1979 live album by Keith Jarrett
Eyes of The Heart is a live album by American pianist Keith Jarrett recorded at the Theater am Kornmarkt in Bregenz, Austria in May 1976 and released on ECM in 1979—the last release by Jarrett's "American Quartet", featuring saxophonist Dewey Redman and rhythm section Charlie Haden and Paul Motian.
Background
The studio album The Survivors' Suite had been recorded one month earlier.
Although recorded the same year before Byablue (released in 1977) and Bop-Be (released in 1978), Eyes of The Heart was the last album released to feature Jarrett's American quartet.
Original notes
As part of the public farewell and disbanding of Jarrett's "American Quartet" the CD and vinyl issues contained a few notes addressed to its members:
Music is at its best when it carries you along at a level deeper than the music itself and forces you to live in its spaces as well as its notes.
Improvisation is at its best when everyone involved in the music is aware of an intent greater than his own; therefore more his own.
Neither of these are common occurrences.
I wish to dedicate this recording to Charlie Haden, Dewey Redman and Paul Motian, all of whom shared the most valuable intimacy with me during the making of this music.
It is not easy.
It is not difficult.
It is.
Reception
Writing for AllMusic, Scott Yanow called the album "intriguing", and wrote: "Every recording by this particular group (arguably Jarrett's best working ensemble) is well worth hearing, for they had their own sound and the ability to play both 'inside' and 'outside' simultaneously, and they were continually full of surprises."[2] In an article for Between Sound and Space, Tyran Grillo commented: "Just when I think I've encountered the extent of Jarrett's immeasurable talents, he surprises me with an album like this. It's always a pleasure to hear his peripheral instrumental work, for his talents at the keyboard transfer effortlessly to reed by way of our grateful hearts. Perhaps the title is more than just a metaphor."[5]
