Keith Jarrett, What is This Thing Called Love (Cole Porter), Whisper Not, ECM (2000) 1724/25

whatisthisthingcalledlove.pdf

This transcription of the intro to the Cole Porter tune “What Is This Thing Called Love” seems to really exemplify the exceptional conceptual creativity, dexterity, coordination, and fluidity that Keith Jarrett brings to his performances.

It seems that two harmonic progressions are occurring simultaneously during the “A” sections of this A-A-B-A tune. In the right hand, improvising seems to occur mostly over the traditional chord progression of Gmin7(b5)-C7(b9)-Fmin / Dmin7(b5)-G7(b9)-CMAJ while the left hand, in what seems simultaneously more complex and simple, outlines C-Fmin-G7-C in what could almost be considered a folk riff.

Closer examination of the right hand also uncovers further examples of harmonic freedom; including the outlining of secondary dominant functions and the superimposition of various scales and motivic cells. For example: bars 5 and 6 seem to clearly outline a C half/whole diminished scale. Whole sections of counter rhythmic passages exist between the hands. The first bars of the second chorus have quarter-note triplet passages in the right hand while the the eight-note riff continues in the left hand.

Contained within this transcription is a bounty of practice material to develop independence between the hands, broaden a vocabulary of post-bop passages, and incorporate some great and measured phrasing.