Arriving at the Cologne Opera in 1975, Keith Jarrett noticed the piano he was about to play on was not the right one. Despite his annoyance, he embarked upon an hour-long improvisation, the recording of which became one of the highest-selling albums in the history of classical music and jazz: The Köln Concert. 

For many years the American choreographer, Trajal Harrell, dreamt of putting this recording into movement. Now Trajal’s dream has become reality, as he pairs Jarrett’s playing with four bittersweet songs by Joni Mitchell. 

Onstage, we see seven piano stools, one for each performer. Draped in black, tip-toeing, Trajal and his six fellow performers create a dance form that crosses genres, where voguing meets influences from Ancient Greek to Japanese Noh theatre 

Header image © Reto Schmid