Jazz+ Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 A bunch of live duo clips of this pair are on YouTube. He plays a very straight left hand that is almost boring. Reminds me of a classical player that is a master of jazz. [video:youtube] Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Find 850 of Harry's solo piano arrangements of standards and jazz tutorials at https://www.patreon.com/HarryLikas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedar Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I listened with the expectation that I would disagree with you, but I understand where you're coming from. The performance does have a certain chamber music kind of quality, which is not my preference when it comes to jazz. On the other hand, I'm sure that the effect was exactly what the two of them intended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Ferris Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 It's interesting to see that even the great Brad Mehldau is not beyond what many no name jazz pianists have to deal with - a bad piano in a small club/space, and an equally bad recording put up on youtube, where people often judge their music and abilities from the video. I really dug it personally. Yes agree, many of the jazz syncopations are not there. And also concur, it does kinda get into that Chamber Jazz mode...but I go there often myself in these type of situtauons. Not on every tune, but I often approach ballads this way. Probably my Terry Trotter influence. I think this shows his paramount command of the instrument/piano, along with his intricate voice leadings (a student of Fred Hersch) and incredible touch. His playing here is very microscopic, like that of a Classical player. If you can overcome a bad piano like that, probably going through an equally bad sound system- well that's a supreme artist imo. It shows how great he can sound as an accompanist on a ballad and he doesn't have to play in 5,7 or 11 to make people go Wow!! Loved his solo lines and everything he did. I'd give it an 11 on a scale of 1-10. Granted a whole night of *this* might get old for me though. But in small doses , love it. Thanks for posting J+. https://soundcloud.com/dave-ferris https://www.youtube.com/@daveferris2709 2005 NY Steinway D Yamaha AvantGrand N3X, CP88, P515 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Quinn Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 The singer is his wife. I like the mood he created behind her. It seemed appropriate for the song and his solo was awesome. A true master. https://alquinn.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathOfInsects Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Solo was masterful. I do agree that the LH comping pattern was rigid, but if I made myself hear it as stride, I could write it off as an experiment/decision. I also wonder if the goal was to have it lay as purely a Fleurine song right up until it became a Brad Mehldau song--at which point, man did it ever. Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material. www.joshweinstein.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridog6996 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 It seemed appropriate for the song and his solo was awesome. A true master. Took the words right out of my mouth. His role there is to make the singer sound good, and maybe that kind of style was her preference. Whatever the reason, it worked. Unmistakably Mehldau too. Even in that context, and with the not-so-great recording quality, I feel like I could have listened to it blindfolded and recognized his playing. My YouTube Channel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzwee Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Isn't that a judgement you are making that he wanted to make it a swing jazz tune? Obviously here he didn't make it in that style. It's more of a slow blues. Knowing Brad's penchant for playing everything in pop and rock styles, this is not surprising. Having said that, I don't like the tune but his solos were outstanding. A lot of times, Brad is known for a very simplified LH until he starts soloing with both hands simultaneously. But that wouldn't fit here. Hamburg Steinway O, Crumar Mojo, Nord Electro 4 HP 73, EV ZXA1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedar Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Isn't that a judgement you are making that he wanted to make it a swing jazz tune? Obviously here he didn't make it in that style. It's more of a slow blues. Knowing Brad's penchant for playing everything in pop and rock styles, this is not surprising. Having said that, I don't like the tune but his solos were outstanding. A lot of times, Brad is known for a very simplified LH until he starts soloing with both hands simultaneously. But that wouldn't fit here. Yeah, I agree with all of this. As I said, I'm sure that the result was exactly what the two of them intended. I admire Brad's execution and precision, even though the "chamber" quality is not my personal preference. I believe that the seemingly rigid left-hand style is deceptively difficult to pull off and takes a lot of discipline. Also, I might have liked the tune more (or possibly less) in the context of an entire set or concert. This type of approach, seems to me, would be more satisfying if it contrasted with different types of tunes/approaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16251 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I asked myself, does this performance have to reach me cause it's Brad? If I was just listening I might not of identified him. I only listened once so I might feel different with more listening, but I didn't care for the few areas that he blues'ed out. I like it when a blues inflection is spread out cause it felt right to add. This might of been the case anyway, but it is fun to think what the soloist was thinking. AvantGrand N2 | ES520 | Gallien-Krueger MK & MP | https://soundcloud.com/pete36251 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzwee Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Actually the simple comping with the singer was quite a contrast to the sudden burst of that solo. Stood out quite a bit. I saw Brad recently and I have to say that he's really evolved quite a bit from his playing in the 90's. When I listen to his old stuff, I'm hearing the devices. Nowadays he has too many ideas to hear repeated devices. Hamburg Steinway O, Crumar Mojo, Nord Electro 4 HP 73, EV ZXA1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16251 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Actually the simple comping with the singer was quite a contrast to the sudden burst of that solo. Stood out quite a bit. I saw Brad recently and I have to say that he's really evolved quite a bit from his playing in the 90's. When I listen to his old stuff, I'm hearing the devices. Nowadays he has too many ideas to hear repeated devices. I much prefer his earliest stuff. Maybe I like hearing devices. His quartet with Pat Metheny was the last album I purchased. AvantGrand N2 | ES520 | Gallien-Krueger MK & MP | https://soundcloud.com/pete36251 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobadohshe Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 What he's doing here is masterful. His accompaniment is perfect for this vocalist and the style of this piece. His touch and balance, his subtle voiceleading, his killer use of subtle rubato to emphasis phrases and the deceptively challenging texture he has going on with 10ths and chords and right hand lines. If anyone heard this exact same performance recorded in a high quality studio there would be no doubt as to its excellence. Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37 My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16251 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I know this is a different groove but this performance is more to my liking. [video:youtube] AvantGrand N2 | ES520 | Gallien-Krueger MK & MP | https://soundcloud.com/pete36251 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morizzle Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Lyrics by the famous Jon Hendridy It's not a clone, it's a Suzuki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADino Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Well no matter how u slice it, Brad is one helluva player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzwee Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Glad we all have different tastes 16251! That one, because it's a clearly a swing tune and he' swinging the lines, I would have preferred some solid groove on the LH. His jagged off beat stuff is almost too stark for me. But always enjoying what's happening with that RH. Hamburg Steinway O, Crumar Mojo, Nord Electro 4 HP 73, EV ZXA1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JE62 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Brad Mehldau is not a stock pianist, who plays the stock licks. He is one of a few pianists, coming after the truly great ones (list here; including e.g. Powell, Evans, Garner, Monk, Tyner, etc.), who is instantly recognizable and has his own personality, in any old, and in all ways. A completely different thing is, of course, European pianists, such as Bobo Stenson or Marcin Wasilewski. Or, for that sake, a third great modernist, indian-american Vijay Iyer. Many of the best things in life are four-letter words, like Jazz, Saab. And Cats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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