Barber: Piano Concerto, Op.38; Bartók: Piano Concerto No.3; Jarrett: Tokyo Encore (Live)

This surprise from the ECM vault pairs Keith Jarrett’s recordings of piano concertos by Samuel Barber and Béla Bartók from Germany in 1984 and Japan in 1985, respectively. Whereas Barber’s only work for this format overflows with color, opening the curtain to a landscape of lush variety and sensory allure, Bartók’s second soars above Jarrett’s thermals with all the folk-tinged brilliance one would expect. Following this, we get a balladic improvisation from Jarrett alone called “Tokyo Encore—Nothing But A Dream.” Indeed, this is what it feels like to get here and wonder what lies next.