The 25th Earshot Jazz Festival kicks off in a startlingly short time with a concert so significant that it represents a major event for any city in the world. On October 1, the Earshot Jazz Festival and Live @ Benaroya Hall present the legendary Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette in concert in the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium at Benaroya Hall, home of the Seattle Symphony. This special concert is one of only four U.S. dates the trio will play this year, in honor of their 30 years together.
The current issue of DownBeat magazine carries a cover photo of Keith Jarrett, and features a fascinating interview of Jarrett by the pianist Ethan Iverson, of the Bad Plus (also appearing on this year’s Earshot festival, October 20). Initially discussing Jarrett’s new classical release of Bach sonatas with violinist Michelle Makarski, the interview eventually settles on the jazz trio with Peacock and DeJohnette, and their new ECM release, Somewhere. To Iverson’s question about why he would choose to stay with the same two guys, “and only those two guys,” for 30 years, Jarrett unpacks a response about the importance of intuition. He says, “If you don’t choose the right guys, magic will never happen.” Their consistent magic has allowed a greater freedom on stage and sufficient harmony off stage, so that, “In 30 years, we never had an argument about music.” He also points out another basic concept of this trio, “… We are all sidemen to the music.”
I first heard the concept of being “in service to the music” at an unforgettable Charles Lloyd and Billy Higgins event at the 1997 Earshot festival. That memory crystallized for me recently while watching the powerful new documentary film, Arrows Into Infinity, about the life and times, philosophy and music of Charles Lloyd. The film’s exciting performance footage of Lloyd’s 1960s quartet, featuring Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette, shows how clearly these artists are woven into the history of creative music. Arrows Into Infinity provides a remarkable context for the book-end concerts of this year’s Earshot Jazz Festival, and virtually everything in between.
Spreading between the pillars of our October 1 opening concert with Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette and the November 17 finale with the Charles Lloyd Quartet featuring Bill Frisell are more than 50 concerts by hundreds of important artists who are writing tomorrow’s jazz history, right here in Seattle this fall.
Mark your calendars for your favorites and take a chance on some new discoveries. Join us for the most expansive jazz festival Seattle has ever seen … Coming soon to a venue near you!!!
John Gilbreath
Executive Director
