Somewhere I saw an interview with Keith Jarrett where he noted that no one is doing what he does, namely concertizing alone with no idea of what he is going to play before going out on stage.

Is this still true today? Does anyone else do it, or is he alone? Is anyone good at it?

Was that kind of a performance just a creation of the '60s and can't really happen any more?

Also, Dave Frank said in his master class last week something along the lines of Jarrett being the best ever for improvisation, or maybe particularly pure solo improvisation (can't remember his exact words). Is this right? Or is it just true becuase he's the only one doing this kind of improvisation? (Not that that fact would minimize his genius in any way -- if anything it would speak even more highly of it, since no one else is even able to perform such concerts at all).

There are many guys/gals that do the same thing in concept, but Keith is 1000 light years ahead of anybody IMO. Chick is very very good at it, he's tremendous, but Keith encompasses everything, sacred feeling, total technique, super-advanced musical concepts, touch, everything. Actually, my personal feeling is that Keith IS Mozart reincarnated:)
Mozart did everything perfect the first time, his books have very little erasures in them..

Actually, the first jazz guy to do free improv was my papa Lennie Tristano, he has great recordings of complete free unplanned improvs, not only solo but with his quintet. Those recordings are priceless and great.

Keith doing a whole concert essentially free, with all those levels going and controlled at once, is way beyond the prevailing human brain structure. Plus his ballad playing puts to rest the question of the existence of the soul;)

DF

Charles,

Hi! The name is Randy Klein. I don't have the acclaim that Keith has and I am a great fan of his work, but I too, live in the world of solo piano improvisation. If you want to check out my work, I would suggest two CDs. One would be 'Underground Romantic' and the second would be 'The Flowing'. 'Underground Romantic' was recorded on my 1904 Steinway 6' Grand. Beautiful sound. The Flowing was recording on a Yamaha C3 and we had to work really hard to make it sound warm and rich. The Flowing is an experiment in keeping one type of energy going throughout an entire work. Holding tension.

I do perform solo concerts and I continue to record CDs.

The improvisations are always free. The music comes through me.

You can go to www.randyklein.com or www.jazzheads.com to learn more and see other recordings. It is a wonderful form and I do perform occasionally.

RK

Such beautiful use of poetic licence/ embellishment. It is so true - how can one doubt that humans were created with a soul when KJ's ballads touch the soul.