Atlantic Jazz · Introspection

Atlantic Jazz · Introspection
Atlantic · 1986 · 86,19 Mb

1. Yoruba - Hubert Laws
2. Tones for Joan's Bones - Chick Corea
3. Forest Flower: Sunrise - Charles Lloyd
4. In a Silent Way - Joe Zawinul
5. Standing Outside - Keith Jarrett
6. Chega de Saudade (No More Blues) - Gary Burton
7. Fortune Smiles - Gary Burton & Keith Jarrett


Introspection · Review

The cover illustration on Atlantic Jazz: Introspection, so beautifully drawn in watercolour by Michael Paraskevas, whose artwork graces all the covers in this 12 CD series, is a sketch of Keith Jarrett at his piano. When it comes to representing the introspective style of jazz music, Jarrett is often the first name that springs to mind. He has built his career on getting to the heart of a musical piece, whether it is through improvisation at his solo concerts, or by examining standards with his trio.

So it is fitting that he is the showcase artist on Atlantic Jazz: Introspection, an album that samples the period between 1966 through 1972. He is featured in an early trio (Standing Outside, with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian), sitting in with Gary Burton’s quartet (the airy Fortune Smiles), and as a member of Charles Lloyd’s group that played a monumental set at the 1966 Monterey Jazz Festival. Forest Flower—Sunrise is the piece used on this compilation.

Gary Burton is also represented playing unaccompanied vibraphone on an Antonio Carlos Jobim song, Chega de Saudade (No More Blues).
Other artists included on the album are keyboard whizzes Joe Zawinul and Chick Corea, and flautist Hubert Laws, who performs a song called Yoruba. The former two would later bring the introspective approach into the world of fusion by forming their respective groups, Weather Report and Return to Forever. But here they are in the early stages of developing their signature sound. Zawinul’s track, played alongside Herbie Hancock on electric piano, is the lovely In a Silent Way, which provided the launching point to Miles Davis' 1969 album of the same name.
Corea’s offering is his chestnut, Tones for Joan’s Bones.


Joe Zawinul · In A Silent Way




The group of songs on Atlantic Jazz: Introspection is among the strongest I have heard in this collection. The pieces are beautiful examples of quiet (but not lite!) jazz played mostly on acoustic instruments.

My usual complaints with this collection—that there should be more artists included in a series this size and that it should reference the albums from where the songs originated—seem minor compared to the great music contained on this album. Out of the Atlantic Records vaults, this is about as perfect an introduction to the introspective side of jazz as one could wish for.
epinions.com


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