There are jazz pianists and then there are JAZZ pianists, and clearly Brad Mehldau is in the latter category.  I have been a great admirer of his ouevre for a long time, going back now to his first CD  Introducing Brad Mehldau (1995). This man has the chops and skills and has been properly trained as well.   Of the current group that could be called the young lions of jazz piano  (Cyrus Chestnut,  Bill Charlap, Marcus Roberts Mehldau and others),  there is little question that Mehldau  has to be considered at the very top of anyone’s list as a player and artist.  We will talk about Brad as a composer in a moment, but that is a separate matter.   One of the highlights of my jazz watching career was going to D.C. to see Mehldau and Metheny play for over two hours on their once in a lifetime tour.  Just astonishing virtuosity by both players and it was clear that they had spurred each other on to great heights.  Some of Metheny’s lyricism and melodic sense had rubbed off on Mehldau and some of Mehldau’s minor modes and darker hews had colored the Metheny palette to some degree. Not only did I buy the two CDs (one with just the duo, one with Brad’s trio as well), I still play them a lot. I would consider those two CDs some of the best in contemporary jazz.   I already really liked  Brad’s The Art of the Trio series, and various of his other CDs, but that cross-fertilization with Metheny was simply alchemy of an incredible sort.

It was then with great anticipation that I awaited the new Mehldau project Highway Rider, a two disk set complete with orchestra…. and no less than sax man extraordinare Joshua Redman on a whole series of cuts.   Now jazz is not something you listen to as background music for the most part (unless we are talking about the ‘pop’ infused stuff called smooth jazz, which some would not even call jazz at all. That judgment is a tad uncharitable however).  To listen to Brad’s new CD you need to have: 1) good speakers; 2) a good disk changer; 3) a good amount of time;  4)  the ability to stay focused and not get distracted, and two good ears to listen carefully to what is going on. This is rich, highly textured music and requires repeated listening.   But here is what I can tell you thus far.

First of all, as usual Nonesuch has produced a beautiful package for this music (better than the old ones when Brad was with Warner Brothers). As a former orchestral player myself I can tell you the orchestra arrangements are nice. In fact the pieces with the orchestra are some of the best material on both these CDs. I would especially refer you to Walking the Peak, the last cut on the first CD, and the Gershwin like first cut on the second CD called We’ll Cross the River Together (do not ask me where these titles come from and how they connect with the music, as frequently this is unclear).   There are some other special cuts as well, including the number which seems to include some of Brad’s family or friends on vocals The Falcon will Fly Again.    

There are however a few disappointments.  If you know Mehldau’s own compositions, they are largely in minor keys (the blues end of jazz in some respects) and there tends to be a lot of repetitive left hand chording or comping often in 4/4 time.  These traits which we have heard many times before recur on this latest CD on too many cuts, and I found this somewhat disappointing.  My hope had been that the exposure to Metheny would help Mehldau stretch out melodically a bit more.  Lord knows he is very capable. Listen for example to the wonderful Live in Tokyo CD of his.  This is fantastic stuff.  Perhaps Mehldau just has a melancholy muse.  It’s hard to say.    But I must give this new CD more listenings.  

For now I would say those who want to sample the prolific Mehldau early middle and late try the following: 1) the aforementioned two CDs with Metheny;  2) the very first CD  Introducing Brad Mehldau;  3) Live in Tokyo;  4) Songs (the Art of the Trio Vol. 3). Here in part we hear what a wonderful way he has of revisiting some jazz standards and making them his own.  This side of Mehldau I like better than some of his original compositions, but then he has some fine originals as well.  

Is the latest CD the sign of  a Mehldau Meltdown?  Certainly not.  But it is also not his best work either.