Pianist, composer and multi-instrumentalist Keith Jarrett, has been a phenomenon in the world of music since the end of the 1960’s. He is as comfortable with free improvised playing within a tonal, modal, multi-tonal and atonal context, as performing complex contemporary or older composed music. In the seventies, he decided to form his European Quartet with musicians from Norway and Sweden, performing and recording his compositions. The most interesting album from this period is entitled My Song. This record gives a broad view of the remarkable qualities of this group such as rich melodies, vamps and references to pop, gospel, and European classical music. The unique group sound, predominantly characterized by Jarrett and Jan Garbarek (saxophonist), is also well recognizable on this album.
Louis Eeckhout will therefore use this album as a focus for this project. Through extensive transcriptions he wants to delve deeper in this material than is usually done. A thorough research into the historical background of this recording is to be a part of the project, as are concerts where the music will be performed alongside own compositions.
