Press room

The Barbican and Serious today announce a celebration of jazz pianist Keith Jarrett in his 80th year and fifty years since his iconic The Köln Concert album. Across two special performances and a supporting film screening, the Barbican will play host to a showcase of key moments from the revolutionary pianist’s career. 

• American Quartet - The Bad Plus with Chris Potter and Craig Taborn (30 March 2026) 
• The Köln Concert - Maki Manekawa and Thomas Enhco (11 April 2026) 
• Film Screening: Keith Jarrett – The Art of Improvisation (15) (11 April 2026) 

Keith Jarrett, one of the most visionary improvisers in jazz history, turns 80 this year—a milestone that coincides with the 50th anniversary of his seminal The Köln Concert (ECM, 1975), an album that reshaped the landscape of solo jazz piano. Keith Jarrett’s ability to fuse lyricism, classical influences, and unbroken improvisational flow has inspired generations of jazz and experimental musicians worldwide. His boundless creativity and spiritual intensity, bridges jazz, classical music, free improvisation, and folk traditions. 

Marking the occasion of these two landmark anniversaries, the Barbican and Serious are proud to announce this special focus programme in the Barbican Hall, inviting two new projects to respond, in sound and spirit, to The Köln Concert and the American Quartet era. Through reinterpretation and inspiration, the programme celebrates Jarrett’s immense influence on the evolution of modern jazz. 

On Monday, 30 March 2026, The Bad Plus with Chris Potter and Craig Taborn reinterpret and celebrate Jarrett’s repertoire from his American Quartet era. The project is not a casual homage, but a continuation of the spirit of Jarrett’s American Quartet - balancing swing, freedom, folk-like melody, structured improvisation, and deep musical dialogue - with fresh perspectives from the contemporary ensemble members which features Reid Anderson, Dave King, Chris Potter, and Craig Taborn. 

On Saturday, 11 April 2026, two inspired pianists from very different musical spheres – Maki Namekawa and Thomas Enhco - will together tackle Keith Jarrett’s legendary album and performance: The Köln Concert (ECM Records, 1975) in its 50th anniversary year. The two artists will take two approaches: Maki Namekawa will play, note for note, the first and last sections, while Thomas Enhco will improvise through the central sections, together rendering the incredible luminance of this iconic music and freely oscillating between jazz and classical. 

Alongside the performance on 11 April, the Barbican will also be screening Keith Jarrett: The Art of Improvisation (15 - Mike Dibb, 2005) which offers an intimate portrait of the legendary pianist, explores his groundbreaking career and diverse musical influences - from Bach and Mozart to ethnic music, as well as documenting his creative process through interviews and performances. With full cooperation from Jarrett, the film features rare insights from the man himself, alongside interviews with his collaborators, family, and close associates, offering a deep dive into the contrasting worlds of jazz and classical music. Keith Jarrett: The Art of Improvisation is the first major documentary on the pianist, made in collaboration between director Mike Dibb and Jarrett’s biographer Ian Carr