The Köln Concert, film documentary

THE UNIQUE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE KÖLN CONCERT During an unexpected investigation in search of the mysterious piano from the Köln Concert, the behind-the-scenes of a myth are gradually revealed. MY ENCOUNTER WITH KEITH Barely a month before Christmas 1975, an album was released like a gift from the heavens: the Köln Concert by Keith Jarrett. A few years later, as a young child, I discovered the American pianist by listening to the vinyl on my parents' turntable. Today, I remember it as a perfect moment and a feeling of harmony with that little hour of supreme improvisation... This fascination gradually turned into a challenge: to solve the mystery of the Köln Concert. Over the years, I became passionate about all these stories and legends. I then decided to attempt the impossible and start the investigation from scratch, revisit the various locations of the intrigue, meet the forgotten protagonists, talk to experts and other Köln enthusiasts, and trace the famous phantom piano... I could have chosen not to make this film, but a necessity imposed itself on me. It has now become a collective adventure of which you are a part. This quest is what I want to tell in this film. But it is certainly not intended solely for fans of Keith and other jazz enthusiasts; far from it. It delves more broadly into the backstage of artistic creation. MY INTENT WITH THIS DOCUMENTARY FILM The story of the Köln Concert plunges us into the heart of the mystery of creation: how what was expected to be the worst concert of one of the most uncompromising musicians became his most famous record and, for many, a true gem of jazz. To tell this story, the obstacles are many: almost no archives of this concert exist, apart from the recording itself. Several of the main protagonists of that evening refuse to speak about it, and the few testimonies we have are often contradictory, only thickening the mystery. An investigation spanning Cologne, Paris, and Vienna. Captivating testimonies, animations to illustrate historical facts. This is what largely constitutes this unique documentary. Through tenacity and desire, we have found unpublished and never-before-seen documents, as well as incredible stories. But it is far from over; this evening has not yet revealed all its mysteries, and that’s where we need you. To continue searching, meeting, unearthing gems, and completing the film, we need at least 20,000 euros. The film was largely shot in 2022, and if you join the adventure, we will finish it for the 50th anniversary of the concert in January 2025. This is the magic that crowdfunding could offer us. If we exceed the initial goal, we can create even more shareable content, meetings, reach out to a younger audience through comics, and make this genius known. We want this film to be a celebration and to convey our love for this concert to current and future generations. The more resources we have, the more we can create something unique and make it exceptional. Because the piano expected by Keith Jarrett (a Bösendorfer Imperial) wasn’t there, and he had to play on an old, worn-out piano. Because he hadn’t slept for two days, he had to transcend himself. This is why the piano is the key to understanding this concert. This piano is the main character that forced the artist to surpass himself. This work, which Keith Jarrett hates, will propel him to the rank of star and icon. But why does he hate this concert so much? This is a question the film will attempt to answer. The forgotten characters of this incredible story will speak to us: the concert organizer, Vera Brandes, a young woman barely of age at the time and forgotten by all, will be one of the keys to the story, as well as Eva Bauer, who was in charge of the recording. THE FILM TEAM Our team consists of passionate individuals dedicated to image and animation, as well as ordinary people like you who are participating in the realization of a dream. THEY SUPPORT US We met extraordinary people during our first shoot in 2022, and now they follow and encourage us to complete the project.