Keith Jarrett a umbria jazz 07

[Remoteness]

Wow!

Check this out...

http://www.youtube.com/v/BB9mMABRM0c

Do you agree or disagree with his stand on this subject?

I'm on the fence with it at the moment.

[KingDaddyO]

Wow! indeed. Just a bit full of himself there methinks.

I wonder how many of the unwashed stayed to be anointed after that stunningly rude display of immature BS.

Refund please.

[soultrane]

good... leave...

then we don't have to hear you groan when you play a half note.

this has GOT to be the most pretentious guy in all of music...

i hope his next gig is pianist at barry bonds' wedding... they deserve each other.



(i do like his playing though, but what a pompous a$$.. i can think of 30 guys i'd rather give my money to then him...)

[Plush]

His reaction is totally unnecessary and rude.

Musicians should be so focused on what they are doing that they don't even notice video cameras.

What is someone going to do? Perhaps SELL a video of the playa? Oh my word!

Unfortunately for him, his behavior is noticed and remembered.

[Remoteness]

I feel that…

I totally understand his frustration, but he didn’t need to express his thoughts in that vulgar manner.

[analogtodd]

Talk about a buzzkill for a show opener.

I could see making a comment about flash photography, that can be distracting to a performer. Fine, say it and be done, if the flashes continue, be a pro, don't berate the rest of the audience.

Recorders are going to slip in, I really can't believe "a little red light" from 40ft away will ruin the night. If you really have an issue with it, take it up with the promoter and venue BEFORE YOU STEP OUT ON STAGE.

This is just blatant douchbaggery

[doorknocker]

I dunno. Jazzers seem to be especially 'sensitive' to this. I saw Gary Peacock perform with Ralph Towner about 10 years ago and the promoter who introduced the duo was almost begging the audience not to take pictures as Mr. Peacock would otherwise stop playing immedeately.

As for Jarrett, it's not what he says but HOW he says it. 'C'est le ton quit fait la musique', as the French would say.

He comes across as extremely arrogant and high-nosed and that's the way a few folks described him after attending concerts over the years.

Unfortunately, a sad example of the self-important artist that probably thinks he lowers himself to play for the unwashed masses.


Update: Upon checking the clip again......'Its your prilivege to hear us'.........'Reserve the right to leave the goddamn city'............

I can't believe it! This is the most arrogant prick I'ver ever seen on any stage. The audience should have just left the scene, nobody needs this treatment from an 'artist'. What a ******!

[doorknocker]

Another thought: I seriously doubt that Jarrett would have used the same words if this would been a festival in the US. The 'somebody translate this for me' bit especially bothers me, he seems to think that the audience are idiots and that he can use profane language in a foreign country.

'Punishing' the audience because of the perceived faulty behaviour of a few single members (most likely photopgraphers that didn't even have to pay for their tickets) seems like extreme childish and immature behaviour to me.

It's vastly ironic that the demands respect but doesn't show any of it in return.

[soultrane]

man i can't believe how much this thread has pissed me off. i thought about it all morning.

you know, the truth of the matter is, keith jarrett is a piano player.

he's a good piano player, maybe even a great piano player, but he's still a piano player.

he has never, to my knowledge, written a composition that can be called, in any sense, a "standard."

his attitude is why jazz is so unloved by the masses.

now, compare jarrett's overall contribution's to jazz with someone like duke ellington's...

in the large scale scope of jazz music, jarrett is to ellington what a buzzing gnat is to a lion.

and ellington used to say, "always be kind to the waiters and waitresses... they're just like us... we're all working for tips."

this is the way you are supposed to conduct yourself in front of an audience... love them madly!

YouTube - Take the A Train - Duke Ellington 1969

especially when visiting a foreign country!

[blaugruen7]

i do not agree calling his own audience "a$$holes" is a very zen like strategy...

but i still dont get it. what does he have against photos or video cameras?

[henryrobinett]

I don't know. He's a prick and completely self possessed. But that's Jarrett. He wouldn't be Jarrett unless he was an asshole. He does it real well. I mean, it didn't surprise me in the least. I do think he has a right to request and even to demand that pictures and flashes not be taken. But it's kind of like early 60s Mingus. The audience has come to expect being insulted. It's part of the territory. I've seen him a handful of times. Mostly he's behaved himself.

