Keith Jarrett's Music
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ABSTRACT Title of Document: A DEEP JOY INSIDE IT: THE MUSICAL AESTHETICS OF KEITH JARRETT Jason C. McCool, Master of Arts, 2005 Directed By: Dr. Richard G. King, Associate Professor of Music, Dept. of Musicology Keith Jarrett is an American pianist whose music and aesthetics stand out as dynamic, polarizing forces not only in jazz, but within the entire contemporary American musical world. The breadth of Jarrett’s musical activities, crossing jazz, classical, and even “world music” boundaries, is unprecedented, yet his name is rarely mentioned outside of jazz. Aside from one biography and a handful of dissertations, academic writing dealing with Jarrett is scant. Jarrett’s philosophical justifications for his music offer a rare example of a creative musician unafraid to grapple publicly with self-analysis. His aesthetics fall squarely within the lineage of American musical “individualists,” and this thesis draws comparisons to Charles Ives and American Transcendentalism. Through an examination of Jarrett’s writings and interviews, this thesis examines: 1) the nature of his aesthetics, 2) possible origins of these ideas, and 3) how Jarrett’s music does or does not correspond with his stated philosophies. A DEEP JOY INSIDE IT: THE MUSICAL AESTHETICS OF KEITH JARRETT By Jason C. McCool Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts 2005 Advisory Committee: Professor Richard G. King, Chair Professor Jennifer DeLapp Professor Chris Gekker © Copyright by Jason C. McCool 2005 Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introductions/Justifications.......................................................................1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................1 Goals .....................................................................................................................3 Sources..................................................................................................................3 Chapter 2: Jarrett’s Importance in Modern Music ......................................................5 Stylistic breadth.....................................................................................................5 Importance/influence in jazz world ........................................................................6 ECM aesthetic .......................................................................................................8 Influence in popular music...................................................................................10 Chapter 3: Jarrett’s Musical Flexibility ....................................................................11 Musical tendencies ..............................................................................................11 Success as classical artist .....................................................................................12 Tastes in classical music ......................................................................................13 Classical recording history...................................................................................13 Other musicians who have held dual careers ........................................................14 Chapter 4: Jarrett in Jazz..........................................................................................16 Jarrett’s pedigree/legacy in jazz ...........................................................................16 Role as jazz spokesperson....................................................................................17 Chapter 5: What Jarrett Values About Jazz ..............................................................21 Jazz as “organic” music .......................................................................................21 Jazz as a multiplicity of musical approaches ........................................................22 Chapter 6: Jarrett’s Views on Classical vs. Jazz Processes .......................................24 Comparisons........................................................................................................24 Difficulty in playing both forms...........................................................................25 Public perceptions of jazz vs. “reality”.................................................................27 Conservatory/preservationist approach to jazz .....................................................30 Music as “object”.................................................................................................33 Influence of classical music on Jarrett’s music.....................................................35 How Jarrett’s aesthetic allows him to play both forms..........................................37 Consistent piano sound ........................................................................................39 Relationship to the piano......................................................................................40 Detractors in classical music................................................................................41 Chapter 7: Jarrett’s Views on Interpretation.............................................................45 Interpretation .......................................................................................................45 Authenticity.........................................................................................................45 Non-interpretation ...............................................................................................47 Other modern interpretations of classical music ...................................................50 ii Classical composers as improvisers......................................................................51 Non-virtuosity as virtue .......................................................................................52 Improvising in historical context..........................................................................54 Chapter 8: Jarrett and Controversy...........................................................................56 Overview.............................................................................................................56 The music industry ..............................................................................................56 Technology..........................................................................................................57 Chapter 9: Jarrett’s Musical Values .........................................................................61 The “natural” and process....................................................................................61 Penchant for attracting paradox............................................................................63 Chapter 10: Individuality/Finding A Voice ..............................................................66 Individuality in jazz .............................................................................................66 Lincoln Center/Wynton Marsalis .........................................................................69 Jarrett’s “outsider-ness”.......................................................................................72 Chapter 11: Jarrett’s Relationship to Transcendentalism ..........................................74 Background .........................................................................................................74 Discontent with surrounding circumstances .........................................................75 Anti-materialism/emphasis on nature...................................................................75 Parallels to another American individualist: Charles Ives.....................................77 Chapter 12: Spiritual Value of Music.......................................................................80 Influence of Eastern thought/Gurdjieff.................................................................80 Influence of Transcendentalist Spirituality...........................................................81 Sacredness of musical act ....................................................................................81 Creativity as spiritual impulse..............................................................................82 Jarrett’s physical transcendence ...........................................................................83 Potential for ecstasy in classical music.................................................................88 Chapter 13: Keith Jarrett’s Music ............................................................................91 Outline of career ..................................................................................................91 Keith Jarrett Trio .................................................................................................92 Solo Concerts ......................................................................................................95 Other performance situations ...............................................................................98 Chapter 14: Summary............................................................................................101 Bibliography..........................................................................................................102 iii Chapter 1: Introductions/Justifications Music heard so deeply that it is not heard at all, but you are the music,