Every young musician must buck the odds

Keith Jarrett's mother, Irma, sent him some old press clippings from his childhood performances recently, sharp reminders of just how long he has been honing his unique craft. But though his parents encouraged his talents as much as they could in the "vacuum-town" (Jarrett's words) that was postwar Allentown, Pennsylvania, they were Christian Scientists who believed that spiritual values came first. In his own way, Jarrett (above) still lives by a similar principle. Understanding music deepens consciousness, and deeper consciousness might lead to a more open world; so might his logic go.

"We accept so many things that come through the media; we get used to them, however vigilant we are," Jarrett says, warming to a favourite theme. "But for any creative art, you have to remain 110% conscious, and in a world that's losing consciousness, that's getting harder. It's a hard job, and a lifetime job, but it's still up to every young musician to buck the odds."

John Fordham interviews Keith Jarrett in today's Guardian

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If you enjoyed this post take An Overgrown Path to Improvisation

Comments

Sergio Zenisek said…
It is worth mentioning that Jarrett is one of the few recording artists to venture into what might be called Classical improvisation.
His 1977 album "Hymns/Spheres" is of improvisations recorded on a pipe organ (Spheres is available on CD).
His 1986 "Book of Ways" is a great double album of clavichord improvisations.
Both are unique and personal favorites of mine.
4:56 am
Pliable said…
Thanks Sergio; another excellent example of classical improvisation comes from the Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero. I listened to her new album Bach and Beyond on my recent vacation and got a lot from it. She is a classical pianist who was encouraged by Martha Argerich to experiment with improvisation.

Follow this link to her web site.
7:17 am
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