Brad Mehldau: The Art of the Trio 4: Back at the Vanguard

Known for name-dropping as often as Robin Leetch, music critics often throw around names like Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett when discussing Brad Mehldau, although the young pianist denies their influence. In the liner notes to The Art of the Trio 4, Mehldau blasts these uninformed comparisons, which straitjacket his attempts to break out with an individual sound. "When you're trying to create something personal," he writes, "it's frustrating to be categorized away with no explanation."

In Art of the Trio 4, Mehldau transcends comparison to other pianists. At times, he even transcends his own past performances, reinterpreting two songs—Radiohead's "Sehnsucht" and "Exit Music (For a Film)—" that appeared on Art of the Trio 3. Mehldau's second interpretation of "Exit Music" departs from the melancholy tone of the original. Here, he's more frenzied and intense, racing up and down the keyboard to produce a rich, sparkling sound that is much fuller than one would expect from a three-piece combo.

On parts of "Nice Pass," Mehldau again succeeds in producing ample sound—he often uses his two hands independently to create what sounds like two separate melodic lines. But he also gives a sparer rendering of the melody, especially when he allows bassist Larry Grenadier to solo. Grenadier, along with drummer Jorge Rossy, is deft throughout the album, continually offering shifts in rhythm and tempo that provide a backdrop for Mehldau's own variations. These transformations in "Nice Pass"—which, at 17:35, might seem like an unbearable exercise in endurance—dazzle for the entire duration.

Mehldau's ability to guide and mutate melody is what makes him one of the most exciting artists recording today—a talent on par with, say, Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett. (Warner)

—Kate Moran

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