Unsolved Mysteries: An Early Keith Jarrett Influence?

In this episode, Adam and Peter delve into the musical journey of John Coates Jr., exploring the possibility of his influence on the legendary Keith Jarrett. Join us as we unravel the connections between these two great piano players and appreciate Coates' distinctive style that may have left a mark on Jarrett's own musical evolution.

~~JAZZ TALK~~

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↓ Links from the pod ↓

John Coates Jr. Music
Spotify:
Discogs:
Songwhip:

Ethan Iverson's Article referencing John Coates Jr.:

Keith Jarrett Interview:

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[scagliolist]

Thank you for bringing John Coates to your audience! Keith Jarrett is a singular talent, no doubt. But, I don't think there's evidence that JC changed his style because of Keith. Knowing that the Deerhead Inn in Delaware Water Gap is only 70 miles west of NYC but an hour drive to Allentown changes the picture. DWG was an inexpensive place for a musician to buy a house and still be able to gig in NY and the Poconos. It drew an incredible list of premier Jazz musicians. Short list: Phil Woods, Bill Goodwin, Bob Dorough, Dave Liebman, Urbie Green, Zoot Sims and JC. At one time their were 6 venues for jazz in a town of 500, with the Deerhead at the center. John actually lived in the DH for a time, would walk across the street to work at the Shawnee Press doing choral arrangements then play in the evenings. Word got out that he was the guy to see, a musician's musician. His 1st recording may be "normal piano" but he was 17. He turned down gigs as the house pianist for the Tonight Show, and Sarah Vaughn to focus on his own playing and composition. As it sometimes goes, not every great musician can navigate the "business'. John had his own personal demons, and made a choice to focus on his work. You might want to dig into more info at the jazz archive at East Stroudsburg Univ. There should be a lot more info on Coates. He deserves to be heard. He was awkward off the stage, but once he played he was a force of nature, totally absorbed in the work. When he stopped, he would look up as if to say: "what are you guys doing here". Another side note: John broke his right hand playing basketball which forced him to develop his left hand technique which is one of my favorite parts of his playing. So much more to him, the DWG, and the Deerhead. Lucky to be able to hear world-class players (Bill Charlap, the late John Abercrombie, etc.) for 3 sets with a $15-20 cover knowing they might be playing one set at Club Dizzy for $50 the next night.

[production]

I was hanging with Myles Davis at his apartment in 1988. I had just spent the weekend relisten to bitches brew, and I asked him who his favorite fender Rhodes player was because he had three of the best cats in Zawinul, Chick and Herbie. He quickly said to me, Keith Jarrett… back then there was no YouTube so I never saw any video of Keith playing with Miles and especially playing Fender Rhodes.. he then said to me “Keith is a funky Muthaf..ker “ even though there was a track on Live Evil.. a version of What I Say.. it wasn’t until I heard the CD set The Cellar Door Sessions that I really got the whole vibe. There was Keith playing Fender Rhodes in that country style that just translated well to the Fender Rhodes… there is still no doubt in my mind just from my personal history that goes back to 1974 at the Delaware water gap thatJohn Coats was a huge influence on Keith

[davidroth]

Thank you , Thank you for spreading the Johnny Coates connection ! John was my my very first influence as I lived close to the Dear Head Inn . The first time I heard him, Phil Woods sat in the last set!!!

[nextsilence]

For my graduate thesis, I interviewed John Coates about Keith Jarrett in the late 90s. it was a very interesting interview.

[moodindigo]

My mouth fell open when I heard that first fragment you played

[tyftymy]

I first heard John Coates, Jr. at the Deer Head Inn in 1977. John Coates, Jr. had an influence on Keith's playing. I pointed it out to him one night and he just smiled.
Bill Goodwin knows the truth. He played with Keith and John.

[ciccaj]

I lived at the Deerhead in the late 70's early 80's. Johnny played every Saturday night and I must have heard him hundreds of times. He worked across the street from the Deerhead at Shawnee Press as a choral arranger. We ate lunch together many times. I had another friend Gary King a bass player who also lived in the Poconos and recorded with a lot of well known artists: Roberta Flack, Bob James, George Benson, Hubert Laws, Blood, Sweat and Tears, etc. anyway Gary told me one time to tell Johnny that Creed Taylor would like to talk to him about a record deal. I told Johnny and he just kind of smiled and shrugged. As far as I know he never did contact him. He liked his simple life I think.

[paxwallace]

2 facts about Jarrett that are most often overlooked is first: He was deeply interested in the ramifications of Ornette Coleman which influenced his choice of collaborators ie Charlie Hayden, Dewey Redmond, Paul Motian for his American 70s quartet and his compositions and free approaches for his ECM Quartet at the same time. And 2ndly when Kenney Wheeler's Gnu High arguably one of the most harmonically advanced jazz LPs of the 70s was recorded at ECM with David Holland and Jack Dejohnette, Jarrett was chosen as their pianist assisted by the influence of Manfred Eicher. Inspite of how uchracteristically Jarrett, Mr. Wheelers compositions were; Jarrett was undeniably amazing providing the only record of Jarrett deploying his amazing lyicism through such preset unconventional harmonic mazes.

[davidroth]

Also, I have been told the teenage Keith played drums with Coates at the Deer Head. I heard Coates many, many times . I’m in Allentown now too 😊

[SRTarlow]

Gala x100, listening from Spokane, WA. I enjoy your discussions :)

[gitarmats]

Cool. Will definitely check out his music now!

[PaulieStamets]

Great pianist, I'm always happy to add someone to my rotation list.

[DaveSolazzo]

Nice. Never knew about Coates till I watched this.

[micahslobcrud]

The Deer Head Inn is in Delaware Water Gap, PA, about 40 plus miles north-northeast of Allentown, but hey, close enough. Lafayette College (Easton, PA) has a great jazz program and a nice hall in Williams Center for the Arts in case Peter's or Adam's managers are looking for bookings. (I'm also an OS Pro member under my real name.)

[matthewfairman]

Gala times 100😁...watching from Bournemouth in England...

[felixrosskopf]

wow! that's super interesting. makes you wonder how that musical connection came about

[brianrinckenberger]

First thing I heard when you put JC’s playing on was a Vince Guaraldi vibe, I think he deserves a lot more credit than he gets from the jazz cognoscenti.

[jmiller]

I grew up in the Poconos ( where The Dearhead is located in Delaware Water Gap ( also home to Phil Woods and others .. Check out the albums "Pocono Friends Vol 1 and 2 IF you can find them) Probably heard him the first time
in the late 60s and many times im the early 70's . Saw Keith Jarrett quite a few times there listening and hanging out with his friend Johnny Coates . I saw Keith sit in playing drums on a phone book as a kid and thought Keith was a drummer until many years later . JCs first album was cut when he was 16 years old but his playing sounds the way it did in the recordings you guys played as long as I was listening to him.. Seen him with Phil Woods, Bob
Dorough and many other legends who were always reverently playing and Hanging with Johnny .. he was a legend to all who knew him
and heard him.

[samfrenchmusic]

Gala times 100, watching from Boston MA

[ElbowsUnique]

Gala x100, listening from Cincinnati, OH