misunderstanding with the venue, and a baby grand piano is all that was provided. Not only that, it was the baby grand that the venue had as a strictly "rehearsal instrument". The piano was worse for wear, being slightly out of tune, and having pedals that didn't always work as they should. Keith was also having severe back pain (he had to play the concert in a back brace) so much that he couldn't sleep, and was severely overtired, and before the concert, the restaurant he went to screwed his order up, leaving Keith only enough time for a few bites before having to leave to play the show. So tired, hungry, and with the wrong instrument, he went out, and now unable to play the setlist he wanted due to the smaller, subpar instrument he was provided, improvised 66 minutes of flawless music on the spot!! I am not necessarily the biggest jazz fan, but this story of perseverance in the face of hardship is what music is all about. This album wholeheartedly belongs on this list, simply because of that story! Even the music he managed to play was amazing, though! Not something I would gravitate to every day, but absolutely stellar work. Keith was a master of his instrument!! I really enjoyed today's listen, and the story that went along with it! Favourite songs: Koln Pt. II C Least favourite songs: Koln Pt. I (just because he spent the first 10 minutes noodling about on the piano, I'm assuming trying to figure out what worked and what didn't on it) 4/5

A wonderful album that invokes many moods from intense to sad to joyous to funny. Its actuly quite amazing. 4.5 stars

Love me some good piano, and this is definitely that.

I typically avoid reading or researching these albums before listening and reviewing, but I'm glad I opted to read about this album as it was playing, because knowing that this was completely improvised from start to finish really changed how I heard to it. The ultra-superlative reviews were plentiful — this is a significant milestone in jazz music. Glad I knew that. As a listener, there were many moments that were extraordinary, as in, "how on earth can someone do that?" On the whole, it was an adventure — thrilling, ecstatic, joyful and contemplative, moody, quiet, depending on where Jarrett's mood took him. It's a lot to take in, for sure, but I'm believing the hype. Something of a marvel to hear someone so in control of an instrument and willing to take a step off the ledge and thrill an audience with his playing prowess and the spark of inspiration in the moment. Could be a five for sheer audacity; I'm giving it a four just because the prospect of listening to it front to back again anytime soon seems daunting.

This album is another great example of why I love this experiment. When you hit an album at the right time it's just so lovely. Would I ever put on this album to listen...unlikely. But now that I know Keith Jarrett is an amazing chill improv musician, the next time I have to focus at work...I'll know who to spin.

Peaceful, good for studing and relax.

Si on est dans le mood c'est vraiment très agréable :)

His playing is so incredible, this might be one of the best solo albums out there. To make a solo album this interesting and capturing is pretty impressive. His vocalizations are hilarious and I laughed out loud in a couple of spots. 4.5

This is what the soundtrack would have been to a more serious/depressing "Peanuts" special, but set in the adult world. Snoopy as an aged dog, wandering the streets after Charlie Brown left home... Linus becomes an addict and ends up working at the docks where blankets are most definitely not allowed.... n.b. that's the highest of compliments. Peanuts rule. Labeling this "jazz" might be accurate but it's not describing it at all. Super accessible but not in a simplistic way. I love the melodies he composes on the spot - his occasional vocal outbursts add to the live feel - the record wouldn't have been the same without those. I've owned this record for years and never am sure how I came by it - maybe inherited from an older relative, tucked away between old Elvis Costello and Cars albums. But it's been a Sunday morning go-to for a while - perfect soundtrack for a quiet snowy day. Even if you think you hate jazz, give it a shot. This isn't bebop; it's more just instrumental melodic composition. Love it and definitely recommended for all. 8/10 4 stars

WOAH PIANO MUSIC??? Hard to think this will be less than a 5. It's less because the music is pretty intense but its ALMOST a 5.

Fantastic musician. Not a real big fan of his style or the songs themselves, but props for how well he plays. Also not a fan of the guy in the audience that kept moaning when he heard something he liked.

Enjoyable background noodling

Really nicely done. Some of the best background music I've heard in years. Probably good to see live in concert. Also good to play at home if you've got a deadline or an aunt visiting, or if you're going out and the dog gets lonely.

