Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette, After The Fall (ECM)
In 1998 Keith Jarrett was emerging from a siege of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that had sidelined him for two years. As he felt better, he was uncertain how completely his piano skill and endurance had returned. He decided to test himself. He gathered his longtime Standards Trio members—bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette—for trial runs, then decided on the challenge of a concert. In his album notes Jarrett writes that he felt that despite the genre’s complexities, the best course would be a repertoire of bebop tunes. The resulting two-CD concert departs from that plan, but “Scrapple From The Apple,†“Bouncin’ With Bud,†“Doxy†and “Moments Notice†fit the category. The trio is also in top form with ballads, among them “When I Fall In Love,†“Old Folks,†and Paul Desmond’s “Late Lament.†This album is one of the best by a remarkable trio.