Keith Jarrett – Paris / London – Testament (2009) [Qobuz 24bit/96kHz]

At the end of 2008, Keith Jarrett added two concerts to his schedule at short notice – one at Paris’s Salle Pleyel (November 26), one at London’s Royal Festival Hall (December 1) . The music on “Testament” is from these concerts. Their range is compendious, Jarrett’s improvisational imagination continually uncovering new forms, in a music stirred by powerful emotions. In his liner notes, the pianist is forthright about the personal circumstances promoting a need to lose himself in the work once more….

Improvised, solo music from the great American pianist, recorded at two concerts that took place at the end of last year. In his liner notes, Keith gives a highly personal account of the music s inspirational genesis, which is outstanding, even by his own high standards, with powerful emotions never far from the music s surface. These are recordings to put alongside the very finest in Jarrett s solo idiom. The open format, embracing much music in shorter episodes, follows a pattern similar to that found on Radiance, but there are also flashes of the existential poetic flair which made, for instance, the Sun Bear Concerts such a special musical experience. The release of Testament coincides with the 40th anniversary of the ECM label.

Tracklist:
CD1 #01 – Part I: Salle Pleyel, Paris
CD1 #02 – Part II: Salle Pleyel, Paris
CD1 #03 – Part III: Salle Pleyel, Paris
CD1 #04 – Part IV: Salle Pleyel, Paris
CD1 #05 – Part V: Salle Pleyel, Paris
CD1 #06 – Part VI: Salle Pleyel, Paris
CD1 #07 – Part VII: Salle Pleyel, Paris
CD1 #08 – Part VIII: Salle Pleyel, Paris
CD2 #01 – Part I: Royal Festival Hall, London
CD2 #02 – Part II: Royal Festival Hall, London
CD2 #03 – Part III: Royal Festival Hall, London
CD2 #04 – Part IV: Royal Festival Hall, London
CD2 #05 – Part V: Royal Festival Hall, London
CD2 #06 – Part VI: Royal Festival Hall, London
CD3 #07 – Part VII: Royal Festival Hall, London
CD3 #08 – Part VIII: Royal Festival Hall, London
CD3 #09 – Part IX: Royal Festival Hall, London
CD3 #10 – Part X: Royal Festival Hall, London
CD3 #11 – Part XI: Royal Festival Hall, London
CD3 #12 – Part XII: Royal Festival Hall, London