My ex girlfriend was at Keystone Korner during the famous Todd Barkin incident when he presented Jarrett on stage with a baby bottle and diapers. That was early-mid 70s. He's always been an asshole.

He makes some great music though -- not all. That's the only thing that matters to me.

[tyro]

This is a really bad attitude towards your audience; All musicians (I am one myself) should be grateful that there are people listening, enjoying their work and most importantly: It's the audience that make the musician able to make a living out of a passion for music, to work with what he/she love. No audience equals no money.

So, it is in fact Jarrett that is priviledged to play for this audience, not the other way around...

And really, I don't get why they feel it's disturbing with some cameras at all. I've been on stage almost weekly for about 5 years; I've never been disturbed by a flash and none of my band members have been either. For a guy that has been playing for 20 years or so - come on, get over it and get used to it. People will bring cameras, camcorders and recording devices, that's just the way it is. If you don't like it, then quit playing live...

[henryrobinett]

I don't know man. I'm a musician too. But I'm not Jarrett. We're all different, you know? His attitude hasn't hurt him up till now and I dare say it won't.

I won't pander to an audience. I don't think an audience is particularly priviledge to hear me, but I'm not Jarrett, nor am I of his caliber.

There are perhaps a handful of musicians of his caliber on the planet today. Some would insist he belongs to a caliber that includes one - himself. I don't.

I don't know. When you're that good, tell me if your attitude has changed.

[Plush]

In reading about this incident, I learned that the Umbria Festival, the largest jazz fest in Italy, has banned Jarrett for life because of this outburst.

Professional managers and presenters won't tolerate this behavior.

Any of his apologists on this list ought to be ashamed of themselves.

[henryrobinett]

Wow! I think that's great! Finally someone has done something about it.

If you're referring to me, I don't think I have anything to be ashamed of. People are people. Takes all kinds. Artists are artist and they're a funny bunch. Miles Davis was a total prick. But his antics now form such a colorful collection of stories that they just make me smile and shake my head. Same with Mingus. These are strangely colorful people. I think what Jarrett did was unforgeivable. But you know, that's Jarrett. He's full of unforgineable asshole things.

[mrsteaks]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

I don't know man. I'm a musician too. But I'm not Jarrett. We're all different, you know? His attitude hasn't hurt him up till now and I dare say it won't.

I won't pander to an audience. I don't think an audience is particularly priviledge to hear me, but I'm not Jarrett, nor am I of his caliber.

There are perhaps a handful of musicians of his caliber on the planet today. Some would insist he belongs to a caliber that includes one - himself. I don't.

Henry,

His attitude SHOULD hurt him!

People pay good money now a days to hear or see a performance. I don't give a damn how good you are or how good you think you are, you don't get on stage and insult those who paid to see you ply your craft. That kind of behavior was not only arrogant and insulting, it was downright juvenile.

[henryrobinett]

Yeah, but that's him. I don't know how to explain it any better. He has legions of fans. Many think his tirades are kind of funny. I HOPE it hurts him, because it's tiresome.

Generally he lectures the audience on not making noise, especially during his solo concerts, which I can more understand.

The general consensus is he does something else no one else does (and some say have never done), which makes him special and genius. I don't follow that idolatry, but there are those who thinks he almost walks on water.

[LX3]

Ouch.

I think I would have taken his picture, then raced him to see who could get out of the arena fastest

Makes me wonder.... If I was asked to record Keith Jarrett (like that would ever happen, but just play along with me...) would I say yes? If you know someone has a bad attitude, does it influence your decision to take a gig or not?

PS I think I recall a Paul McCartney gig where he refused to play unless the audience left all their leather jackets at the door...

(but obviously I'd agree to record Paul McCartney in a flash )

[soultrane]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

Wow! I think that's great! Finally someone has done something about it.

