Changeless (Live In Denver, CO, USA / 1987)

Album review

One of only a handful of Keith Jarrett "Standards" Trio records without a standard within earshot, this is a triumph, for Jarrett has successfully brought the organically evolving patterns of his solo concerts into the group format. Each of the first three selections is built upon a constant revolving ostinato, and each evolves from one stage to the next like a Jarrett solo piano improvisation. "Dancing" has a swaying Latin beat in the percussion and bass; "Endless" is full of lyrical invention at a slower tempo; "Lifeline" is catchy and hypnotic; and the fourth number, "Ecstasy," grows out of "Lifeline," closing the album perhaps inevitably with a drawn-out, peaceful piano tremolo. Bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette are clearly listening hard, going with the flow. The recordings were taken from four separate concerts in Denver, Dallas, Lexington, KY., and Houston. Jarrett may spout off about society's self-centered soullessness in his querulous liner notes, but he and his trio have clearly backed his words by example, pulling off a genuine collective musical experience.

© Richard S. Ginell /TiVo