My Foolish Heart (Live at Montreux)

Editors’ Notes

On My Foolish Heart, this veteran piano trio continues to explore the endlessly rich world of the Great American Songbook. The live double album, which was recorded at Montreux in 2001 and released in 2007, also includes covers of classic jazz material such as Miles Davis’ “Four,” Sonny Rollins’ “Oleo,” Thelonious Monk’s “Straight, No Chaser,” and Gerry Mulligan’s “Five Brothers.” And it’s a surprise to find three tracks in a ragtime/stride mode —“Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “Honeysuckle Rose,” and “You Took Advantage of Me.” Throughout the album, Jarrett never leaves the songs far behind, stretching and finely shaping the familiar melodies and chords. (He strays furthest on the Monk tune.) Jack DeJohnette, whose drumming is delightfully unpredictable and can be downright raucous, energizes the music in ways that only he can. Bassist Gary Peacock plays a load of solos; regardless of a particular song’s tempo or style, he sounds comfortable spinning out low-end tales. From the high-energy opener, “Four,” to the slow melancholia of the closer, “Only the Lonely,” My Foolish Heart sings a beautiful song.