Best Albums Ever: Keith Jarrett - "The Köln Concert" (1975)

 

Keith Jarrett 

 "The Köln Concert" 

(1975)

The Köln Concert is a concert recording of solo piano improvisations performed by Keith Jarrett at the Opera House in Cologne (German: Köln) on January 24, 1975. The double-vinyl album was released in 1975 by ECM. It became the best-selling solo album in jazz history and the best-selling piano album[10] with sales of more than 3.5 million. According to music critic Tom Hull, the album "cemented his reputation as the top pianist of his generation".

Released November 30, 1975[

Recorded January 24, 1975

Venue Opera House, Cologne, Germany

Genre Jazz

Length 66:07

Label ECM

Producer Manfred Eicher

Keith Jarrett (born May 8, 1945) is an American jazz and classical music pianist and composer.

Jarrett started his career with Art Blakey, moving on to play with Charles Lloyd and Miles Davis. Since the early 1970s he has enjoyed a great deal of success as a group leader and a solo performer in jazz, jazz fusion, and classical music. His improvisations draw from the traditions of jazz and other genres, especially Western classical music, gospel, blues, and ethnic folk music.

In 2003 Jarrett received the Polar Music Prize, the first recipient of both the contemporary and classical musician prizes, and in 2004 he received the Léonie Sonning Music Prize. His album The Köln Concert (1975) became the best-selling piano recording in history.

In 2008 he was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame in the magazine's 73rd Annual Readers' Poll.

Jarrett has been unable to perform since suffering a stroke in February 2018, and a second stroke in May 2018, which left him partially paralyzed and unable to play with his left hand.

Born May 8, 1945 (age 76)

Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Genres Jazz, classical, jazz fusion, free improvisation

Occupation(s) Musician, composer

Instruments Piano

Years active 1966–2018

Labels Atlantic, ECM, Impulse!, Universal Classics

Associated acts Art Blakey, Sam Brown, Gary Burton, Dennis Russell Davies, Miles Davis, Jack DeJohnette, Charlie Haden, Charles Lloyd, Airto Moreira, Paul Motian, Gary Peacock, Dewey Redman, Kenny Wheeler

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