Brad Mehldau, piano
Larry Grenadier, bass
Jorge Rossy, drums
Recorded July 29 - August 3, 1997
The Village Vanguard
Engineer: James Farber
It's difficult to review any Brad Mehldau album without engaging the controversy regarding opinions he has expressed regarding his influences. But I am not going to fall into the trap laid by others who have criticized Mehldau unfairly for disrespecting pianists to whom he has inappropriately been compared, notably Bill Evans. Reading that stream of commentary, which goes back to the 1990s, puts me in a sour mood. I would rather simply explain why Mehldau's The Art of the Trio, Volume 2 is one of my favorites.
In Mehldau, I discovered an artist who took the idea of a piano trio to places I never dreamed possible. He takes more liberties in improvising than I had ever heard previously. Listening to all four volumes in the series actually became a sport for me. For example, I'd hear a long tempo-free introduction and grinned when I figured out what standard was being played. I'd ask myself, "Is this really going to be "All the Things You Are"? (from Volume 4). As the improvisations unfolded, I could admire the cleverness, depth, and ingenuity of what Mehldau does with standard material.
Volume Two is my favorite of the Art of the Trio series because I know all six tunes intimately. They are:
"It's Alright with Me"
"Young and Foolish"
"Monk's Dream"
"The Way You Look Tonight"
"Moon River"
"Countdown"
I have not compared Mehldau's versions with those of other artists; I tend to enjoy who I am hearing without ranking or rating different versions. If I am mesmerized by the ingenuity on display, I am a happy man.
Incidentally, Brad Mehldau does not sound at all like Bill Evans.
.webp)
No comments:
Post a Comment