However, there was some confusion by the opera house staff and instead they found another Bösendorfer piano backstage—a much smaller baby grand piano—and, assuming it was the one requested, placed it on the stage.

[6][3] Jarrett had performed a few days earlier in Zürich, Switzerland and although Brandes had sent him a ticket for a flight to Cologne on the record company's request, he exchanged the ticket for cash and joined ECM Records producer Manfred Eicher travelling to Cologne by car in Eicher's old Renault 4, so they arrived at the opera house late in the afternoon tired after the exhausting long drive.

After trying out the substandard piano and learning a replacement instrument was not available, Jarrett nearly refused to play and was about to leave, but Brandes was able to convince him to perform anyway as the concert was scheduled to begin in just a few hours.

[8] Jarrett used ostinatos and rolling left-hand rhythmic figures during his performance to give the effect of stronger bass notes, and concentrated his playing in the middle portion of the keyboard.

"[7] A notable aspect of the concert was Jarrett's ability to produce very extensive improvised material over a vamp of one or two chords for prolonged periods of time.

"IIc" is a reinterpretation of a composition by Keith Jarrett, "Memories of Tomorrow", which can be heard during a trio concert with Gus Nemeth (double bass) and Paul Motian (percussion) given in Oslo in December 1969 and broadcast in 1972 on the Norwegian public television channel NRK.

[19] In 2011 the Witness program on the BBC World Service broadcast "Keith Jarrett in Cologne" in which Vera Brandes describes the difficulties surrounding the performance.

[6] In 2019 the performance was the subject of an episode of the "Cautionary Tales" podcast, by British journalist and broadcaster Tim Harford, which looked at the role of obstacles and difficulties in fostering the creative process.

The German film entitled Köln 75, directed by Ido Fluk [de], which tells the story of this concert, will premiere at the Berlinale 2025 with Vera Brandes played by Mala Emde, Keith Jarrett by John Magaro and Manfred Eicher by Alexander Scheer.

[23] A French documentary Köln Tracks, directed by Vincent Duceau and scheduled for release in 2025, investigates the piano used by Keith Jarrett during this concert.