Survivors Suite

Keith Jarrett's prolific quartet work during the 1970s had lots of peaks, from his Nordic band's Belonging to his U.S.-based band's entire Impulse! output (now available on two excellent multi-CD sets, The Impulse Years: 1973-1974 and Mysteries: 1975-1976). This 1977 date, featuring the U.S. lineup of Jarrett and tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummer Paul Motian, also highlighted Jarrett's soprano saxophone, celeste, bass recorder, and percussion across the span of two lengthy 20-plus-minute segments of the Survivors' Suite. Slow developments intensify the music's length, both harmonic and melodic, as it builds toward cresting and busting points and recedes again into remarkably sensitive, quiet solos and duos between the group's players. Haden and Jarrett (on Celeste) play a stellar duet to usher in the closing movement from the first segment, and, as always, Redman plays with a biting intensity and a Texas-blues yearning that's as wide and long as the Lone Star state. --Andrew Bartlett

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