The Melody at Night, with You

by Keith Jarrett

Overview

This is a strangely moving and disturbing document in the long discography of Keith Jarrett: a solo piano album recorded in his rural New Jersey home studio in 1998 at a time when he was reportedly suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. In stark contrast to his other solo albums, this one consists of short, simple, straightforward interpretations of ballads, songs in the public domain, and one very pretty original ("Meditation"), all taken at funereal tempi with hardly any virtuoso flourishes. Scattered amidst the assortment of standards like "Someone to Watch Over Me," "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," and "I Loves You Porgy" are nostalgic throwbacks like the hoary old "My Wild Irish Rose" (he plays the tune absolutely straight) and even the Mario Lanza hit "Be My Love." Sad as it is to say under the circumstances, these performances lack color, contrast and life; and while you pull for Jarrett to summon the energy to make music again, the results are touching for a while but soon pall. Also in contrast to Manfred Eicher's usual sonic standard at ECM, the sound is dull and lacking in luster, though some listeners might find that it gives the album a certain homey charm. ~ Richard S. Ginell

Product Details

Release Date:	05/19/2023
Label:	Universal
UPC:	4988031565131
Rank:	116097

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Keith Jarrett   Primary Artist,Piano

Technical Credits

Duke Ellington   Composer
Ellie Greenwich   Composer
Oscar Levant   Composer
Nicholas Brodszky   Composer
George Gershwin   Composer
Ira Gershwin   Composer
Lillian Clarborne   Composer
Jay Althouse   Arranger
Arthur Schwartz   Composer
Gus Kahn   Composer
Manfred Eicher   Producer
Fud Livingston   Composer
Paul Anka   Composer
Paul Francis Webster   Composer
James Crawford   Composer
Edward Heyman   Composer
Howard Dietz   Composer
Jeff Barry   Composer
Matty Malneck   Composer
Sammy Cahn   Composer
Rose Anne Jarrett   Photography
Sascha Kleis   Design,Artwork
Sammy Kahn   Composer
Daniela Nowitzki   Photography
Joseph A. "Fud" Livingston   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Jerome Kern   Composer
Keith Jarrett   Arranger,Composer,Engineer,Producer
DuBose Heyward   Composer
Virginia Hensley   Composer
Johnny Smith   Composer
Oscar Hammerstein II   Composer