"The Köln Concert" was produced by a 17-year-old girl who believed in Jazz in 1975 in Germany.
1400 seats to fill at the Cologne Opera House.
She sent Keith Jarrett $ for a flight.
Instead, he showed up in a rental car, driving with his producer, Manfred Eicher from ECM Records.
Keith had requested the Bösendorfer 290 Imperial concert grand piano,
but instead got an almost destroyed baby grand piano.
He was refusing to play.
After many calls, she found the piano he wanted in another theatre, but it was raining..., so it couldn't be transported.
Finally, the tuner did his best to improve the broken piano.
But in the meantime, Keith was getting into the car and about to leave, declining to perform.
The girl ran and begged for him to play.
He put down his shades and said to her: "I'll do it for you".
Sold-out concert. Full house.
She had rented a £ 500 audio equipment to record the concert.
11:30 pm: He plays the best free improvised piano music ever recorded.
(To date, still the best-selling piano album of all time.)
Keith was 29 years old.
That 17 y/o girl? Her name is Vera Brandes. The real hero.
Keith or Manfred never thanked her.
Thank you, Vera. ❤️
