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Brad Mehldau | Essential albums and listening guide
Explore Brad Mehldau through The Art of the Trio, Vol. One. Discover what to listen for and follow related styles to your next record.
Brad Mehldau
Meet the artist
A representative work of modern jazz piano, which integrates the grammatical structures of both classical and rock music through its unique contrapuntal piano performances. Independent lines in the two hands meet a patient exploration of song.
Rock repertoire, like standards, becomes material for improvisation. Repeated melodies acquire unexpected depth as harmony and rhythm change around them. In the trio, three senses of time interweave, keeping even quiet passages alert. A classical awareness of form coexists with jazz conversation, rewarding attention to structure and moment-to-moment change alike.
Where to start listening
Notice the accompaniment moving behind the melody. Comparing different settings reveals how the piano shapes a piece's sense of time and space.
1997The Art of the Trio, Vol. One
Brad Mehldau
Larry Grenadier’s first collaboration as a trio with Helio Rossi. Through standard compositions and his own pieces, he had a significant influence on the development of piano trios in later times.
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2002Largo
Brad Mehldau
The producer John Bryon was involved in this project. It featured strings, wind instruments, and several drummers. The goal was to achieve an orchestral sound that went beyond the boundaries of a trio format.
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Years follow the Atlas catalogue. Recording dates, original release dates and digital reissue dates may differ.