English Svenska POLAR MUSIC PRIZE
Home
Prizewinners | Prize Ceremony | About the Prize | Press Services | Events | Newsletter | Contact | Home


Prizewinners

2007 - Steve Reich and Sonny Rollins

2006 - Valery Gergiev and Led Zeppelin

2005 - Gilberto Gil and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

2004 - B. B. King and György Ligeti

2003 - Keith Jarrett

2002 - Sofia Gubaidulina and Miriam Makeba

2001 - Burt Bacharach, Robert Moog and Karlheinz Stockhausen

2000 - Bob Dylan and Isaac Stern

1999 - Stevie Wonder and Iannis Xenakis

1998 - Ray Charles and Ravi Shankar

1997 - Eric Ericson and Bruce Springsteen

1996 - Pierre Boulez and Joni Mitchell

1995 - Sir Elton John and Mstislav Rostropovitch

1994 - Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Quincy Jones

1993 - Dizzy Gillespie and Witold Lutoslawski

1992 - Sir Paul McCartney and The Baltic States


The Prizewinner of 2003

Keith Jarrett
 

Keith Jarrett
Keith Jarrett
 
Soundclips and more from the Prize Ceremony >>

Download high-resolution images of the Prizewinner 2003 >>

Photos from the Prize Ceremony >>



Citation

The prize committee´s citation for:
Keith Jarrett
The Polar Music Prize for 2003 is being awarded to the American musician, Keith Jarrett, pianist,
composer and master of the field of improvisational music.

Keith Jarrett’s musical artistry is characterised by his ability to effortlessly cross boundaries in
the world of music.

Keith Jarrett began playing the piano at the tender age of three. He gave his first solo concerts as
a child, touring with both classical works and his own compositions. His musical journeys have
always transcended borders, as in his early trio recordings with their influences from blues,
ragtime, gospel, folk music, pop and art music. In the late 1960’s, his pioneering efforts with the
Charles Lloyd Quartet contributed towards breaking down the barriers between jazz and rock
music. He followed up this musical fusion as a member of Miles Davis’ ground-breaking band,
this time in a more electrified form.
In “Spirits” (1985), in which all the instruments are played by Jarrett himself, the music moves
into a limitless landscape of tones from distant times and worlds.

Keith Jarrett, who has found his natural home on the ECM label since the 1970’s, has expressed
himself over the years in the context of both jazz and compositions for various chamber music
ensembles and orchestra.

Through a series of brilliant solo performances and recordings that demonstrate his utterly
spontaneous creativity, Keith Jarrett has simultaneously lifted piano improvisation as an art form
to new, unimaginable heights.

In the 1980’s, Keith Jarrett worked with his trio project, “Standards”, and turned the spotlight on
“The Great American Songbook”. Together with bass player, Gary Peacock, and drummer, Jack
DeJohnette, his further development of the art of group improvisation, in what can only be
described as chamber music forms, has been completely outstanding.
As a classical interpreter, Keith Jarrett has given us masterly versions of J.S. Bach, Handel,
Mozart, Shostakovich and Pärt. As a pianist, he is unique in his position of being one of the
foremost in both the worlds of jazz and classical music.
 
Keith Jarrett Web Site:
www.keithjarrett.org

 

 Blasieholmstorg 8, SE-111 48 STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN | Phone: +46 8 407 18 02 | Fax: +46 8 611 87 18 | E-mail: info@polarmusicprize.com
 Copyright © 1992-2008 Polar Music Prize. All rights reserved. The music on this web site has been made available with the due permission of STIM/NCB.
 Updated: 02/13/2008 | E-mail: webmaster@polarmusicprize.com