Keith Jarrett Melody At Night, With You CD

Solo performer: Keith Jarrett (piano).
"I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo.
This is a strangely moving and disturbing document in the long discography of Keith Jarrett: a solo piano album recorded in his rural New Jersey home studio in late 1997 at a time when he was reportedly suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. In stark contrast to his other solo albums, this one consists of short, simple, straightforward interpretations of ballads, songs in the public domain, and one very pretty original ("Meditation"), all taken at funereal tempi with hardly any virtuoso flourishes. Scattered amidst the assortment of standards like "Someone to Watch Over Me," "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," and "I Loves You Porgy" are nostalgic throwbacks like the hoary old "My Wild Irish Rose" (he plays the tune absolutely straight) and even the Mario Lanza hit "Be My Love." Sad as it is to say under the circumstances, these performances lack color, contrast and life; and while you pull for Jarrett to summon the energy to make music again, the results are touching for awhile but soon pall. Also in contrast to Manfred Eicher's usual sonic standard at ECM, the sound is dull and lacking in luster, though some listeners might find that it gives the album a certain homey charm. ~ Richard S. Ginell
Keith Jarrett is considered one of the most important pianists to emerge since the '60s. He landed gigs with Art Blakey and the Live/Evil-era Miles Davis Group, then recorded a stunning series of solo improvisations in the '70s that brought him international renown.
The prodigious master of melody and improvisation returns to the realm of solo recording with distinctive, impressionistic versions of 10 timeless classics. This hushed, reflective set includes "Someone to Watch Over Me," "I Loves You Porgy," "I Got it Bad and That Ain't Good," his own "Meditation," and even a version of "My Wild Irish Rose" that James Joyce might have enjoyed in Bloom's parlor or a quiet Dublin pub. Jarrett interprets these standards with great reverence, and personalizes each with an evocative mix of neo-classical mastery and jazz soul. On THE MELODY AT NIGHT, WITH YOU, Keith Jarrett conjures a perfect mood for romantic candlelit dinners or quiet introspection.

ValleyEntertainment Weekly (11/12/99, p.83) - "...Though verging on intimate romanticism, it's one of his most radical projects yet." - Rating: A
Q (2/00, p.90) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...finds the pianist in a romantic mood: lush without being gushing, and sounding uncannily like Bill Evans....The opening 'I Loves You Porgy' is dreamy and perfect, and worth the price of the album in its own right..."
Down Beat (8/00, p.27) - Ranked #2 Jazz Album in Downbeat "Critics Poll 2000".
JazzTimes (1-2/00, pp.95-6) - "...The tempos are slow, the surfaces are placid, the listening easy....This is a lovely album..."