New Music Releases: Keith Jarrett, Peter Bernstein, Lionel Loueke

Keith Jarrett | ”Budapest Concert”

Keith Jarrett in our favorite side of his talents – playing the long, improvised style that first made him a breakthrough artist on ECM in the 70s – and which still remains one of his most important contributions to the history of jazz! Even later years, Jarrett's sense of imagination on the keys is amazing – and here, you'll hear very few echoes of other improvisations – long tracks that show that Keith is always able to create spontaneously, at a level that few others can match – especially as he never goes too far outside, or seems to lose a sense of melody in his music. The work is divided up into shorter passages – the older Jarrett sometimes needs a break on the keys, but never in his cognition – and as with other concert recordings of this type, the encores are older standards – "Answer Me My Love" and "It's A Lonesome Old Town" – but both given a very free, open Keith Jarrett approach!  ~ Dusty Groove

Peter Bernstein | “What Comes Next”

Guitarist Peter Bernstein is standing on an empty New York street on the cover – a good indication of the June 2020 date on which the material was recorded – a moment that also seems to come through in the music as well! Bernstein's still got all those wonderful colors we love in his work on guitar, but there's also maybe some deeper feelings that come through too – perhaps out of speculation from the months spent sheltering in place before Peter journeyed to the studio to cut this set – working with a strong quartet that features Sullivan Fortner on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums. Farnsworth is nicely restrained at times – very much letting Washington shape the tunes alongside Bernstein's strings – and titles include the originals "Blood Wolf Moon Blues", "Simple As That", "What Comes Next", "Empty Streets", and "Harbor No Illusions" – plus a nice take on "Con Alma". ~ Dusty Groove

Lionel Loueke | “HH”

Some of the most beautiful music we've ever heard from Lionel Loueke – a set that's mostly just solo guitar, with a bit of vocalization thrown in for good measure – and which has a style that's almost more compelling than some of Lionel's work in a larger format! Loueke doesn't really sing so much as he makes vocalized expressions at moments along with the guitar – sometimes with lyrics, sometimes more in a scat-based mode – and sometimes with a quality that's almost percussive, and which resonates strongly with his work on the strings! The HH title is a reference to Herbie Hancock – and most of the tunes here are classics from the Herbie songbook, but completely redone in a very unique way – on selections that include "Tell Me A Bedtime Story", "Cantaloupe Island", "Hang Up Your Hang Ups", "Watermelon Man", "Speak Like A Child", "Rockit", "One Finger Snap", and "Voyage Maiden". ~ Dusty Groove