Ride into the Sun
On Tour
“Few performers dissolve into their music as completely as Brad Mehldau. To watch him live is to witness a man disappearing into his own interior, as though the piano were a threshold. In Mehldau's hands, the piano becomes both confessional and sanctuary; an instrument for meeting the unmet parts of the self. His gift lies in making his interior feel universal, turning inwardness into a kind of communion.”
– Grace Easton, The Line of Best Fit
Music
Formation: Building a Personal Canon, Part 1
Available in Paperback
The book creates a vibrantly-written portrait of the jazz world in New York in the late 1980s and early 1990s, showing how a generation of musicians met and sparked off one another to take the music in new directions, drawing on a wealth of influences but also keeping sight of tradition, including those rooted in both the jazz and classical worlds.
The atmosphere of the clubs, the creative scene in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and Brad’s early experiences of touring are brilliantly brought to life. The formation of the “Mood Swing” quartet with Joshua Redman is described, as is the growth of Brad’s own groups, leading to his acclaimed Art of the Trio series of recordings with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy.
The trio’s later life with Jeff Ballard joining in place of Rossy; Brad’s solo ventures; and his explorations of other areas of music, are also covered.
The Brad Mehldau Interview with Rick Beato
Hi everyone, hope you are all well out there! Rick Beato, whom I’m sure many of you know, invited me for an interview in his studio and we got to talk shop. I’ve been a fan of Rick’s videos for a while now, and it was great fun to sit with him and wonk out a bit. Here it is if you’re interested…
– Brad