I don't know enough to judge the quality of a jazz piano performance but I really enjoyed it.

pretty chill. saved.

Brilliant improv solo piano played live on a decrepit piano he hated to a crowd in 1970 Cologne.. Long pieces that wander in interesting places plus occasional crowd noises plus moans from KJ. Staggeringly good. Feel the groove. Strong 4

Definitely worth the listen, I'd probably need to be in the mood to revisit it, but most certainly some lovely piano music here.

Great jazz concert, great piano work. This is some real talent. I loved it, I can see why it is received so well after all these years. Would listen to again, many, many times.

Sviđa mi se kad krene stenjat u prvoj pjesmi

Još jedan jazz? Ohaj, ovo je više kao jazz - ali ECM Jazz ***combining elements of Jazz Fusion with the subdued atmosphere of Cool Jazz and the Western Classical Music bent of Third Stream.*** Ali meni više zvuči kao neki elegantni klasični album. Sviđa mi se i glazba, cover, naziv albuma, naziv pjesama. Super.

this album is something else. everything that could have gone wrong before keith jarrett's performance did go wrong! but for me, someone who is musically untrained but enjoys music a lot, i couldn't have even predicted any of the backstage struggles and mishaps. jarrett gave a remarkable concert and every second sounds so beautiful! it's also hard to believe this was improvised, and there's only the piano for the entire concert! regardless of how the concert/album came to be, it is positively wonderful. it's easy to listen to, and the backstory makes it even more fascinating. well deserved spot on this list.

Nice solo piano album, great compositions. Very long tracks with tons of changes. Beautiful and inspiring, great album for focus work.

Wow, very impressive, captivating. Better than I thought a piano concert could be!

This a very interesting Jazz album. The sound is very rough (go read the full story on Wiki) but because of it you can really feel Jarett's talent. A full hour of piano got a bit too much for me but it's definitely worth a listen.

Very calm and relaxing music

I enjoyed this but was surprised to see it here.

Pretty good. Should re-listen sometime.

Lovely piano jazz change up. Will listen to again

Impressive that this is all improvisational, and some amazing lines in there. Not my thing, but belongs on this list for sure.

Very nice. As soon as it started playing, i felt relaxed, and taken on a journey. However - because these tracks are 26 minutes, 18 minutes long - it loses one star.

3/4

Dude has some fucking nasty technique god damn

Piano!

This album is the proof that jazz doesn't need huge bands or extreme complexity to be good. Sometimes, a man messing around with a piano can create some of the most beautiful jazz sounds ever. Bravo Keith!

I really enjoyed listening to this after so many years. Like visiting with an old friend. A classic, without a doubt!

A remarkable recording even if it does descend into background music at some points.

Seventies ivory tickling.

G D C G A, then ad lib

Beautiful. The groaning is a little weird, but it's so obvious he's in a deeply personal groove that it's hard not to get sucked into the composition.

08/29/2022 Love that I’ve been getting jazz albums for the past two days!!! Had heard of Keith Jarrett, but never had a solid grasp of his work. This album was really beautiful, especially since I love jazz pianists. I can’t imagine how transcendent this performance must have been for the audience watching live. — Today was another chill day. I made chicken salad, watched bcs w fi, did some reading for school, and got to talk to Lukey on FT :)). School tomorrow, also excited to continue watching bcs w fi <3

Just one dude and his piano, but sounds outstanding. Really enjoyed this. Great to have on while concentrating.

Très très fort

Not too long, not too short. A lot of good things and powerful from time to time. 4/5

Unbelievable skill, enjoyed it way more than I thought i would enjoy a piano solo.

Enjoyed this more than I expected. Found it accessible and it suited my mood.

Lovely

Very good!

Probably the most surprising listening experience for me so far. Being unfamiliar with the genre, I have a narrow, specific sound in my head when I think "jazz," and this album is nothing like it. This seems to have elements of both jazz and classical, and it is simply beautiful to hear.

Had some trouble locating this entire album. There are so many covers of different segments by muliple artists, which just says volumes of Jarrett's performance. I found his techinical skill and improvisational ability to be amazing. This is some beautiful music.

