Let’s face it, live albums have long since become the norm with Keith Jarrett. Even a live album of solo piano is nothing unusual for Jarrett. To take it further, a live solo piano album of improvised songs is not a novel idea for him, either: The Koln Concert (1975), in fact, remains his most famous album, and an all-time best seller for ECM.
Testament Paris/London, released on Oct. 6, 2009, was just such a live solo improvised album, but it was distinguished by its sheer length: three discs chronicling Keith Jarrett’s performances in Paris (one disc) and London (two discs), both of which occurred toward the end of 2008. The tracks were labelled in a strictly logical way: the city it was performed in followed by a number indication sequence.
It’s a little bit of a generalization to say this, but Keith Jarrett seemed randier in Paris, playing with more abandon, and often leaving tonality behind. The first London disc contains those aspects in lesser doses, as well as more classical pieces, but ends with a beautiful ballad “London Part VI.”
The second London disc is the most varied, ranging from funk to free, with some generous helpings of gospel (such as in the rousing “London Part XII). Slowly developing ostinatos, a hallmark of his solo improvised pieces, form the foundation of several tracks – most effectively on “London VII.”
Testament Paris/London marked a continuation of Jarrett’s striking tightrope walks without a net, beginning with his first ECM album, Facing You from 1971. While he doesn’t do this kind of high-wire act quite as often as he used to, that remains an important part of Keith Jarrett’s vast legacy – and this album showed he was still capable of building upon it.
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