Brad Mehldau Trio Live

Jazzooo · October-3rd-2003, 03:18 PM

I'll post this in the Live Performances forum as well, but it doesn't seem to get the traffic this one does, and this news is so worthy of notice...

Well, last night I saw one of the most amazing concerts of my life. I am only saying "one of the most" because I'm trying to contain myself.

Mehldau, Larry Grenadier and Jorge Rossy performed at a 600-seat theater with great acoustics, completely unamplified. This is no small feat with any acoustic trio in a room that size, but this music got pretty intense, pretty often--and they managed to convey that turmoil without overpowering each other.

Jorge Rossy is the most splendid example of how jazz drumming has evolved over the years. There are no patterns, no licks, no actual grooves other than the cooperative one you hear from standing back and absorbing the trio as one instrument. Rossy was kinetic, listening as hard as I was to the other guys, and reacting instantaneously. It seems strange to comment on how tight this trio was, as the music doesn't sound tight at all. But if you're a aplayer yourself, you can't help but be impressed with the many sublte shifts in time signatures, keys and tempos that occur through the evening, where all three artists came together without any noticeable communication.

The arrangements--wow. Interesting stuff, playing a Cole Porter tune that would modulate down a fourth in the middle of every verse, even during the extended improvisations. These guys play in 7/4 like it was the first time signature they learned.

Larry G played with gut strings, I believe. He just blew me away with his uniquely personal style and physical stamina. I had not been that impressed with his soloing capabilities on redord, but seeing him pull it off in the flesh has made me a convert.

If you don't like Brad Mehldau, you wouldn't have liked this concert very much. But if you've heard enough of him or about him to at least be intrigued, catch this fine trio on tour now. Don't hesitate--I feel that this is the kind of thing you might be telling your jazz-loving children in your old age: "I saw Brad Mehldau's trio back when he was just a kid!" His weird posture aside--he looks like he would keep a chiropractor fully occupied several days a week--this is a man with a vision and the trust and technique to lay it out in front of you. It didn't matter whether it was a ballad, a slow tango, or a swinging burner--he delivered one phenomenal performance after another. He sounds like an interesting combination of "nothing to lose" and "nothing to prove." When he felt like flying, he flew. When he felt like grabbing gorgeous clusters and sticking to texural chords for the better part of a solo, that's what he did.

Glenda and I saw this concert in the company of the best jazz musicians in San Diego. For every one of us there were long stretches where the music was simply over our heads, harmonically and rhythmically. Get Happy was done in a fast 7, and while we could hang with a lot of it, there were many times during the 15 minute song when none of us could find "one." It didn't matter to me--I just let go and drifted with the current and eventually it all came back together. Some might find it frustrating, though.

This is not the trio to catch for feel good, four on the floor swinging blues-based jazz. There is an intellectual bent to the music that would probably have grown boring if the music wasn't as harmonically lush and beautiful as it was. But as it stands, this band has tremendous heart and soul, maybe not like the kind of soul you're used to hearing but soul nonetheless.

mke · October-3rd-2003, 04:47 PM

Nice review. When I saw this trio in Brussels, it was a lacklustre performance (relative to their high standards), despite a few bright spots. I seem to remember a *slow* rendition of "Get Happy."

Jazzooo · October-3rd-2003, 08:19 PM

I guess that's why they're the band for me--last night's Get Happy was hard and fast. That kind of flexiubility really only comes from knowing your band on a deep level, imo.

James Lee · October-3rd-2003, 09:20 PM

FWIW, I caught the trio at the same venue a couple of years back - and Doug's review fits my recollection perfectly. I would have loved to have been there again, but a situation prevented me from attending. Glad you had a great time, Doug - I assume you met up with Duncan and Peter again?

Tom Storer · October-4th-2003, 07:42 AM

Thanks for this review, Doug. I haven't explored Mehldau as much as I should. Of his many trio albums, which one would you recommend to start with?

mke · October-4th-2003, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tom Storer
Of his many trio albums, which one would you recommend to start with?

I would avoid Vol. 1. Vols. 3 & 4 are good, 4 being live. I don't have Vol. 5 or Places.

James Lee · October-4th-2003, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jazzooo
I guess that's why they're the band for me--last night's Get Happy was hard and fast. That kind of flexiubility really only comes from knowing your band on a deep level, imo.

These guys have been playing together for a while now. One could fairly assume that they've "taken it up a notch" over the past couple of years ----- another reason I should have considered taking the time to make the concert.

Jazzooo · October-5th-2003, 01:27 AM

Yes, although they've done other gigs as sidemen, they've been working as a trio for 8 years now. It really shows.

I would start with Art of the Trio Volume 3 (by the way, I have 2, 3 and 4 and they are all live recordings as far as I can tell. There might be a track or two from the studio mixed in.)

I would not make Largo (some interesting stuff but also some experiments with drum loops and special effects that didn't really grab me) and Elegiac Cycle (solo piano).

Art Volume 3, however, is dynamite--some gorgeous standards and some exciting new melodies. It's my favorite Mehldau album so far.

gnhrtg · October-6th-2003, 08:53 AM

Volumes 2,4 and 5 are live recordings from Village Vanguard. Volumes 1 and 3 are studio dates. I have, and like, all the recordings of this trio but Volume 1 and Places, though I have listened to Places quite a bit.