If you're referring to me, I don't think I have anything to be ashamed of. People are people. Takes all kinds. Artists are artist and they're a funny bunch. Miles Davis was a total prick. But his antics now form such a colorful collection of stories that they just make me smile and shake my head. Same with Mingus. These are strangely colorful people. I think what Jarrett did was unforgeivable. But you know, that's Jarrett. He's full of unforgineable asshole things.

henry;

i hear what you are saying.

i know alot of classical pianists who rate jarrett's bach, his shostakovich, etc. as lukewarm at best.

i also know alot of jazz pianists, like oscar, who said "well, if you play the same chord sequence for 30 minutes straight, you should come up with something good."

this is not to say he is not a great instrumentalist.

it is to say that being a great instrumentalist does NOT give you the right to chew out paying customers from the stage.

some musicians have, but equally great musicians never did.

arthur rubenstein was an immortal of the keyboard... and he told one young classicist "young man, never shush your audience."

in fact, if the audience clapped in the middle of a rubenstein concerto (in between movements, a big concert hall no no), rubenstein would stand up and bow.

my favorite story is beethoven conducting the 7th symphony for the first time. when the slow movement was finished, the audience erupted into applause.

did beethoven scold them?

no.

he turned, bowed low, and then he repeated it for them.

jarrett may be very good, or even great, but he's no beethoven, no rubenstein, no ellington, and, in my opinion, no oscar peterson.

[soultrane]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

Generally he lectures the audience on not making noise.

right...

if the audience makes a noise... how will he hear himself grunt?

ahh, it must be painful being such an important artist.

EDIT

it reminds me of john mccenroe throwing a fit because someone coughed when he was tossing up the ball to launch a serve...

meanwhile, a baseball player (like the dreaded bonds) has to hit a 95mph fastball launched at him with 45 thousand flashbulbs going off at once.

[henryrobinett]

I know what you're saying. I come and go with Jarrett. Somethings he does very well. He admits to not being a real classical pianist, finally. Annd his jazz playing is not my favorite. His phrasing is interesting but awkward, to me. Oscar has his detractors too. I get very excited listeing to Oscar Peterson about every other year. That lasts for about a month until I can't take it any more.

Jarret lacks bebop and blues chops, which for me, puts him in an interesting no mans land. I can't explain it without getting too technical. He's too diatonic and it gets old for me quick. Not enough lower/upper neighbor stuff outlining the voices of chords.

But what he DOES do well is phenomenal in it's own right, as far as I'm concerned. And he's gone through various periods. His free jazz, Ornette, Paul Bley period. And hs stream of consciousness solo piano and standards trio formats. For me he missed a very crucial period that would more legitimize his jazz playing. So he sounds forever a little wrong to me.

I love Chicks real jazz playing and Herbie, Phineas Newborn, Tatum, Powell, Cedar Walton, Flanagan, McCoy, Oscar . . . Jarrett has his own little universe over to the side which I can't ignore. For years he denied he was playing jazz. Some people thought this was just more arrogance. But in retrospect I think it was modesty and perhaps a little embarrassment. He doesn't really play jazz. He never REALLY learned how -- not the real way.

[big country]

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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>maybe he knows something that you dont
if thats the case its his fukin show
go or don't go

[bongo]

Originally Posted by doorknocker

Another thought: I seriously doubt that Jarrett would have used the same words if this would been a festival in the US.

When I recorded him at the Deerhead Inn in 1991 and someone took a picture with a flash he said: What are you doing? Do you think this is a wedding?
No one took a picture after that. He's there for the music and doesn't tolerate anyone who isn't there for the same reason. A lot of arrogance, but that's Keith.

[henryrobinett]

Originally Posted by bongo

When I recorded him at the Deerhead Inn in 1991 and someone took a picture with a flash he said: What are you doing? Do you think this is a wedding?
No one took a picture after that. He's there for the music and doesn't tolerate anyone who isn't there for the same reason. A lot of arrogance, but that's Keith.

That's exactly what I'm saying. People who know him, know that's how he is. Anyone going to a concert knows this. If they don't they've heard talk about it on the way to their seats. It's like wondering whether Ozzy's going to bite the head off a bat. Or that Muhhamad Ali is going to let you talk (when he was boxing), or GW is going to turn his words around, or is Miles going to turn his back on you, or will Jim Morrison pull his dick out, or is Richard Pryor going to cuss, is Larry King going to lob another stupid softball question while not listening to the answer to the first . . .

[soultrane]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

Oscar has his detractors too. I get very excited listeing to Oscar Peterson about every other year. That lasts for about a month until I can't take it any more.

that just goes to prove mr. ellington's point, cited above.

we are all working for tips.

i know how you feel about oscar.

but, he's undoubtedly one of the greatest pianists.

yet, even oscar, with all his accomplishments, is, at bottom, a piano player;

telling the average person why's he's astonishing is probably not going to make them like his music making any more.

again, he's a piano player.

and what is a piano player but someone who makes music for PEOPLE to listen to.

take it or leave it.

music making, as it seems to me, is, at bottom, a service industry.

