Profile of Brad Mehldau on Famous Like Me

Brad Mehldau (born August 23, 1970) is an American jazz pianist. His classical training shows, and he often plays a separate melody with each hand in unusual rhythmic meters such as 5/4 and 7/4.

The musician

Mehldau plays original compositions, jazz standards and popular music. He has written, played, and recorded as leader of the Brad Mehldau Trio with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard, who replaced Jorge Rossy in 2005. He has also played and recorded solo and with co-leaders Peter Bernstein, Mark Turner, Charlie Haden, and others. In 2004, Mehldau toured with Kurt Rosenwinkel and Joshua Redman.

Mehldau is sometimes compared with Bill Evans but dislikes the comparison, explaining why in the liner notes of one of his albums. Also compared to Keith Jarrett, he describes Jarrett's solo work as more inspiration than influence. Mehldau partially lists his influences as Miles Davis, Larry Goldings, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jesse Davis, David Sanchez, and the other two members of his own trio.

Discography

Albums as leader or solo

• Introducing Brad Mehldau (1995)
• The Art of the Trio (1996)
• The Art of the Trio II — Live At The Village Vanguard (1997)
• The Art of the Trio III — Songs (1998)
• Elegiac Cycle (1999)
• The Art of the Trio IV — Back At The Vanguard (1999)
• Places (2000)
• The Art of the Trio V — Progression (2001)
• Largo (2002)
• Anything Goes (2004)
• Live in Tokyo — Solo Piano (2004)
• Day is Done (Trio) (2005)

Albums as co-leader

• New York-Barcelona Crossing Volume 1 (1993) Mehldau, Rossy, Rossy, Sambeat
• New York-Barcelona Crossing Volume 2 (1993) Mehldau, Rossy, Rossy, Sambeat
• When I Fall In Love (1993) Mehldau & Rossy Trio
• Consenting Adults (1994) Mehldau, Turner, Bernstein, Grenadier, Parker
• Alone Together (1997) Mehldau, Haden, Konitz
• Another Shade of Blue (1999) Mehldau, Haden, Konitz
• Close Enough For Love (1999) Fleurine
• Don't Explain (2004) Joel Frahm, Brad Mehldau

Albums as sideman

• The Water Is Wide (2000, ECM) Charles Lloyd
• Hyperion With Higgins (2001, ECM) Charles Lloyd
• Deep Song (2005, Verve) Kurt Rosenwinkel

Soundtracks

• Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil (1997)
• Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
• Space Cowboys (2000)
• Million Dollar Hotel (2000)
• Ma Femme Est une Actrice (2001)

This content from Wikipedia is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Brad Mehldau