I agree, thought no one asked me, that Largo and Elegiac Cycle are more for fully converted fans and completists, and that Volume 3 is arguably the best place to start. Even though Volume 5 is a terrific double-disc, I think that Mehldau might push things a bit too for some on the live discs (to clarify definitely do not think so myself but folks who are used to studio recordings and more conventional durations for tunes might lose interest due to all the odd-meters and his long solo introductions).

Volume 3 as a starter, and then I would try Volume 2 (live with covers of standards, mostly), Volume 4 (live with burning versions standards - an odd timed All the Things You are and a great version of Solar, a Radiohead tune, and originals), and lastly Volume 5 (live with "can you say odd-times" in the first disc and some great ballads on the second).

Since I got started, my favorite appearance of Mehldau as a sideman is on Charles Lloyd's recent EMI (not Hyperion with Higgins, but the previous one). He is less impressive on Scofield's Works For Me, and I to my ears less developed on the two recordings with Konitz and Haden. Oh and I would avoid Walt Weiskopf's "Man of Many Colors" at all costs. I bought the disc only for Mehldau and was horrified with the lack of creativity in the tunes and solos.

Mike Schwartz · October-10th-2003, 08:00 PM

This thread disappeared off the board quickly.
Saw the trio with a friend last nite at Yoshi's to a PACKED house, the second set on the first of a 4 day stay.

The 3 of them are so tight...so well in sync with one another that as the music propels and winds it's way through the interesting array of selections, it came over me like a wave how wonderful they are as a trio. Uncommonly so, IMO.

Ditto [at least] Jazzooo's words on Jorge Rossi. Words like 'fresh' or 'refreshing' just a try to describe what I cannot.

Larry Grenedier is simply a monster.
He's the pulse in a band that has a fantastic feel of being free flowing. No small feat in this group.

Then we get to Mehldau...I'd swear that if he just 'pointed' to a key on the piano it would produce the perfectly touched sound.

Highlights were a Bolero from the Charlie Haden recording with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, a disecting of one of the lesser known Monk compositions "Skippy" and a fantastic piece I did not recognize until it was announced, Paul Simon's "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover"

Bay Area folks... the trio is at Yoshi's through this coming Sunday

Jazzooo · October-11th-2003, 01:19 AM

Happy in my heart that you saw them, Mike. But I've got to tell you--I got that "50 Ways about 3 minutes from the end of the song--of course, 10 minutes had already gone by!

Jazzooo · October-11th-2003, 12:45 PM

To me, this trio is the answer to those who start threads about "Isn't jazz really dead?" Watching them is like witnessing a portion of the evolution of mainstream jazz. They aren't the only ones I feel this way about, but they are right up there. If some folks need to hear a drum n' bass groove in order for something to sound "contemporary," then I just think they have too narrow a definition of the word.

James Lee · October-11th-2003, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jazzooo
To me, this trio is the answer to those who start threads about "Isn't jazz really dead?" Watching them is like witnessing a portion of the evolution of mainstream jazz.

Exaaaaaaaaactly. Although my gut tells me that listeners who start such threads would find a way to dismiss this music nonetheless.

mke · October-11th-2003, 02:34 PM

"Boomer" was played at the concert I mentioned earlier. I found Rossy embarassingly bad on it, even though he was playing a relatively simple back-beat. However, I love his playing on the Radiohead covers.

I look forward to hearing them in a club situation, I heard them in a concert hall.

Mike Schwartz · October-11th-2003, 02:37 PM

I'd also like to mention, and happily so, that I went with another '50 somethin' friend of mine, it was amazing how the audience was dominated by those who were 20's & 30's

mke · October-11th-2003, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike Schwartz
it was amazing how the audience was dominated by those who were 20's & 30's

Is it, really?

I first saw Mehldau play a solo concert 3.5 years ago and the next day I went and bought Vol. 4. Even though I had never listened to Radiohead before (apart from "Creep," which at the time I didn't even know was Radiohead), "Exit Music (For a Film)" spoke to me directly, gave me an easy point of entry, even as I found the rest quite difficult. So I'm not surprised that he reaches many other people around my age.

Mike Schwartz · October-11th-2003, 05:09 PM

I'm only mentioning it mke, because to me Mehldau plays in a way that I'm sure appeals to the 'veteran' jazzer and the fact that this particular audience was populated by such a large percentage of younger admirers both surprised and pleased me!

mke · October-11th-2003, 06:50 PM

In that sense, okay. I guess it's not easy to have an approach that appeals to both young and "old."

Jazzooo · October-12th-2003, 11:50 AM

"I guess it's not easy to have an approach that appeals to both young and "old.""

I honestly don't think it's easy to have an approach that appeals to anyone. It only seems easy.

As for your coment about Rossi was "embarrassingly bad" on that song, mke, I'm sure you'll understand if I take that with a huge grain of salt. We're all human and capable of blowing a performance now and then, but even still having just seen him I think iot's more likely that you just didn't connect with what he was playing on that tune. Maybe we just have a different definition of enbarrassingly bad!