[artbeat77]

I played drums at the Umbria Jazz Fest in 2000. I, for one, couldn't make out anything in that sea of people. Audiences have to be well over 20,000+ at any given moment. One thing's for sure, he has good eyes.

[henryrobinett]

Originally Posted by soultrane

music making, as it seems to me, is, at bottom, a service industry.

I was with you until this statement. Music, for some, may be a service industry, but not for me. If you play for tips, or in a restaurant, or are a wedding musician, lounge, yes perhaps. But I resent when I do those gigs and I resent when some loser thinks to treat me like one of the servers. Fuk him. I won't go back. Sorry, but I'm nobodys server.

I play music for the sake of listening. I no longer play dance music. I play what I want, not what's asked of me. Maybe my door isn't being broken down with people asking me to do their gigs, but I play music for a living, more or less. I do OK and I play what I want when I want. I'm no Jarrett but I ain't nobody's server.

Not everbody fits that defintion Soultrane.

[MattJazz]

WOW, bold comments from many of you.

Keith Jarret is a one of a kind. His playing is in it's own class.
I would not compare him to any of the others mentioned. His playing is on the same plane as some one like Ravi Shankar. That is how I hear it.

As far as the video - well, I understand a little. However with drastically shrinking audiences , even for Keith , he needs to cool it. He should have sent out his manager to be the bad guy - thats what Kenny G does. (Seriously, I have seen it)(I am talking business not music, so no jokes please)
Now people will see this over and over again and stay home and watch TV instead of spending harder and harder to earn dollars to see what? I get the whole vibe, presentation of the trio. But the common listener will not forgive him for these outbursts, not anymore.

well, just an opinion, I would still love to see him, but I am more deeply invested in the music. If he looses casual listeners he will no longer be in that exceptional pantheon of high payed Jazz musicians.
mp

[zaczac]

While it's natural to talk about personal opinions of Jarrett's playing, I'm surprised people haven't mentioned audience rights etc. Does Umbria allow photography? Maybe Keith just doesn't want to be the next Beyonce on Youtube . Funny that his little tirade is what will attract attention.


Anyway I don't think it really matters if he's good or not. Being a good player doesn't make arrogance more acceptable to me. Likewise, I don't think it matters what Keith Jarrett's reasons are for not wanting photos, if photography is not allowed, then people shouldn't do it. If it is allowed, then perhaps he would have been better to request sincerly.

[soultrane]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

I was with you until this statement. Music, for some, may be a service industry, but not for me. If you play for tips, or in a restaurant, or are a wedding musician, lounge, yes perhaps. But I resent when I do those gigs and I resent when some loser thinks to treat me like one of the servers. Fuk him. I won't go back. Sorry, but I'm nobodys server.

I play music for the sake of listening. I no longer play dance music. I play what I want, not what's asked of me. Maybe my door isn't being broken down with people asking me to do their gigs, but I play music for a living, more or less. I do OK and I play what I want when I want. I'm no Jarrett but I ain't nobody's server.

Not everbody fits that defintion Soultrane.

well, tell it to duke ellington, who more or less invented the music business in america as it exists. HE said it, not me.

the reason music sucks today is, in my opinion, people have cut off their heads from their asses...

you know, i dare say that duke ellington had more advanced harmonies, more beautiful melodies, more wonderful sense of form, and much more highly developed orchestration than ANY of the "sit there and listen to me without making a sound" school of jazzmen that came from 1950 something onward through today.

and some of his greatest records were made at dances.

his biggest triumph happened at the newport jazz festival when the crowd started screaming and dancing and jumping up on chairs.

henry, i respect you as an artist.

BUT, i have to ask, if duke ellington played dances, indeed, if duke ellington JUDGED his success by how much the crowd was dancing, how can ANY jazz musician anywhere in the world boast that his crowd doesn't dance?

i mean, especially when all we're really doing is warming over what ellington did at some point in his career?

is it any wonder our music, jazz, a once vital art form, is now a tiny elitist turd circling the bottom of the toilet bowl one last flush from being washed away forever?

i resent jarrett.

i resent the whole "shut up and like it" attitude jazz musicians have adopted...

jarrett's attitude has NOTHING in common with jazz in the great tradition of the duke.