| Staircase | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1977 | |||
| Recorded | May 1976 | |||
| Studio | Davout Studios Paris, France | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 74:27 | |||
| Label | ECM ECM 1090/91 ST | |||
| Producer | Manfred Eicher | |||
| Keith Jarrett chronology | ||||
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| Keith Jarrett solo piano chronology | ||||
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Staircase is a solo double album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett recorded in May 1976 and released on ECM the following year. [1]
Jarrett and producer Manfred Eicher had arrived at Studio Davout in Paris to record a soundtrack to Michèle Rosier's film Mon cœur est rouge (French: "My Heart Is Red"). [2] Finishing early with several hours of studio time left and impressed by the quality of the studio's piano, they spontaneously decided to record this album. [3]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz |  [5] |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | [6] |
The AllMusic review by Richard S. Ginell states, "One can always admire Jarrett's lovely tone and flexible touch, yet when he gets stuck for ideas, the repetitions finally begin to grate. Maybe he really needs the stimulus of a live audience in order to get the creative and rhythmic juices flowing when flying solo." [4]
Jarrett biographer Wolfgang Sandner called the album "an impressive study in sound" and an "unbelievable synthesis of sonic art", and commented: "There is no other Keith Jarrett recording that comes so close to achieving the pianistic ideal of lyricism as does this astounding album." [7]
All tracks are written by Keith Jarrett
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Part 1" | 6:57 |
| 2. | "Part 2" | 7:58 |
| 3. | "Part 3" | 1:25 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Part 1" | 4:42 |
| 2. | "Part 2" | 14:03 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Part 1" | 8:57 |
| 2. | "Part 2" | 4:55 |
| 3. | "Part 3" | 6:27 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Part 1" | 6:54 |
| 2. | "Part 2" | 8:48 |
| 3. | "Part 3" | 3:21 |
The Köln Concert is a live solo double album by pianist Keith Jarrett recorded at the Opera House in Köln, Germany on 24 January 1975 and released on ECM later that year.
Paris Concert is a live solo album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett, recorded at the Salle Pleyel in Paris on October 17, 1988, and released on ECM in April 1990.
Standards, Vol. 1 is an album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett recorded over two days in January 1983 and released on ECM on cassette and LP later that year—a session which also produced Changes (1984) and Standards, Vol. 2 (1985). The trio features rhythm section Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette, the first release by the long-standing "Standards Trio".
Changes is an album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett recorded over two days in January 1983 and released on ECM September the following year. The trio features rhythm section Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette, the second release by the long-standing "Standards Trio", the first three of which—Standards, Vol. 1 (1983), Changes and Standards, Vol. 2 (1985)—were all recorded concurrently.
Solo Concerts: Bremen/Lausanne is a live solo triple album by jazz pianist Keith Jarrett recorded at the Salle de Sectacles d'Epalinges in Lausanne, Switzerland and the Kleiner Sendesall in Bremen, Germany on March 20 and July 12, 1973, respectively and released on ECM November that same year—Jarrett's debut solo live album for the label.
Sun Bear Concerts is a live box set by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett compiling five solo piano concerts performed over two weeks during his November 1976 tour in Japan and released on ECM in January 1978.
Vienna Concert is a live solo album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett recorded on July 13, 1991 at the Vienna State Opera in Vienna, Austria, and released by ECM September the following year.
Facing You is a solo album by jazz pianist Keith Jarrett, recorded on November 10, 1971and released on ECM March the following year—the first of a half-century of releases for the label.
Belonging is a studio album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett, recorded over two days in April 1974 and released on ECM later that year—the debut of Jarrett's "European Quartet", featuring saxophonist Jan Garbarek and rhythm section Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen. Because Jarrett's contract with ABC/Impulse! prevented him from performing with the quartet under his own name, the group became known as the "Belonging" quartet.
Ruta and Daitya is jazz album by pianist Keith Jarrett and drummer Jack DeJohnette recorded in May 1971 and released on ECM in 1973—one of Jarrett's rare performances on electric keyboard.
Dark Intervals is a live solo album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett recorded at the Suntory Hall in Tokyo on April 11, 1987 and released on ECM the following year.
Changeless is a live album by the Keith Jarrett Trio recorded at various venues over a week in October 1987 and released on ECM two years later. The trio—Jarrett's "Standards Trio"—features rhythm section Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette.
Concerts is a live solo triple album of by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett recorded at the Festspielhaus in Bregenz, Austria on May 28, 1981 and the Herkulessaal in Munich, West Germany on June 2, 1981 and released on ECM September the following year.
Luminessence: Music for String Orchestra and Saxophone is an album composed by American pianist Keith Jarrett featuring saxophonist Jan Garbarek and the Südfunk-Sinfonieorchester conducted by Mladen Gutesha, recorded in April 1974 and released on ECM the following year—Jarrett does not perform on this album. The title is a portmanteau of "luminescence" and "essence".
Arbour Zena is an orchestral work composed by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett which was recorded in October 1975 and released by ECM the following year. The trio features saxophonist Jan Garbarek and bassist Charlie Haden backed by members of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mladen Gutesha.
Tales of Another is an album by American bassist Gary Peacock recorded on February 2, 1977 and released on ECM later that year. The trio features pianist Keith Jarrett and drummer Jack DeJohnette—the first recording by the group later known as Jarrett's Standards Trio.
Hymns/Spheres is a solo double album by jazz pianist Keith Jarrett recorded on the Karl Joseph Riepp "Trinity" Baroque pipe organ at the Benedictine Abbey in Ottobeuren in September 1976 and released on ECM later that year.
In the Light is a double album of contemporary classical music composed by Keith Jarrett, recorded in February 1973 and released on ECM April the following year—his fourth release for the label.
G.I. Gurdjieff: Sacred Hymns is an album by pianist Keith Jarrett recorded March 1980 and released on ECM September that year, featuring solo piano performances of the sacred hymns of George Gurdjieff and Thomas de Hartmann.
Book of Ways: The Feeling of Strings is a solo double album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett recorded over four hours in July 1986 and released on ECM September the following year, comprising nineteen clavichord improvisations.
