Keith Jarrett - shut the hell up!!

rockadanny · « **on:** 27 Jan 2010, 03:37 pm »

OK, so I can somehow overlook senseless moaning by people such as Art Blakey and Dr. Lonnie Smith, but Keith Jarrett's squeal-moaning on "Bye Bye Blackbird" release is just too damned annoying. The only Jarrett release I'd ever had was the "Koln Concert" which I like so I thought I'd dive into his catalog and picked up "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Tokyo '94". Thus far, his insipid squeal-moaning completely ruins this recording. Does he do this on all of his recordings?

loki1957 · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 03:39 pm »

yes, he always moans

TomS · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 03:48 pm »

Quote from: loki1957 on 27 Jan 2010, 03:39 pm

yes, he always moans

Yes, every single one. Drives my daughter nuts, but I've somehow grown used to it enough to enjoy the music a lot. Testament London/Paris in 24/96 is very nice.

firedog · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 03:53 pm »

Never bothers me - those are great disks you bought, so let yourself enjoy them.

rockadanny · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 04:11 pm »

So far only listened via headphones. Perhaps on big rig will not be as distracting. I hope.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #5 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 04:33 pm »

Yes, he's a moaner. I dig it, but I get that not everyone does

John

martyo · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 04:53 pm »

Keith is one of my very favorites. I have DVD's by him(them, actually the trio) and have seen him/them live. All of him is in his playing. Once in a while I even have to smile at his "vocals" because it is the same way I would express what he's playing. It also annoys my college age daughter, but she does like his playing.

He is like Jerry was(is) for me. EVERY solo, lead, excursion, whatever one calls it, there are some Picassos, others are "the big payoff", but at the least they are very interesting. And always in the moment.

I've never listened on headphones, sorry, it's there.

santacore · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 05:02 pm »

Quote

Testament London/Paris in 24/96 is very nice.

Just picked this up and have been enjoying it on my headphone rig. He's definitely vocal throughout the performance, but I don't mind it.

lcrim · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 05:46 pm »

I really don't think he can play w/o making those noises. Early recordings, like with Charles Lloyd, are free of the vocalizations. I have actually come to expect it.
I have a 1983 version of Bach's "The Goldberg Variations" played by Glenn Gould, who also vocalizes during the recording, not nearly as loud as Keith but at any rate, its there and despite some critical commentary to the contrary, I find it charming.
The depth of concentration necessary to play at their level of virtuosity surely forgives this in both performers.

BobM · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 05:47 pm »

Nope, he annoys me, even if his playing is superb. The only album of his I didn;t hear this on was "The Music at Night with You", but that's very slow soft piano ballads and not swinging jazz or really much improv at all. Nice backgroound music though for a romantic evening.

toobluvr · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 06:01 pm »

His playing is superb, so his grunting and groaning doesn't bother me at all. But I know others don't like it when they hear him playing on my system.

macrojack · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 06:49 pm »

Think of it as vocals. He's feeling it. For some it is scat singing - for others just scat.

Scottdazzle · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 06:58 pm »

I read an interview with Jarrett somewhere in which he claimed that he couldn't play the way he does without the vocalizing. He was adamant that people should put up with it because it is an integral part of his spontaneous composition. Geniuses can be such pains!

I love his playing but would like to put a gag over his mouth before he starts! I wouldn't mind it so much if he moaned in tune and in time to the music he's playing.

Dave G · « **Reply #13 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 07:27 pm »

Quote from: loki1957

yes, he always moans

Not always! I've got two classical recordings of his where no moaning is evident -- the Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues and the Goldberg Variations (on harpsichord!). But yeah, he moans and groans his way through every jazz piece I've ever heard. I wish he didn't, but I figure it's part of the package and I like his stuff enough to put up with it.

Dave

BobM · « **Reply #14 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 07:30 pm »

I remember back when I was a young whip taking piano lessons and learing improvisation, someone told me to vocalize my leads as I was playing. It really DOES help you to feela melody and play something interesting instead of just letting your fingers stray across the keyboard. Of course, you do want to keep your mouth shut when recording.

The problem with KJ isn't that he vocalizes the line as he plays, it's that his voice sounds like a screetching cat wthout any melodic content. If he only could sing somewhat in tune it probably wouldn't be too horrible.

tonyptony · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 10:42 pm »

I'm of two minds about Jarrett. I have only a few of his recordings in part because of the "vocalizations" - even though Gould and Oscar Peterson don't bother me the same way. But when I saw him live a few years ago he made the same sort of noise and it didn't bother me a bit. It actually felt like it was part of the performance. Go figure.

martyo · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 Jan 2010, 11:24 pm »

WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

One of my real favorites.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #17 on:** 28 Jan 2010, 06:50 am »

Quote

I love his playing but would like to put a gag over his mouth before he starts!

...

Scottdazzle · « **Reply #18 on:** 28 Jan 2010, 03:03 pm »

Somehow I don't think his genius would shine through under the implied condition!

doorman · « **Reply #19 on:** 28 Jan 2010, 03:21 pm »

Listen to "La Scala". The playing, along with the rest, is outstanding. Enhanced, if anything!
Enjoy--
Don