Jasmine

Pianist Keith Jarrett writes about the concept of beauty in the liner notes to his collaboration with bassist Charlie Haden, and it’s an apt description of this deeply soulful and intuitive album, released in 2010. It was recorded in 2007 at Jarrett’s home studio when the two friends reconnected musically after a 30-year break; the idea was to just play together. Haden often explored his romantic side during Quartet West recordings, and Jarrett never shied away from a ballad, but there’s a relaxed yet elevated tone to the beautiful work here. Jarrett generally takes the first solo, yet he always steps aside deferentially for Haden to weigh in, which the bassist does so most deftly on the simmering “Where Can I Go Without You” and laying a soft urgent groove to “No Moon at All.” The pianist sounds elegant on “One Day I’ll Fly Away” and never more lyrical than on “Intro/I’m Gonna Laugh You Right Out of My Life.” The album has now been remastered for iTunes; the sound quality only enhances the quiet nature of this recording.