“This particular evening was a warm, humid, rainy autumn night in the Pocono Mountains. The room was full of people and outside on the porch more people listened through the screen doors.” - Keith Jarrett

Keith Jarrett’s recordings from the Deer Head Inn have a special place among his recordings devoted to explorations of jazz standards and the American songbook. And The Old Country is a document of particular historical significance, from several perspectives.

When At The Deer Head Inn was issued in 1994, the press agreed. “The music has the dash and the unabashed lyricism of Keith Jarrett’s best work,” wrote Stereophile. Gramophone, meanwhile, spoke of “spellbinding” playing, and the Los Angeles Times hailed “a compendium of grace”.

Thirty years later, it was time to revisit the material. Keith Jarrett and Manfred Eicher selected the eight previously unreleased pieces that comprise The Old Country, a second volume from the Deer Head performance.

ARTISTS
Keith Jarrett, piano
Paul Motian, drums
Gary Peacock, double bass