I love when different worlds collide. Cinema and music – my two favorite forces – sometimes blend into something greater than the sum of their parts. That’s exactly what happened recently when I unexpectedly found myself at a movie screening of Köln 75, a film about the legendary jazz concert by Keith Jarrett.
Directed by Ido Fluk, this isn’t your typical music documentary. It doesn’t feature long shots of the concert or a deep dive into the jazz genius of Jarrett. Instead, it tells the true story of how this iconic performance almost didn’t happen – and how an 18-year-old girl named Vera Brandes managed to pull it all together with heart, ambition, and very little experience.
And me? I’d never listened to The Köln Concert before. (Yes, I know. Shocking.)
Still from the movie Köln 75 (2025). © Alamode Film.
Discovering Keith Jarrett and The Köln Concert
It’s hard to admit, but I had never heard the most famous solo jazz piano album of all time. The Köln Concert by Keith Jarrett had simply never landed on my radar. Jazz was never my first choice – I’ve always leaned toward other genres – and this masterpiece somehow slipped through the cracks.
But something changed after that screening. Throughout the film, and later that evening at home, one question kept playing in my mind:
What is this music?
What did Keith Jarrett play that night in Cologne that made this performance so legendary?
From the Movie Theater to the Vinyl Record
The very next day at work, I started telling my coworker about the movie – about Vera, about the concert that nearly didn’t happen – and I suddenly blanked on Jarrett’s name.
That’s when my colleague Jacek casually said:
“You mean The Köln Concert by Keith Jarrett? We have that on vinyl!”
And just like that, I experienced my first-ever listen of The Köln Concert – on Closer Acoustics speakers. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was pure magic. Truly unforgettable.
As I listened with my eyes closed, I felt like Vera in that one special scene, watching Jarrett play for the first time, completely hypnotized by his improvisation.
The Beauty of Imperfect Music
Maybe that’s why this performance hit me so hard. Because absolutely nothing went right that night:
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the piano was the wrong model, out of tune, with broken pedals;
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Keith Jarrett was exhausted after a hard journey, suffering from back pain, and ready to walk away;
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and yet – maybe because of all that – a jazz masterpiece was born.
I’ve never been drawn to perfection. Not in music, not in film, not in people. There’s a kind of truth in imperfections that feels more honest – and it speaks to me more deeply than flawless polish ever could.
From Jazz Ignorance to a New Go-To Album
So now, The Köln Concert plays regularly in my home. And honestly, I’m glad my lack of jazz knowledge let me stumble into this album in such a fresh, emotional way – right after the film, holding a beautiful vinyl record, surrounded by rich, analog sound.
I know – if you're into music or consider yourself an audiophile, this might all sound obvious. But maybe there’s someone out there, like me, who’s just starting to explore the world of jazz piano and discovering the quiet magic of Keith Jarrett.
And if The Köln Concert has been on your shelf for years – that’s great! But here’s a thought: maybe you haven’t seen the film yet. And trust me – it’s worth your time. Even if you know every note by heart, seeing the story behind it brings a whole new perspective.
And hey – if you’ve got other jazz gems to recommend, I’m all ears. Even if it’s something “everyone” knows – for someone out there, it might be the beginning of something special.
Because really – there’s no such thing as too many musical discoveries.
