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These duets between Jarrett and Haden are a follow-up to 2010’s sublime Jasmine. Both were recorded in Jarrett’s home studio in 2007 and have the same intimacy so that it feels like the two are actually playing together in your room. Jarrett’s drier piano sound, compared to the natural reverb he gets in the big concert halls, creates a more immediate presence. And Haden’s woody tones on upright bass resound with warmth whether he’s soloing or engaging in the delicate conversation that characterizes this remarkable recording. Eight of the nine tracks are gorgeous ballads that evoke nostalgic yearning or romance, often with a slight tinge of melancholy. “My Old Flame” and “My Ship” are particularly poignant, the latter with Jarrett softly humming the melody. “It Might as Well Be Spring” begins as a solemn hymn before Jarrett injects the proper sense of giddiness and joy. The duo’s penchant for freewheeling extrapolation is evident on “‘Round Midnight” and “Everything Happens to Me.” The lone burner here is their frantic romp through Bud Powell’s “Dance of the Infidels,” while Cole Porter’s “Every Time We Say Goodbye” is handled like a stately chamber piece. They close with a dramatic reading of Gordon Jenkins’ haunting “Goodbye.”
By Bill Milkowski
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