The ECHO Jazz 2015 Award nominations have been announced by the German Recording Academy, and among the nominees are three Nonesuch Records artists and their latest albums: Brad Mehldau, who is up for International Instrumentalist of the Year, Piano/Keyboards, for his album with drummer Mark Guiliana, Mehliana: Taming the Dragon; Pat Metheny for International Instrumentalist of the Year, Guitar, and Pat Metheny Unity Group for International Ensemble of the Year for the album Kin (←→); and Joshua Redman for International Instrumentalist of the Year, Saxophone/Woodwinds, for Trios Live.

The debut album from the electric duo of Brad Mehldau and Mark Guiliana, Mehliana: Taming the Dragon, features Mehldau on Fender Rhodes and synthesizers and Guiliana on drums and effects. Mehliana comprises 12 original tunes—six written by the duo and six written by Mehldau—and was engineered and mixed by Greg Koller (Jon Brion, Kanye West). Jazzwise calls it "astonishing ... one of the best albums of 2014." The vinyl edition was pressed at Pallas MFG in Diepholz, Germany.

On 2012's Grammy-winning album Unity Band, Pat Metheny recorded with a band that highlighted tenor saxophone for the first time since 1980, featuring Chris Potter on sax and bass clarinet, Antonio Sanchez on drums, and Ben Williams on bass. With Kin (←→), Metheny has added multi-instrumentalist Giulio Carmassi and christened the ensemble Pat Metheny Unity Group. The album "takes guitar-led improvisation to new aesthetic levels," says Mojo, Metheny's "eloquent guitar etching a kaleidoscope of sonic hues." The vinyl edition was pressed at Pallas MFG in Diepholz, Germany.

Joshua Redman's Trios Live was recorded during stands with two different trios: Redman and drummer Gregory Hutchinson with bassists Matt Penman (at Jazz Standard in NYC) and Reuben Rogers (at Blues Alley in Washington, DC). Trios Live features four original tunes by Redman and interpretations of three additional songs. "It's a great set," says the Financial Times, "full of muscular rhythms and the abandon of live performance, yet as tightly argued as a rigorous studio date." BBC Music Magazine gives it four stars, calling it "a thrill-a-minute set." Chicago Reader calls it "one of the best records of his career."

This year's ECHO Jazz Awards ceremony will take place at the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg on May 28. For additional details and the complete list of nominees, visit echojazz.de.