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Brad Mehldau Trio: Day is Done
by John Kelman
Sometimes it's not a good idea to mess with a good thing. Pianist Brad Mehldau's trio has remained stable since emerging on the scene in the mid-1990s, giving it time to evolve and establish the kind of chemistry that's only possible with a long-term relationship. But as freshly innovative as albums including his five memorable Art of the Trio releases and last year's Anything Goes have been, the first seconds of Radiohead's “Knives Out"--which opens Mehldau's new trio disc, Day ...
Continue ReadingBrad Mehldau: Live in Tokyo
by Peter Aaron
Detractors of pianist Brad Mehldau say his notoriety is merely a case of arriving at the right the time, of simply being the most visible Bill Evans disciple to come along in thirty-five years. They sometimes add that despite Evans' obvious influence, Mehldau's style owes more to his own European classical background than the late genius's brand of tear-stained Tin Pan Alley melancholia. Not that Mehldau doesn't have an ear for a good, sad pop tune. Since ...
Continue ReadingBrad Mehldau: Live in Tokyo
by AAJ Staff
Far be it from me to judge a record by its slipcover, but the photo of Brad Mehldau gracing the jacket of the pianist's new solo CD, Live in Tokyo (arms crossed, head bowed, jet-black background) made my heart sink. For if the prodigiously talented Mehldau has a tragic flaw, it's the self-conscious preciousness that seeps into much of his work and this is a slipcover that just screams important. Still, hope springs eternal and, tossing aside that worrisome sleeve, ...
Continue ReadingBrad Mehldau's Artful Trio, Live
by R.J. DeLuke
Brad Mehldau continues to refine the art of the jazz trio and in doing so is establishing a cohesiveness and a personal language and sound with his working group that has become as identifiable as other great trios like Keith Jarrett's, or like the late, great Bill Evans sustained during his career.Whether one believes his trio stands among the ranks of masters like Jarrett, Evans or Hank Jones is a matter of personal taste. But music isn't about ranking. ...
Continue ReadingBrad Mehldau: Live in Tokyo
by Doug Collette
With boundless energy and seemingly endless imagination, Brad Mehldau has evolved into one of the most prolific jazz musicians in the world today. Little surprise then, that a little over six months after the latest release with his trio, we have another sterling piece of work, his first on his new label affiliation. Fans of his oeuvre are well acquainted with his live recordings both solo and in a group setting and some may miss the intricate interaction with drummer ...
Continue ReadingBrad Mehldau: Live in Tokyo
by John Kelman
In the ten years since pianist Brad Mehldau began recording as a leader, starting with '95's Introducing Brad Mehldau , he has emerged as a singular voice with not only a specific vision on his instrument, but also some fairly hefty philosophies which have been detailed in lengthy liner notes on many of his releases. But personal beliefs for a musician mean little to the listener if they cannot be translated into practice, and fortunately Mehldau has done just that. ...
Continue ReadingA Fireside Chat with Brad Mehldau
by AAJ Staff
Jazz is a fickle sonance, often dogmatic and always insistent. One moment, favoring celebrity and the next, consuming the very identity that allowed for such acclaim, jazz is not unlike life. A beacon of musical sincerity among the modern mercenaries, Brad Mehldau (unedited and in his own words) has an incorruptibility that jazz nor Hollywood could exploit. Perhaps that is why Mehldau seems less a celebrity and more an artist.All About Jazz: Anything Goes is your tenth recording ...
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