Jarrett rallies, as have the acoustics

When pianist and composer Keith Jarrett takes the stage at Walt Disney Concert Hall tonight for his first solo performance in Los Angeles in almost 25 years, he will be confounding expectations of both his physical limitations and artistic temperament.

Hobbled since 1997 by chronic fatigue syndrome, Jarrett has limited himself to a few select solo performances per year; he has found the strain of piano recitals particularly debilitating. His Southland stop is one of only two dates scheduled in the U.S. for 2006 -- he also performs Sunday at San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House.

Moreover, at his last appearance at Disney Hall, as part of a jazz trio in 2003, Jarrett complained from the stage about the sound in the hall. And his sardonic post-concert comment to a writer covering the performance for The Times -- that playing at Disney Hall was like “being at the center of a big bowl” -- rippled through the city’s chattering class.

In the intervening years, however, the auditorium has taken steps to remedy the problem. And according to Jarrett’s manager, Steve Cloud, the pianist bears Disney Hall no grudge.

“When we were there with the trio, the hall hadn’t resolved the sound amplification issues for what it was used for then, an amplified concert,” Cloud said. “We were sort of guinea pigs.

“This is not an amplified concert, it’s a piano recital. So essentially, we are there for the purpose the hall was built for: classical music.”

Arvind Manocha, who oversees nonclassical music programming at Disney Hall, said that from an organizational perspective, the venue is delighted about Jarrett’s return.

“We’re thrilled to have him,” Manocha said. “There are no hard feelings at all.”

Jarrett’s critically hailed recital at New York’s Carnegie Hall last September spurred his return to a fuller touring schedule. He has eight performances planned this year, including five in France and one in Spain, through next fall.

“Carnegie Hall was unbelievable,” Cloud said. “It was the complete summation of his music for 35 years. And when these opportunities in L.A. and San Francisco came up, it seemed like the logical thing to follow the success and positive nature.”

Further, the New York experience prompted Jarrett to solicit a play date at Disney Hall.

“The Carnegie show was such a big deal and he had so much fun doing it, he sought out doing another, similar show in L.A.,” Disney Hall’s Manocha said. “He was thinking of places that would best showcase this kind of concert, and the acoustics here are great for doing an unamplified concert. So they asked if he could do it here.”

The pianist’s Los Angeles appearance will mark the first time he has performed here unaccompanied since 1982, when he played at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Unlike his pre-chronic fatigue syndrome recitals, which consisted of unbroken “sweeps” of improvised music that could last up to 45 minutes, Jarrett’s new performance style isn’t as hard on his body, Cloud said.

“It’s a series of discreet improvisations,” said Cloud. “They last as long as they last -- it’s not predetermined. Keith can play, and when he feels he’s said something, he can stop and start another improvisation.”