Köln 75

If you don't know who Priya Parker is, you're missing out. She's the author of "The Art of Gathering." From her website and in her own words:

"I’m a facilitator, strategic advisor, author, and life-long curious student.

I believe everyone has the ability to gather well. I’m here to help you rethink and reimagine how we spend our time together and infuse it with creativity and meaning."

Last week I opened one of her emails which had a audio recording of her latest thoughs. She was talking about seeing the movie Köln 75 with her kids. This film came out last year (2025) and was about Vera Brandes and the Keith Jarrett concert in Köln (Cologne, Germany) in 1975. Vera organized and produced the concert and was 18 years old at the time.

Priya Parker said she loved the film because it showcased putting a gathering together. The recording from the concert ended up being the most selling, solo piano album in history.

You can find and stream the film on Kanopy (in the United States, at the time of this writing). Kanopy is the app that is tied to the Libby app that I use to download ebooks and audiobooks from our local library.

Before I had even seen the film, I started telling everyone I know I about it. Have you ever started reading a book and think it is really really good? You start recommending it to friends and family, and when you get to the last half, it tanks and is awful? I was a little worried about this, but Parker is reliable and if she liked it, it should be safe.

On the same day I heard Parker's audio newsletter I was speaking to my jazz double bassist son, Nikolai. I asked him if he had heard about the Köln 75 concert. He, of course, already knew about Keith Jarrett. He knew of the concert but didn't know of the back story. His first thought was that he needed to listen to the album before he saw the film.

This is where I say that while I knew of Jarret; that he was with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and that he played with Miles Davis. But, I hadn't spent much time listening to him, and didn't know of the Köln 75 Concert. In my head I got him confused with Bill Evans, and when I listened to the album, I was expecting to hear something different. If you're not familiar with either of these pianists, I envy you. You have so much great music to discover!

Yesterday morning I watched the film. If I'm going to be recommending something, I should see it, right? It was SO good! The music, the story line, the humor. Even the credits were well done, they were timed with the music, if you can imagine that.

Parker said she watched it with her 9 year old daughter. She only had to cover her daughter's eyes a couple of times because of drugs and adult behavior- a tiny portion of the film, but worth noting if you watch it with young people.

Timing is everything. I often listen to audio books in the car. I think one of my strengths is to read or listen to people who are brilliant, and apply their ideas in my teaching. This has lead me to people like Brené Brown, Adam Grant, Angela Duckworth, Katy Milkman, Donella Meadows, and David Epstein, among others.

Epstein recently wrote, "Inside the Box, How Constraints Make Us Better." It's what I'm currently listening to in the car. Once a week I have an hour commute, where I catch up on audiobooks. If the book is good, I'll listen to it for local driving as well. The beginning of this one felt a little formulaic. However, the more I was listening, the gears in my brain started going- I love the idea of constraints, and already use some when teaching. It's how I get students started with improv (but that can be saved for another blog).

Yesterday afternoon- after watching the film in the morning, I'm in my car driving to meet a friend. Epstein, who is reading his own audiobook, opens a chapter with Vera Brandes, Keith Jarrett, and the Köln 75 concert! Epstein is a thorough researcher. The movie was based on the story about the concert. Epstein presents the facts. (My opinion about the movie is the same. It's wonderful and I'm talking to a local movie theater to see if I can rent a room to screen it for my students and members in my girl jazz combo.) How Epstein talks about the piano which ended up being a constraint that affected Jarrett's performance, made me listen to the concert again with a different perspective. It gives context for listening to the album and makes the whole history even more interesting.

This is not the first time Epstein uses musical examples in his books. He continues "Inside of the Box" with a section on Bach, and the Art of the Fugue. And, in Epstein's previous book, "Range," there was a section of that book talking about Vivaldi, and the girls in the orphanage that he taught and composed for.

At the moment, I have a chicken and egg problem. I don't know what order I would recommend putting these elements together:

1. listening to the Priya Parker blurb on Köln 75

2. listening to the Keith Jarrett album Köln 75

3. watching the film Köln 75

4. listening or reading "Inside the Box" about Köln 75

Each element stands alone, but knowing the full story is what makes it interesting. It's also happy and joyous. What makes this all better is that I have the privilege of sharing it with you.

Happy playing!

Sarah