Few jazz musicians were as musically ambitious as Keith Jarrett. The pianist was as lyrical as Bill Evans, as dissonant as Ornette Coleman. He flirted with rock, funk and Eastern modes, he embraced minimalism and classical composition. Pianist Noah Haidu pays tribute to Jarrett on Slowly. The mood is often lush on original compositions by Haidu and his combo, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Billy Hart, showing a lively sense of interplay and synergy. Slowly is topped off with several numbers from the Great American Songbook and one by Jarrett. Inspiration for recording the album came from news that Jarrett suffered a series of strokes that forced his retirement. The trio recorded Slowly during lockdown at a spacious recording studio, wearing masks and keeping distant.
