The Brad Mehldau Trio began a four-night residency at Yoshi's in Oakland last night. Mehldau recently returned to the US after an extensive European tour and kicked things off with a solo show at Largo in LA. The Los Angeles Times says any solo set from Mehldau "promises to be an adventurous treat" and finds the pianist to be "at the peak of his powers," calling his latest album, Highway Rider, "one of the most striking jazz releases of the year."
The Brad Mehldau Trio settled in for a four-night residency at Yoshi's in Oakland, California, last night, with two sets to follow on each night this weekend. Brad Mehldau returned to the States just last weekend after an extensive tour of Europe and a two-night stint in Mexico City. His first set back in the US, Tuesday night, was, incidentally, at Largo, the Los Angeles club and title of his first collaboration with producer Jon Brion, who also helmed Mehldau's latest Nonesuch release, Highway Rider.
Los Angeles Times music critic Chris Barton, in a review of the show, describes Highway Rider as as "a lush double-album of intricate compositions that floats between the worlds of jazz, classical and pop for one of the most striking jazz releases of the year." Given that, Barton was surprised to find Mehldau playing solo, but insists, "when a musician who sees what Mehldau sees at the piano opts for a solo performance, the night promises to be an adventurous treat."
On the set list were songs from as far and wide as Stone Temple Pilots, Verve, Neil Young, Nirvana, Massive Attack, Jeff Buckley, and Paul Simon.
"Though L.A. listeners will regrettably have to wait to find out how Highway Rider translates to the stage," says Barton, "it was still impossible to walk away disappointed by what Mehldau shared from his personal jukebox. Now at the peak of his powers, any way he turns sounds like a journey worth taking."
Read the complete concert review at latimes.com.
---
The San Diego Union Tribune previewed Mehldau's set in that city Wednesday night with an extensive profile of the artist from the paper's pop music critic George Varga, who describes the music of Highway Rider as "inviting," containing "elements of jazz, classical and other styles, but is not bound by any of them. It is less a hybrid than an organic blend that mixes familiar elements in unfamiliar ways." You'll find the article at signonsandiego.com.
---
A recent album review of Highway Rider from The Observer made particular note of the improvisations from Mehldau and from Joshua Redman, insisting that they "are so cunningly intertwined with the orchestral parts that they seem to grow out of one another." Reviewer Dave Gelly concludes: "To sustain this variety of texture and clarity of detail over the length of a double CD is a remarkable achievement for anyone. For a first-time orchestral composer it's phenomenal." Read more at guardian.co.uk.
---
Mehldau will give the world premiere concert performance of Highway Rider this fall with his quintet, featuring Redman, and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, led by conductor Scott Yoo, at the Walker Arts Center in Minneapolis, on November 5 and 6, followed by the New York premiere in Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall November 9. The Los Angeles premiere will take place at Walt Disney Concert Hall in January 2010. For more tour information on these and other upcoming performances, visit nonesuch.com/on-tour.
To pick up a copy of the Highway Rider CD, with an instant download of the complete album as audiophile-quality 320 kbps MP3s at no additional charge, plus an exclusive bonus demo/commentary track as an added download, visit the Nonesuch Store now.
- Log in to post comments
