Keith Jarrett Trio - Somewhere Before

Keith Jarrett Trio: Keith Jarrett (piano); Charlie Haden (bass); Paul Motian (drums).

Recorded live at Shelly's Manne-Hole, Hollywood, California on August 30 and 31, 1968. Originally released on Vortex (2012). Includes liner notes by George Avakian.

Keith Jarrett was just 23 at the time of this 1968 trio performance at Shelly's Manne Hole in Hollywood, California. At this time he was pianist for the Charles Lloyd Quartet, but was already beginning to find his own voice as a leader. This would of course come to full flower in the next decade, but at this juncture he's capably and innovatively exploring a number of different idioms. The opening notes of the album come from Charlie Haden's distinct and resonant bass, as he delineates the chordal structure of Dylan's "My Back Pages."

Both Haden and drummer Paul Motian would continue with Jarrett in his classic ensemble throughout the '70s. From gospel reveries to Bill Evans-inspired classicism to jagged post-bop explosiveness, it's exciting to hear this important pianist and composer in his early years.