El començament del primer tema, sobretot l'in crescendo de la primera part, és espatarrant, et deixa amb la pell de gallina. Un dels descobriments pels quals val la pena aquest repte dels 1001 discos. Saber a més que tot ell és un repertori improvisat, és encara més boig. A mi em projecta un sentiment optimista per part de Jarret, com d'enamorament, ves a saber si d'algú o de la vida, un d'aquells efectes misteriosos -i màgics- de la música. Els seus supirs i onomatopeies encara potencien més l'efecte. Meravellós

4 2022 has definitely been the year of jazz discovery for me. I’ve been trying to understand Jazz on a deeper level and it’s been a real challenge at times to be honest. So naturally I was excited when our first Jazz album came up and oh boy this is a really fun record. The sheer amount of skill and understanding of the craft is on full display. For a little while I was thinking this was going to be ‘cocktail party iazz’. Something quiet to throw on in the background while everyone pretends to be fancy, at about 8 minutes into the performance I was surprised. The tonal change engaged me enough to keep going. This is not challenging Jazz and I think that’s the best thing about it. It’s the opposite of cocktail Jazz. It’s the album I put on after a long day at work and want a nice, but not boring drive home. I’ll definitely be listening again and again because I don’t feel like I’ve heard every he has to say yet. It’s not really structured with songs so I can’t name a favorite but I definitely would buy on vinyl.

At first I was ready to skip this one because I don't think live albums should be on this list, but is it really a live album if it's just piano? Isn't all piano work live? That's my thought at least as I was taken on a journey on the ivories by this guy. And as crazy as it is, I'm a fan of those 26 minute tracks of just calming piano music.

How does an hour long piano concert go this hard?

Mostly very good. Playing is amazing. Most songs are good, some are eh.

background music to me

Exquisite listening. A record I rarely play, but always enjoy immensely when I do.

One Show, One Man, and One barely functioning Piano. A fascinating story behind this recording, and the improvised piano work is excellent here. At an hour in length, this wouldn't be something I want to do full returns to, but I am very glad I listened to this. Favourites: Pt. 1, Pt. 2 C

peaful :)

Beautiful album

Incredible performance. I do believe that all of this was improvisational, as Jarrett's occasional whoops sound like he's even impressing himself. The valleys give way to amazing peaks.

J’avais écouté cet album il y a vingt ans, parce qu’on nous présentait ça à l’université comme un moment important dans la carrière de Keith Jarrett et dans l’histoire du jazz. Le fait que tout était complètement improvisé et que tout s’était mal passé durant la préparation du spectacle était mis de l’avant pour nous convaincre de la qualité du pianiste. À l’époque, j’avais trouvé ça un peu quétaine et ennuyeux. Aujourd’hui, je pense être plus apte à trouver ça intéressant. C’est en fait très intéressant et ça teinte tout ce qu’il a fait après, et pas seulement en solo.

For an album that is solely recorded with one instrument and was improvised, and considering the distuptive circumstances a Jarrett had with the wrong piano, the long drive and barely eating due to his restaurant order arriving late, The Köln Concert is something to be proud of. The ultimate example of When Life Gives You Lemons... I do have to say my respect for this album is a bit more than my actual enjoyment I got from this. A bit cynical I know, but I just didn't love it.

I really enjoyed this. I had no idea how proficient Keith Jarrett was.

Concierto para piano. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

Seeing this live is on my time machine bucket list.

