Keith Jarrett: Last Solo [VHS]

While there's no shortage of audio recordings of pianist Keith Jarrett's improvised solo performances--works that make up arguably his most creatively fertile period--visual records are few, which makes this 92-minute DVD, recorded in 1984 in Tokyo, of particular interest. But it's something of a mixed blessing; while Jarrett's playing is always good, and often much more than that, actually watching him do it is another matter. His pained facial contortions, moaning along with the music, and other antics are on full display here, shot in both close-ups and long shots and seen from every conceivable angle, and they are a distraction. If you can get past them and concentrate on the music, which includes two lengthy improvisations, a lovely rendition of "Over the Rainbow," and a brief encore that may be the most compelling piece of music here, Last Solo will prove a most worthy document of a master musician in peak form. --Sam Graham