In the notes for his album, After the Fall, American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett describes his “fall” into a bout of chronic fatigue syndrome in the fall of 1996. His return to the concert stage came on November 14, 1998 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, a venue close to his home. The title of the album, a document of the live concert, reflects Jarrett’s recovery after the a year hiatus.
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town begins with a tense vamp. Jarrett riffs on the jolly melody with increasing virtuosity, but the music continues to pull back to this opening hook. Keith Jarrett is joined by bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette.