Beautiful background music

4/22/2022 Today's Album: "The Köln Concert" by Keith Jarrett - This is a really excellently performed improv piano concerto recorded in Cologne, Germany in 1975. All that really needs to be said is this mf can play some piano. Throw out what immediately comes to mind when you think piano concerto because this performance travels from so many different levels of energy and ways of playing it feels really fresh and exciting (at least upon first listen). It's insanely well recorded for being live and you can even hear when he feels really proud of himself for something and lets out a little laugh or cums in his pants a little. I think the first part is a little bit more of a slog to get to, but it definitely doesn't feel like it's full 26 minute runtime. Sometimes the sounds he's letting out are even a little concerning, but the music is good enough to warrant it. I really like how upbeat and lively the first half of part A of part 2 is and then how it slows down into this kind of dark and slow section. All the way through the different speeds and grooves, he's just playing the fuck out of the piano. The chord structures feel new and interesting, but it doesn't feel like he goes off the rails too much. Part B is a lot more brooding and really made me notice just how much interplay and coordination there is between the left and right hands throughout this whole album. The transitions between different moods are also done really well and make it feel like a really cohesive experience. Part B really takes off as it develops and just does a beautiful job of transitioning from idea to idea while building this atmosphere. Part C made me notice that this guy is just creating such solid groves solely out of the way he is hitting the piano keys while also just playing some of the most technically and musically impressive piano playing I may have ever heard. He has so much control over the keys and the fact this whole thing is improv just blows my mind. Part C is only 7 minutes and therefore ends the album off in a really digestible and satisfying way. I think he even may incorporate some melodies from the other 2 parts which is pretty insane when you think of just how much this guy is making up on the spot. The entire album is just a fantastic performance that is great to just sit down and contemplate life to. It's beautiful and unique and musically dense and I think anyone with any sort of classical music and jazz background will love this piece of music. Score: 9/10 Highlights: Köln, January 24, 1975, Pt. 2 A, Köln, January 24, 1975, Pt. 2 C

Amazing. Captivating. I was emotionally drawn to from beginning to end. What a talent.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this, having been subjected to some of that modal stuff, hard bop, and other totally unmusical styles of jazz. I read a review that said he improvises, which is usually code for harsh music from technical types who like to show off their skills. Or would he just play discordant chords, which seems to be another jazz piano trait. NO! This is lovely, melodic, mostly peaceful music that can play away in the background, but is quite glorious to hear with headphones on. He understands melody and phrasing and has the happy knack of knowing when it's time to change things up.

The album that changed the perception of jazz for so many people. It still sound relevant after all these years.

Lovely. Dramatic. Great if you're looking for some background piano music that is engaging enough, but never really distracting.

Very cool bit of playing on the piano

Decent chill piano music

This is very chill and calming

Live albums, especially piano, are so much fun to just put on and let play. This one was no different. Enjoyable from start to finish. The talent that is required to play something like this, for hours, is quite remarkable. I enjoyed this, having no idea what I was getting into.

Had no expectations having not heard of Keith Jarrett before. Good listen.

The best part are the little noises you hear in the background

Could definitely put into frequent rotation or on a working/focus playlist

Pretty good live album with Jarrett playing solo piano, though I think I prefer the piano trio stuff. In this live setting, the involuntary humming and half-singing along with the melodies that we know from Jarrett was less of a distraction than I expected it to be.

never listened to a piano concert before, and i must say i was pleasantly surprised, i felt like the music told a story without words or any hint towards it which was a cool experience

The piano is very soothing.

De pogga fr

Come to Brazil!

Väldigt bra! Hittar en hel del känsla och passion i pianospelandet.

Really good background music. Would probably have been exceptional to have actually been there. Not something I would be actively sitting down and listening to, but then I'm not sure you really have to. It's good.

nice background music while painting. feels very organic and cool.

Really nice piano…live

I've been slowly gaining an appreciation for jazz and I'm very happy this album was on the list of 1001 albums because I hadn't heard it before. Live improvised piano piece isn't something my younger self would have tolerated, so I listened with a open mind and open ears. A wonderful way to spend an hour or so, though it was background music while I was painting (art, not walls). It was a perfect mood for creating. Enjoyable listen!

Legendary, but you’ve got to be in the right mood for that

I appreciate the background story and I play piano a bit. But I don't think I'm up to actually commenting on this one. I will just enjoy soaking in its dances and rhythms whenever the time is right.

Piano, klassiek met jazzy invloeden

Jazz piano improv

This is pretty amazing. Beautiful piano improvisations, even more impressive after reading the story behind this concert on Wikipedia. A crappy rehearsal piano, which caused him to focus more on the bass and middle keys, exhausted and with back problems, and no proper meal before the performance. Out of adversity comes beauty though. Very nice. 4 stars.

