The backstory behind this 1994 release—drawn from recordings made in 1992—is nearly as compelling as Keith Jarrett’s long personal history with the club itself. Tucked away in the scenic Delaware Water Gap of Pennsylvania, the venue was the site of many of Jarrett’s earliest gigs as he was finding his footing decades earlier. It’s a homecoming of sorts—Jarrett hails from Allentown, Pennsylvania—making these performances feel less like a reunion tour and more like unfinished business finally resolved.
In the early ’90s, Jarrett returned to the club for a one-night-only reunion with bassist Gary Peacock and legendary drummer Paul Motian—yes, that Paul Motian of the Bill Evans Trio with Scott LaFaro. It was the first—and only—time the three ever played together, making the evening as historically improbable as it was musically inevitable.
The story goes that Jarrett asked a friend to record the performance simply for posterity. The results were so strong that part of the evening was released in 1994 on ECM as At The Deer Head Inn on CD. Thirty years later, the remainder of the recording finally surfaced in 2024 as The Old Country. Now, for the first time—and in a one-time, limited-edition run—ECM has issued a beautifully curated 4LP vinyl box set bringing both releases together as At The Deer Head Inn: The Complete Recordings.
The set is pressed on 140-gram standard-weight vinyl that’s quiet, flat, and well centered. Despite its digital origins, the fidelity is genuinely impressive. Thoughtful microphone placement throughout the club clearly paid dividends, capturing a natural, unforced sound that feels intimate without ever turning murky. Credit is due to recording engineer Kent Heckman and producer Bill Goodwin for delivering such a finely realized field document.
I suspect that the album’s sweet ECM-worthy sound on vinyl also has something to do with sympathetic disc mastering along the way. The recording is remarkably warm, while still crisp and clear. This set was manufactured in Germany, possibly at Optimal.
What’s also special about this album is that it finds Keith Jarrett a bit less in his free jazz mode, instead interpreting these standards with a great deal of love and respect for the music. I’m sure it was not lost on him that he was playing with the drummer from Bill Evans’ legendary 1959-61 trio, so there are points when you’re listening to this music — such as on “Someday My Prince Will Come” — where you can almost feel Evans’ spirit being channeled.
For a one off concert, these players were remarkably connected that evening. Fortunately the tapes were rolling and an outstanding performance was captured for the ages.
Where to buy: $116.96 at Amazon
Mark Smotroff is a deep music enthusiast / collector who has also worked in entertainment oriented marketing communications for decades supporting the likes of DTS, Sega and many others. He reviews vinyl for Analog Planet and has written for Audiophile Review, Sound+Vision, Mix, EQ, etc. You can learn more about him at LinkedIn.
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