More Keith

Keith Jarrett's 'European' Quartet is one of the more underrated groups of the 1970's. One reason for this is because during the same time, Jarrett was releasing albums with his 'American' quartet. Not only did this group contain more familiar sidemen, but it's releases were more frequent and better reviewed.

However, upon gauging the role of the 'European' quartet in the still-expanding canon of Keith Jarrett, we find a group way ahead of it's time. While the 'American' quartet was championing the already-popular avante-garde sound, the 'European' quartet operated in a completely different manner. Jarrett's folk-tinged songs display a compositional style largely departed from the jazz-tradition. While the 'American' quartet was moving positively forward and expanding on already-established traditions, the 'European' groups seems to have manifested an original style out of an amalgam of sources.

What results is the beginning of what we know today as the 'ECM' sound. However, what is most impressive about this group is that they seem to have created a style unto themselves.

Nude Ants was recorded live at the village vanguard, and is comprised of all Jarrett originals. Check out 'Chant of the Soil' and 'Innocence' in particular.