Blurred affinities: tracing the influence of North Indian classical music in Keith Jarrett's solo piano improvisations

Abstract

In the first forty years of his career, American pianist Keith Jarrett has established a reputation in multiple stylistic directions. Jarrett has typically incorporated influences as varied as bebop, country, rock, gospel, minimalism, baroque and classical styles into his often lengthy improvisations. Vital to his musical persona, but less obvious, is the influence North Indian classical music has had in shaping Jarrett's improvisatory strategies. Although he never formally studied Indian music, and although his instrument – the piano – is far removed from the conceptual backdrop of North Indian raga performance, Indian music was a central component in the artistic climate out of which his improvised solo recitals grew.A cultural climate of global influences was the backdrop to the development of Jarrett's solo concerts. Therein, perhaps, lies one key to understanding the spell that this music has cast on large and international audiences. With this format, Jarrett tapped into the ambiance of a particular historic moment, which combined a desire for change with the discovery of spiritual and musical traditions outside the Western world.In this paper I will demonstrate how explicit and implicit references to classical Indian principles of music making helped shape Jarrett's unique free solo concerts.