Brad Mehldau shares the story behind his upcoming album, Ride into the Sun—a songbook record of music by the late singer, songwriter, and guitarist Elliott Smith—and his relationship to Smith's music in a new video filmed at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, where the album was recorded. Singer/guitarist Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear, singer/mandolinist Chris Thile, and bassist John Davis, who perform on the album, share their thoughts as well. The album, due August 29 on Nonesuch, also features bassist Felix Moseholm, drummer Matt Chamberlain, and a chamber orchestra led by Dan Coleman. 

Pianist and composer Brad Mehldau’s Ride into the Sun—a songbook record of music by the late singer, songwriter, and guitarist Elliott Smith—is due August 29, 2025, on Nonesuch Records. Featured musicians include singer/guitarist Daniel Rossen (Grizzly Bear); singer/mandolinist Chris Thile (Punch Brothers, Nickel Creek); bassists Felix Moseholm (Brad Mehldau Trio, Samara Joy) and John Davis (who also engineered and mixed the album); drummer Matt Chamberlain (Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Randy Newman); and a chamber orchestra led by Dan Coleman, who also conducted on Mehldau’s 2010 album Highway Rider.

Pianist and composer Brad Mehldau’s Ride into the Sun—a songbook record of music by the late singer, songwriter, and guitarist Elliott Smith—is due August 29, 2025, on Nonesuch Records. Featured musicians include singer/guitarist Daniel Rossen (Grizzly Bear); singer/mandolinist Chris Thile (Punch Brothers, Nickel Creek); bassists Felix Moseholm (Brad Mehldau Trio, Samara Joy) and John Davis (who also engineered and mixed the album); drummer Matt Chamberlain (Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Randy Newman); and a chamber orchestra led by Dan Coleman, who also conducted on Mehldau’s 2010 album Highway Rider.

As part of the year-long celebration of Nonesuch Records' 60th anniversary, Brad Mehldau joins the Nonesuch Selects video series, in which artists stop by the Nonesuch office, pick some of their favorite albums from the music library, and share a few words on their choices. Mehldau stopped by and chose recordings by Richard Goode, Dawn Upshaw, Adam Guettel, Kronos Quartet, and Darcy James Argue's Secret Society.

A scrolling piano score for “Après Fauré: Prelude” from Brad Mehldau's 2024 album, Après Fauré. On the album, Mehldau performs four nocturnes, from a thirty-seven-year span of Gabriel Fauré’s career, as well as a reduction of an excerpt from the Adagio movement of his Piano Quartet in G Minor. Here Mehldau’s four compositions that Fauré inspired are presented in a group, bookended by two sections featuring the French composer’s works. Video by Robert Edridge-Waks.

Brad Mehldau performs “Golden Slumbers” from his 2023 album, Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles. The live solo album, recorded in September 2020 at Philharmonie de Paris, features the pianist and composer’s interpretations of nine songs by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and one by George Harrison. The album ends with a David Bowie classic that draws a connection between The Beatles and pop songwriters who followed. An extended version of this live performance video, recorded at New York City’s legendary Village Vanguard, preceded by an introduction by the pianist, may be seen here. 

Brad Mehldau performs “I Am the Walrus” from his 2023 album, Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles. The live solo album, recorded in September 2020 at Philharmonie de Paris, features the pianist and composer’s interpretations of nine songs by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and one by George Harrison. The album ends with a David Bowie classic that draws a connection between The Beatles and pop songwriters who followed. An extended version of this live performance video, recorded at New York City’s legendary Village Vanguard, preceded by an introduction by the pianist, may be seen here. 

Brad Mehldau performs the title track from his 2023 album, Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles. The live solo album, recorded in September 2020 at Philharmonie de Paris, features the pianist and composer’s interpretations of nine songs by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and one by George Harrison. The album ends with a David Bowie classic that draws a connection between The Beatles and pop songwriters who followed. An extended version of this live performance video, recorded at New York City’s legendary Village Vanguard, preceded by an introduction by the pianist, may be seen here.

The members of the legendary original 1990s Joshua Redman Quartet—Redman (saxophone), Brad Mehldau (piano), Christian McBride (bass), and Brian Blade (drums)—perform "Disco Ears" from their album LongGone. Filmed by Matthew Beighley and Jacqueline Santillan live at the Falcon in Marlboro, New York, on September 7, 2019.

Brad Mehldau's "Tom Sawyer," from his 2022 album, Jacob's Ladder. The song, Mehldau’s interpretation of the Rush classic, features his Nonesuch Records label mate Chris Thile on lead vocals and mandolin as well as Joel Frahm on saxophones and Mark Guiliana on drums; Mehldau plays keyboards and provides additional vocals. Video animated by Robert Edridge-Waks with artwork by Mehldau.