I really liked this. There was so much sound that came out of one guy and a piano. The way is built in waves and crashed down to do it again was awesome.

Fantastic. Really enjoyed the first track. The segments when he gets popping are the definition of nod-inducing. I’ll be coming back to this one a lot.

I started off thinking it was the bg music for an old cartoon, but I did get into it. Yes, it's beautiful and interesting, but I probably won't listen to it much and I've already forgotten most of it.

It took me a while to review The Köln Concert, because when I first looked for this album YouTube only had copies of other people playing Keith Jarrett's work. It seemed a shame to listen to someone else playing Jarrett's improvisations. I've never heard of Jarrett before. Culturally, I am quite ignorant when it comes to jazz, so this was all new music for me. If I hadn't read the description of the album, I don't know if I would have thought this was jazz - says someone who doesn't know anything about jazz. When the album was done, I was already curious as to what I might hear a second time through. Four stars from me.

Above others by a head and neck. The control over the keys was pretty cool. Mixed up a lot of timing too. Enjoyed more than I expected

Surprisingly good, even if jazz piano is no my thing. Good background mudguard.

Amazing that he played this on a crappy piano.

Starts well

This was a really nice and wonderful album of some jazz piano. I listened to it a few times and each time it was more enjoyable. The sounds were impressive and the backstory on it makes it even more impressive. I thoroughly enjoyed it 8.0/10

Very, very good jazz piano improvisation. This was a great listen.

Ещё предстоит понять

Róleg píanótónlist, læv flutningur. Ágætis bakgrunnsafþreying.

Like a light summer rain, much needed and beneficial.

Пианизм то ли поп, то ли джаз. Приятно, но лучше фоном — может надоесть

Nice relaxing piano music. I dug it. 4

rustig maar o zo mooi

4 Dit is mooi! Ik wil heel graag piano kunnen spelen nu. Later in men huis komt er sowieso eentje! Perfect als achtergrond muziek

Jaaa is iets helemaal anders. Perfect om te concentreren, ik vind dat tof

I'm glad there was a piano concert included in the 1001. This guy is amazing and if I read the notes correctly he did it with his piano out of tune.

My co-judge called this Muzak, but she was eating breakfast at the time and it's easy for an unaccompanied piano concert to get lost in the background. I, on the other hand, thought it (esp. Part I) was brilliant. He changes moods effortlessly, with lots bit of improvisation. I appreciate that it's difficult for one instrument to hold the audience's attention for a 1 hour + concert - not to mention he was playing on a busted piano! It's hilarious how long they wait to clap after each piece - it ain't over 'til it's over.

This album is a perfect example of the problem of labels. I am not quite sure what I listened to but if you asked I would not have called it jazz. I would have said a beautiful hour of solo piano though. I've only ever listened to Jarrett's work with Miles and the trio of him, Jack DeJohnette and Gary Peacock but this is something completely different. What I also found interesting is that he's done an album of Gurdjieff piano music, which this kind of made me think of a little bit. Last interesting tidbit is that this was recorded at the Cologne opera house at almost midnight after an opera was performed in the same location that night.

Джаз це добре) Як би ще більше інструментів було)))

Proof that there's only so much you can do with a piano and nothing else.

I respect the oomlaut, and this surprised me with long stretches of genuine joy. But between the occasional key-banging and Jarrett vocally celebrating his own performance, there’s only so much Schroeder even Peppermint Patty can take.

Hilarious backstory. A nice listen, though I might have found it less enjoyable if I wasn't so interested in instrumentals and classical music.

