The record label ECM released a double album of a group known under the name Belonging, or Keith Jarrett’s European Quartet.
The album is an unpublished recording of concert held in Tokyo in April 1979 by pianist Keith Jarrett, saxophonist Jan Garbarek, bassist Palle Danielsson and drummer Jon Christensen. All band members, except Danielsson, also play percussion instruments.
After more than 30 years in the archive of the German label, the album Sleeper saw the light of day, and the first critics reactions were more than positive.
This album contributes to the not so broad band’s discography consisting of following albums: Belonging (1974), My Song (recorded 1977, released 1978), Nude Ants (recorded 1979), and Personal Mountains (1979, released 1989).
The Tokyo concert repertoire played on April 19 in 1979 is made of Jarrett’s compositions Personal Mountains, Innocence, So Tender, Oasis, Chant of the Soil, Prism and New Dance – all compositions were written for this ensemble however Prism and So Tender were later regularly played by Jarrett’s standard trio.
Listen to how it used to sound before more than 33 years ago: ECM Player