Quartet
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104188
Track Listing
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17:59
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106:03
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112:31
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23:53
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36:56
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47:08
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58:10
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66:57
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77:43
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86:09
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99:07
News & Reviews
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SFJAZZ has announced its 2022–23 concert season including performances from Brad Mehldau, Joshua Redman, Christian McBride, Brian Blade, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Laurie Anderson, and Mariza. This marks the 10th anniversary season of the SFJAZZ Center and the 40th anniversary of the organization.
Brad Mehldau’s new album, Jacob’s Ladder, first released on CD and digital in March, is now available in a double vinyl set. The album features new music that reflects on scripture and the search for God through music inspired by the prog rock he loved as a young adolescent—his gateway to the fusion that eventually led to his discovery of jazz. Featured musicians on the album include label mates Chris Thile and Cécile McLorin Salvant, as well as Mark Guiliana, Becca Stevens, Joel Frahm, and others. Mojo calls it "a kaleidoscopic affair, where baroque prog-rock edifices are juxtaposed with clouds of ethereal choirs, dreamy piano interludes, and squalls of free jazz-style clarinet. Skillfully weaving these elements into storytelling sound collages, Mehldau takes the listener on a memorable musical journey."
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About This Album
“Individually, the performers are as sharp as you would expect, but it is their interplay that sets this release apart. Mehldau’s knack for probing away at the structure of a tune and Metheny’s fleet-fingered flights of fancy complement each other beautifully.”—Independent (UK)
Nonesuch releases the second collaboration between guitarist Pat Metheny and pianist Brad Mehldau—Quartet—on March 13, 2007. The record features seven tracks written by Metheny, three by Mehldau, and one jointly written tune. Mehldau’s bandmates, drummer Jeff Ballard and bassist Larry Grenadier, play on seven of the songs, while the remaining three are duets. The four musicians go on a 27-city North American tour—including stops in Los Angeles, Berkeley, Chicago, Boston, Washington, and New York—March 15–April 15.
Quartet follows the 2006 release Metheny Mehldau, which primarily was a duet record (with Ballard and Grenadier on two tracks), and also featured original compositions by Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau. Jazzwise (UK)called that album “the jazz event of the year by some distance.” “I have followed Brad’s career closely as he has emerged as the major young jazz musician of his generation,” Metheny says. “Somehow it always seemed like we would do something together. From the first note of the first take of the first tune we played, we both could just play pretty much full out.”
Mehldau agrees: “When you do a collaborative project with someone, one thing that you hope is that neither of you will have to adjust too radically to make the other person comfortable. In this situation with Pat, it was the opposite.” He continues, “Having the chance to make music with Pat Metheny has been nothing short of a dream come true for me. Pat is one of the musicians who made me want to play jazz from an early age.”Credits
MUSICIANS
Pat Metheny, guitar (1, 3, 6-8, 10, 11), 42-string guitar (2), acoustic guitar (4), guitar synth (5, 9)
Brad Mehldau, piano (1-11)
Larry Grenadier, bass (1-11)
Jeff Ballard, drums (1-11)PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Pat Metheny
Recorded December 2005 at Right Track Recording, New York, NY
Engineered by Pete Karam
Assistant Engineers: Hyomin Kang, Angie Teo, Justin Schturtz
Mixed by Rob Eaton at Right Track Recording
Additional Mixing by Pete Karam
Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, New York, NY
Guitar Tech: Carolyn Chrzan
Production assistance: David Oakes
Design by Doyle Partners
Cover photograph by Arild Danielsen
Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz
More From
Mehldau’s rhythm section appears on these expansive tracks from the landmark 2005 Metheny/Mehldau sessions. Says the Washington Post, “[Larry] Grenadier and [Jeff] Ballard provide a rhythmic grounding that seems to focus the two leaders into more sharply shaped phrases.”
“Individually, the performers are as sharp as you would expect, but it is their interplay that sets this release apart. Mehldau’s knack for probing away at the structure of a tune and Metheny’s fleet-fingered flights of fancy complement each other beautifully.”—Independent (UK)
Nonesuch releases the second collaboration between guitarist Pat Metheny and pianist Brad Mehldau—Quartet—on March 13, 2007. The record features seven tracks written by Metheny, three by Mehldau, and one jointly written tune. Mehldau’s bandmates, drummer Jeff Ballard and bassist Larry Grenadier, play on seven of the songs, while the remaining three are duets. The four musicians go on a 27-city North American tour—including stops in Los Angeles, Berkeley, Chicago, Boston, Washington, and New York—March 15–April 15.
Quartet follows the 2006 release Metheny Mehldau, which primarily was a duet record (with Ballard and Grenadier on two tracks), and also featured original compositions by Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau. Jazzwise (UK)called that album “the jazz event of the year by some distance.” “I have followed Brad’s career closely as he has emerged as the major young jazz musician of his generation,” Metheny says. “Somehow it always seemed like we would do something together. From the first note of the first take of the first tune we played, we both could just play pretty much full out.”
Mehldau agrees: “When you do a collaborative project with someone, one thing that you hope is that neither of you will have to adjust too radically to make the other person comfortable. In this situation with Pat, it was the opposite.” He continues, “Having the chance to make music with Pat Metheny has been nothing short of a dream come true for me. Pat is one of the musicians who made me want to play jazz from an early age.”
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Pat Metheny
Recorded December 2005 at Right Track Recording, New York, NY
Engineered by Pete Karam
Assistant Engineers: Hyomin Kang, Angie Teo, Justin Schturtz
Mixed by Rob Eaton at Right Track Recording
Additional Mixing by Pete Karam
Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, New York, NY
Guitar Tech: Carolyn Chrzan
Production assistance: David Oakes
Design by Doyle Partners
Cover photograph by Arild Danielsen
Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

104188
MUSICIANS
Pat Metheny, guitar (1, 3, 6-8, 10, 11), 42-string guitar (2), acoustic guitar (4), guitar synth (5, 9)
Brad Mehldau, piano (1-11)
Larry Grenadier, bass (1-11)
Jeff Ballard, drums (1-11)