Not for me. After 30 minutes in I had to cry Uncle. 3 stars cause he is talented

395/1089 6 minutes in and i have to be honest… i don’t think i’m the right person to appreciate this album/music. it’s pretty and i’m sure skillful but not for me really. I’ll still listen regardless ofc also for projects like this where i might only like small sections, it’s a bit of a shame that the track lengths are so extreme so i can’t just save the, say, 3min section that stands out to me okay reading a little of the context and the improv nature of this live album has definitely softened my perspective a bit. to know that this was made up on the fly for a piano he wasn’t expecting etc does make this a more fun experience even if it doesn’t magically change my music taste, i’m doing this project for stories like this okay my opinion has done a pretty massive turnaround by the end of part 1, it’s so joyful and exciting and “new” idk it’s just lovely to listen to and that continued for the rest of the piece. what a fun and interesting moment to have captured forever for people to discover 64/100

C'tu du piano? 2.5 étoiles

This is what I call lazy jazz...example: first selection which was 26:02 minutes of segments of music just strung together, not really one song, more like parts of songs....some I liked, some were just okay. I don't hate the album, but I wouldn't buy tickets to go to a concert. Actually, the whole album was like described above....I prefer songs with beginnings and endings.

3 out of 5. Very pleasant and shows what a pianist can really do.

3.5

Cool backstory and decent playing

I judge anyone who likes this nonsense just a little bit.

Objectively good, but piano jazz isn’t my thing

(4/7] I think some of this is nice, but the moaning is really self-indulgent and it's too long and meandering

Beautiful would likely listen to again

So I read the background to this album and I feel like the story adds more to a person's ability to appreciate Keith's playing. With that being said, this isn't really my type of music, but it was pleasant to have on in the background. I feel like this would actually be a solid 3.5, if it were possible to rank that.

Really impressive that this is all improvisation!

When I saw the length of the first song I was scared. But this was a really engaging live album. It’s not my style in music (shock horror) but I can appreciate the intensely good piano playing, especially to be able to hold an audience as a solo pianist I think is always impressive. Probs a harsh rating but from someone who knows little about the genre and performance style.

first jam was cool, got too long for my enjoyment

Ok, the music is nice, but it's not something I would purposely choose to listen. Jazz piano, great. But for a very specific moment.

I get that this is probably a concert album and more than likey music people are putting on as background music... but a 26-minute song is unnecessary.

Not my bag

Why Köln, Keith Jarrett? Is it the Budokan of piano jazz? Cute backstory on Wiki about how KJ was hungry and had back pain and they set up the wrong piano and so that's why he did so much jazz. If you say so, Wiki. This was very pleasant, but to be fair, I expect I'd say the same of most any piano album.

appreciate the music but not a genre I find myself reaching for

Keith Jarrett isn’t a jazz musician I’m really familiar with but this sounds like it will be something unique and interesting. It’s improvisational jazz piano. At times seemingly classical inspired and yet sometimes it’s a grand jazzy sound. It’s really amazing at times. It transitions so smoothly into its next section within these songs and you feel connected to the earlier sound. It’s a little overlong maybe. I thought the first song was the best. It had many parts and sections of it that kept my interest. It ends strong too, so guess the middle is the weakest. I’ll go 3. Hard to rate something like this.

Needs to create some better song titles. "Yo did you listen to part II b?" I'll look foolish

naja

This is #day711 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I find the story behind the concert rather fascinating. I can't say I'm a fan of the piano jazz, though, but I like the improvisation aspect. It was fun, albeit too long. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day712.

I'm so not a fan of 20 minute tracks. That being said, Jarrett is a talented pianist. I'm not sure why this is included in albums I need to listen to before I die- it was pleasant to listen to, but there was nothing groundbreaking.

Ok, this album was definitely outside of my usual wheelhouse. Honestly, this one didn’t really strike a chord with me(insert rimshot here). Maybe it’s just because I’m not a big listener of jazz and or classical, but I didn’t really feel any emotional attachment to this album. I get that Jarret is a piano virtuoso and that, for what he was given to work with, he performed incredibly that night, with his playing itself being very strong, but to my ears it just sounds like background noise. Since it’s an hour of just piano music, it doesn’t really resonate with me in the way some other albums so far have. If you like this album, more power to you, but it’s not really my cup of tea.

