Keith Jarrett Yesterdays CD

Personnel: Keith Jarrett (piano); Gary Peacock (double bass, upright bass); Jack DeJohnette (drums).
Audio Remasterer: Jan Erik Kongshaug.
Recording information: Metropolitan Festival Hall, Tokyo, Japan (04/24/2001-04/30/2001); Orchard Hall, Tokyo, Japan (04/24/2001-04/30/2001).
Editors: Jan Erik Kongshaug; Manfred Eicher.
Photographer: Patrick Hinely.
One of the longest-lived jazz bands in history is the Keith Jarrett Trio, often referred to as Jarrett's Standards trio. Pianist Jarrett, bassist Gary Peacock, and drummer Jack DeJohnette have a musical empathy that can only emerge from a group with a 25-year history (or further since both Peacock and DeJohnette have played with pianist Bill Evans). YESTERDAYS finds the big three going to town on classic bebop ("Shaw'nuff") and classic balladry ("You've Changed," "Stella By Starlight"), proving once again that done-to-death standards can be given a new lease on life. Everyone is at the top of their game, especially Peacock, whose nimble bass gets a little more-than-usual space here.
Yesterdays is the third title ECM has released by Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Jack DeJohnette (dubbed "the standards trio"). The first two -- The Out-of-Towners released in 2004 and My Foolish Heart issued in 2007 -- were actually recorded later than this live date recorded in Tokyo in April of 2001. This also marks a first in the pianist's career: the George Gershwin tune "You Took Advantage of Me" appeared on My Foolish Heart in a very different arrangement, making this the first time Jarrett has ever employed a single track on two consecutive albums. On My Foolish Heart Jarrett used a full-on ragtime intro to the tune. Here, he employs a denser harmonic construction based on its changes and melodic frame. When the band enters, the pop and swing in the tune become pronounced, standing in the same universe as ragtime (which is more than likely the reason Jarrett employed it before) but also much more sophisticated and harmonically complex. Other standouts on this fine set include the bop burners "Scrapple from the Apple" and "Shaw'nuff," the glorious ballads "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and "You've Changed," and a deeply moving rendition of "Stella by Starlight." What is most remarkable about this band is its sense of balance between eloquence, interplay, improvisational communication, and swing. This group is not only a solid link to the tradition Jarrett, Peacock, and DeJohnette all came up with, but it is a solid teaching pointer as to how to employ standards for the music in the future. ~ Thom JurekDown Beat (p.65) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Jarrett selects repertoire impeccably and paces his sets admirably....Completists will admire the sweet legato lines..."
JazzTimes (pp.75-76) - "YESTERDAYS is characterized by extremes of dynamic and emotional range....In Gary Peacock, Keith Jarrett has a rare bassist who can take up the story without breaking the spell."
Record Collector (magazine) (p.86) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Jarrett's pianistic fluidity, combined with the intuitive accompaniment of Peacock and DeJohnette, results in an album of effortless grace and beauty."