Artwell

Even before he was famous, Jaco Pastorius would introduce himself like this, “Hi, My name is John Francis Pastorius III, and I'm the greatest electric bass player in the world”. Rolling eyes would quickly be replaced by slacked jaws when he started to play… because it only took a matter of seconds to realize he really was the greatest bass player in the world.This is part 1 of my deep dive into Jaco's ideas, lessons, and process.Subscribe to the Artwell newsletter Further Reading:Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco PastoriusJaco: The FilmJaco Pastorius: The Lost Tapes Documentary

All of the notes that I had about Joni Mitchell that didn't make it into the deep dive.⁠Get the Joni Mitchell recap newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to my playlist Joni Mitchell: Love From Both Sides⁠

Discover the fascinating journey of Joni Mitchell, who transformed from aspiring painter to legendary singer-songwriter. The discussion highlights her resilience amidst personal challenges, including her difficult decision regarding motherhood. Explore the intriguing thematic playlist that reflects love and loss through her art. Learn about the struggle for authenticity in a conformist industry, and the importance of nurturing one's inner child to sustain creativity. A deep dive into the balance of personal relationships and artistic dedication adds another layer to her complex legacy.

Dive into the life of Joni Mitchell, where painting aspirations transformed into a groundbreaking music career. Explore her rise amidst personal challenges, including a significant comeback post-aneurysm. Discover how mistakes can enrich artistic expression, and learn about the balance between simplicity and depth in songwriting. The podcast also discusses the evolution of music consumption, highlighting the importance of storytelling in creating meaningful connections with audiences. Join the journey of creativity and resilience.

Lessons and stories I learned studying Keith Jarrett that didn't make it into the deep dive.Subscribe to the Artwell newsletter: https://jacobkelly.substack.com/Read: ⁠⁠Keith Jarrett: The Man and his Music by Ian Carr⁠⁠Watch: ⁠⁠Keith Jarrett: The Art of Improvisation

Subscribe to the Artwell newsletter: ⁠https://jacobkelly.substack.com/⁠About Keith JarrettBecoming one of the greatest jazz pianists, classical interpreters, or composers of your generation is an incredible feat… Keith Jarrett is considered all three.A prodigious talent, Keith was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1945, and began learning the piano at age three, two years later — at the age of 5, he had his first TV appearance, by seven he played a two-hour classical solo concert in his home town, and by nine he performed solo at Madison Square Garden as part of a Lion’s Club Convention.In his teens, Keith was personally invited to train in France under legendary composition teacher Nadia Boulanger, who trained many of the greatest classical musicians of the 20th century. However, he declined the invitation and instead opted to attend Berklee School of Music in Boston to learn Jazz.His stint at the renowned music school was short lived as he was thrown out after a year, which led him to New York City, there he scraped by until he found consistent work in the jazz world — briefly joining Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, becoming a mainstay in Charles Lloyd’s innovative quartet, and eventually playing in Miles Davis’ electric band, before striking out on his own.The 1970s was a busy period for Jarrett, in addition to leading two popular jazz bands, known respectively as the “American Quartet” comprised of Dewey Redman on sax, Charlie Haden on bass, and Paul Motian on drums, and the “European Quartet” with Jan Garbarek on sax, Palle Danielsson on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums — Keith also pioneered a new kind of performance, the improvised solo piano concert.Each concert was completely unique, with Jarrett composing new material for each show, live and on the spot, never to repeat that music again. His 1975 Koln concert has gone to become both the best-selling piano recording and the best selling solo jazz album in history with around 4 million sales. In 2025 the album was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry.With both his quartets disbanding by the end of the decade, the 1980s was an adventurous period for Jarrett. While continuing to perform his popular solo concerts, Keith formed a new trio known as the “Standards Trio” with Jack DeJohnette on drums and Gary Peacock on bass — which would go on to become one of the longest lasting and most celebrated jazz trios in history, he would record the experimental multi-track record Spirits where he played more than a dozen instruments, and he would return to the classical piano world with notable interpretations of Bach, Mozart, and Shostakovich.In 1996 Jarrett was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which resulted in him stepping away from performing entirely. Thanks to experimental treatment, he was able to record the 1999 album The Melody at Night With You in his home studio, before returning to the stage with the Standards Trio later that year.Keith Jarrett continued to perform solo, with the trio, and with orchestras until suffering two major strokes in 2018, which left him unable to use his left hand — effectively bringing the seventy year long career of one of the most innovative and prolific musicians this world has ever known to a close.Dig DeeperRead: ⁠Keith Jarrett: The Man and his Music by Ian Carr⁠Watch: ⁠Keith Jarrett: The Art of Improvisation ⁠

