Saturday, December 14, 2019

KEITH JARRETT - "STAIRCASE"

Artist: Keith Jarrett
Title: Staircase
Label: ECM
Catalog: ECM-2 1090
Year: 1977
Genre: jazz
Cover Design: B. Wojirsch
Cover photo:  Franco Fontana / IKS s.p.a. Modena
Grade: **** stars


My wife will tell you that I suffer from a severe case of Obsessive Compulsive Disease (ODC) and there's probably some truth to that observation.  It may not be severe, but I certainly prefer things to be neat and tidy.  As an example, countertops should be clear ...   But living with a wife who doesn't subscribe to that outlook (to say nothing of having raised two sons who never saw a floor that shouldn't have junk tossed on it), means I've learned to set limits.  

Kind of like the Vietnam War, where the South Vietnamese and American forces basically gave up on certain regions of the country, I've given up trying to keep the whole house clean.  Instead, I focus on select areas; even though those are never ending war zones where I try to retain some semblance of order.

Anyhow, what's that have to do with this album?  Well Franco Fontana's cover photo appeals to the minimalist in me.  There isn't a  lot of clutter here - basically straight lines; just the bare bones structure.  Nice and clean !!!  Can't say I'm a big fan of Jarrett's keyboard heavy jazz riffing, but I like the album cover enough to keep it in my collection.

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