This was quite cool, an interesting story about him having to improvise a whole set for a different instrument when the grand piano he wanted didn't arrive..shows what a skilled musician can do even with inferior tools. Not sure I'd listen again but appreciate the talent and it is something you could have on in the background while entertaining

Keith Jarrett drove 400 miles overnight from Switzerland to Cologne in an old car, in the rain, with a bad back, no sleep, and the reasonable expectation that a Bösendorfer 290 Imperial concert grand, a near ten foot eight octave instrument of extraordinary resonance and power, would be waiting for him at the Cologne Opera House. What was waiting for him was a small battered baby grand that had been left backstage for rehearsals, with keys that stuck, pedals that barely functioned, a tinny upper register, and a bass end so weak it was essentially decorative. A replacement piano was located across town. A piano tuner on the scene advised that transporting a concert grand in the rain at low temperatures without proper equipment would destroy it. The universe had made its position clear. Vera Brandes was 17 years old, Germany's youngest concert promoter, and the person responsible for organizing the entire evening. She stood in a parking lot in the cold and talked Keith Jarrett out of his car. This is the most important thing anyone did in jazz in 1975 and she has never received adequate credit for it. Jarrett sat down at the terrible piano, furious, exhausted, and in pain, and played for 66 minutes without stopping, without a plan, without a single note written down in advance. Because the instrument was so weak in the bass and so brittle in the upper register, he was forced into the middle range of the keyboard, where he developed rolling left hand rhythmic patterns to compensate for what the piano could not do. ECM producer Manfred Eicher later reflected that Jarrett probably played the way he did precisely because the piano was so poor. The instrument's limitations became the music's greatest strength. After the concert, Vera Brandes ran to the recording engineer and asked simply, did you get that. He had. The album became the best selling solo jazz album in history and the best selling piano album ever recorded. Four million copies sold. The Library of Congress inducted it in 2025, fifty years after it was made, deeming it culturally, historically and aesthetically significant. Rockers thought it was jazz. Jazz fans thought it was New Age. Classical listeners were reportedly blown away. Nobody agreed on what it was, which is usually a sign that something genuinely original happened. Keith Jarrett, for his part, said in 1992 that he wanted to see every single copy stomped into the ground. His complaint was that people were using it as ambient background music, a lifestyle soundtrack for the patchouli scented seventies. This is the most Keith Jarrett sentence imaginable and also the most accurate description of how a significant portion of its audience actually experienced it, which is not entirely their fault and not entirely not their fault. I came to this album fresh, with no history and no context and it is genuinely good. It is one man turning a bad piano and a worse night into something that 1,300 people in a German opera house and four million subsequent listeners found impossible to forget. I respect that enormously. But it is not my jam. If Leonard Cohen had been sitting next to Jarrett singing along it would have dropped to a 1, which tells you everything about my relationship with this record that needs to be said. 3 out of 5. One star for Vera Brandes, who stood in a parking lot in the rain and talked a furious pianist back inside, and who is the real hero of this entire story. One for the bad piano, which accidentally made the record better than a good piano ever could have. One for the 66 unplanned minutes, which have now outlasted almost everything else recorded in 1975. The remaining two stars are somewhere in that Cologne parking lot, waiting for Keith Jarrett to come back outside.

658/1001 2026.07.15

what do i know about piano music? absolutely nothing

It's an hour of improvised piano

Play me a song I’m the piano man!

Cool story behind this and I love Keith Jarrett, but to my ears, this isn't really jazz. Critically acclaimed for good reason though. Just not my bag of tea when I'm looking for piano-oriented jazz. More like free form improv which is cool in its own way.

Piano. Yep, that's all I can think. Perfectly fine.

Kurang suka dengan tipe musik seperti ini

Enjoyed this! (3.5)

This is the kind of thing where I can recognise his talent and admire it. However extemporisation is not for me and it’s not something I would ever choose to listen to. The sounds effects are quite entertaining though

Not for me.

meh

Perfectly pleasant and in sure the artist is exceptionally skilled. But will not be revisiting.

Tinkly solo piano is not really my thing, wouldn't actively seek this one out but fine enough once in a blue moon ⭐⭐⭐

good

It was nice to listen to but not really for me, soz T-T

Svaka čast na sposobnostima ali, kao što sam i pretpostavila, sam klavir nije dovoljan za uzbudljiv album.

it is jazz.