Subscribe to the Artwell newsletter: https://jacobkelly.substack.com/About Keith JarrettBecoming one of the greatest jazz pianists, classical interpreters, or composers of your generation is an incredible feat… Keith Jarrett is considered all three.A prodigious talent, Keith was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1945, and began learning the piano at age three, two years later — at the age of 5, he had his first TV appearance, by seven he played a two-hour classical solo concert in his home town, and by nine he performed solo at Madison Square Garden as part of a Lion’s Club Convention.In his teens, Keith was personally invited to train in France under legendary composition teacher Nadia Boulanger, who trained many of the greatest classical musicians of the 20th century. However, he declined the invitation and instead opted to attend Berklee School of Music in Boston to learn Jazz.His stint at the renowned music school was short lived as he was thrown out after a year, which led him to New York City, there he scraped by until he found consistent work in the jazz world — briefly joining Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, becoming a mainstay in Charles Lloyd’s innovative quartet, and eventually playing in Miles Davis’ electric band, before striking out on his own.The 1970s was a busy period for Jarrett, in addition to leading two popular jazz bands, known respectively as the “American Quartet” comprised of Dewey Redman on sax, Charlie Haden on bass, and Paul Motian on drums, and the “European Quartet” with Jan Garbarek on sax, Palle Danielsson on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums — Keith also pioneered a new kind of performance, the improvised solo piano concert.Each concert was completely unique, with Jarrett composing new material for each show, live and on the spot, never to repeat that music again. His 1975 Koln concert has gone to become both the best-selling piano recording and the best selling solo jazz album in history with around 4 million sales. In 2025 the album was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry.With both his quartets disbanding by the end of the decade, the 1980s was an adventurous period for Jarrett. While continuing to perform his popular solo concerts, Keith formed a new trio known as the “Standards Trio” with Jack DeJohnette on drums and Gary Peacock on bass — which would go on to become one of the longest lasting and most celebrated jazz trios in history, he would record the experimental multi-track record Spirits where he played more than a dozen instruments, and he would return to the classical piano world with notable interpretations of Bach, Mozart, and Shostakovich.In 1996 Jarrett was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which resulted in him stepping away from performing entirely. Thanks to experimental treatment, he was able to record the 1999 album The Melody at Night With You in his home studio, before returning to the stage with the Standards Trio later that year.Keith Jarrett continued to perform solo, with the trio, and with orchestras until suffering two major strokes in 2018, which left him unable to use his left hand — effectively bringing the seventy year long career of one of the most innovative and prolific musicians this world has ever known to a close.Dig DeeperRead: Keith Jarrett: The Man and his Music by Ian CarrWatch: Keith Jarrett: The Art of Improvisation

In 1989 Tom Schulman won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Dead Poets Society.He followed this up with screenplays for two hit comedies, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and What About Bob?.In 1997 he made his directorial debut with the Joe Pesci led, Eight Heads in a Duffel Bag. He recently returned to the director’s chair for his 2022 film, Double Down South.Subscribe to the Artwell newsletter: https://jacobkelly.substack.com/

More lessons and stories I cut from the Robin Williams deep dive.Subscribe to the Artwell newsletter: https://jacobkelly.substack.com/

Robin Williams is an Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy award winning actor and comedian. He first rose to prominence for his breakout role as Mork in the hit '70s sitcom, Mork and Mindy. Following Mork, Robin received praise for his dramatic turn in films such as Dead Poets Society, Awakenings, and The Fisher King. In the '90s, Williams became one of the highest-paid movie stars in the world thanks to films like Hook, Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Jumanji. In 1998, after three prior nominations, he finally won an Oscar for his performance as Dr. Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting. Despite a slowdown at the box office into the 2000s, Williams received Best Comedy Album nominations at the Grammys for his final two standup specials, Robin Williams Live (2002) and Weapons of Self-Destruction (2009), with a win for the former. In 2011, Robin starred in a Broadway production of Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo to much praise. However, many consider his exclusion from the Tony Awards to be a snub, denying him the opportunity to achieve an EGOT before his passing in 2014.In part two of our deep dive into his career, we will discuss his time as a movie star, his final two standup specials, and his passing.Subscribe to the Artwell newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jacobkelly.substack.com/