JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO - Vivaldi : The Four Seasons (1997) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Pianist Jacques Loussier has certainly had an unusual career, much of it spent performing jazz interpretations of Bach's music. While his original works have been noteworthy, Loussier's most famous projects have been his transformations of Bach's music. In 1997 he tackled Vivaldi's Four Seasons, four concertos that he performed and recorded with his trio. As with Bach's pieces, Loussier pays respect to Vivaldi's melodies and the development of the works while swinging the music. He divides each of the concertos into three parts, improvises tastefully while keeping the themes in mind, and leads his trio through some uncharted territory. Loussier occasionally recalls the style of John Lewis and Allegro Non Molto from the Summer piece has some resemblances to Lewis' "Django." Due to Loussier's impressive technique, respect for both idioms and his well thought-out concept, this unique set is a complete by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
La Primavera - Spring (Concerto No. 1 In E Major)    
L'Estate - Summer (Concerto No. 2 In G Minor)    
L'Autunno - Autumn (Concerto No. 3 In F Major)    
L'Inverno - Winter (Concerto No. 4 In F Minor)     
Credits:
Composed By – Vivaldi
Double Bass – Vincent Charbonnier
Drums – André Arpino
Piano, Producer, Arranged By – Jacques Loussier

JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO - Satie : Gymnopédies • Gnossiennes (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 
Tracklist:
1     Gymnopédie No.1 / Var.1     4:35
2     Gymnopédie No.1 / Var. 2     4:32
3     Gnossienne No.3     4:25
4     Gnossienne No.6     5:22
5     Gnossienne No.2     4:16
6     Gymnopédie No.1 / Var. 3     5:03
7     Gnossienne No.4     7:08
8     Gnossienne No.5     4:12
9     Gymnopédie No.1 / Var. 4     3:42
10     Gnossienne No.1     3:52
11     Pas À Pas     3:44
Credits:
Bass – Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac
Drums – André Arpino
Piano – Jacques Loussier
 

JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO - Ravel's Bolero (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Ravel: Bolero continues Jacques Loussier's series of jazz-inspired interpretations of classical music. His version of "Bolero" emphasizes the hypnotic, rhythmic structure of the work, and highlights his inspired, energetic playing. by Heather Phares
Tracklist:
1     Ravel's Boléro 17:10
    Arranged By – Jacques Loussier
    Nympheás
2     I. Allegro 6:06
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
3     II. Andante 5:41
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
4     III. Vivace 5:23
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
5     IV. Largo 5:57
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
6     V. Presto 3:50
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
7     VI. Cantabile 3:03
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
8     VII. Prestissimo 4:09
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
Credits:
Bass – Benoît Dunoyer de Segonzac
Drums – André Arpino
Piano – Jacques Loussier

JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO - The Music of Debussy (2000) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

When Jacques Loussier gave the music of Johann Sebastian Bach the jazz treatment (as others, notably the Modern Jazz Quartet, had before him), it worked really well. The tumbling flow of Bach's contrapuntal lines, the square rhythms that just beg to be played with a swing feel -- everything about Bach that makes his music the farthest thing from jazz seems to make jazz adaptations inevitable. The French composer Claude Debussy is a less obvious choice, and on this album you see why. Debussy was a much more impressionistic composer, and his music doesn't have either the rhythmic vitality or the sense of driving tonal logic that fuels the music of Bach. That makes it harder to fit his compositions into a jazz context. That Loussier succeeds as much as he does is a compliment to his sensitivity as a pianist and to his trio's ability to work with him intuitively. Loussier's renditions of "Prelude a l'Apres-Midi d'un Faune" and "Reverie" sound a lot like Bill Evans at his most ethereal; things pick up a bit on "L'Isle Joyeuse," but even that relatively energetic track is pretty well lacking in swing. The final result is music that doesn't sound much like jazz, but is quite enjoyable anyway. by Rick Anderson 
Tracklist:
1    Clair de Lune 8:03       
2    Prelude a l'Apres-Midi d'Un Faune 10:47  
3    Araesque 6:23       
4    La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin 4:43  
5    L' Isle Joyeuse 6:06   
6    Reverie 5:10   
7    La Cathédrale Engloutie 6:23  
8    Syrinx 3:54
Credits:
Piano, Arranged By – Jacques Loussier
Bass – Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac
Composed By – Claude Debussy
Drums – André Arpino

JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO - Bach : The Brandenburgs (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Depending on who you talk to, the third stream movement of the '50s was either an absolute blessing or an absolute curse. There are racial separatists who claim that third stream was an assault on African-American culture because it tried to "whiten" jazz, and there are equally silly individuals who insist that Beethoven and Mozart were jazz musicians but that Chick Corea, Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny are not. Discussions of third stream tend to inspire moronic comments from both pro-third stream and anti-third stream people, but the bottom line is that third stream has had both its ups and downs creatively (more ups than downs). Not everything that French pianist Jacques Loussier (one of Europe's leading third stream proponents) has recorded is great -- some of his jazz/Euro-classical experiments have worked well, some not so well -- but his risk-taking spirit clearly serves him well on Bach: The Brandenburgs. This 2006 recording finds Loussier's trio (which also includes bassist Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac and drummer André Arpino) interpreting the six Brandenburg concertos that Johann Sebastian Bach (b. 1685, d. 1750) composed between 1708 and 1720, and interpret is definitely the operative word. Unlike a musician who plays Euro-classical music exclusively, Loussier does not play Bach's material note for note; he improvises, offering personal and introspective performances. Loussier is quite tasteful, and he makes Bach's compositions sound perfectly natural in a jazz setting. Bach: The Brandenburgs is not recommended to classical purists; this is an album for jazz piano enthusiasts who also happen to appreciate Bach's legacy, and those who fit that description will find Bach: The Brandenburgs to be one of Loussier's more lucid and artistically successful offerings. by Alex Henderson 
Tracklist:
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046   
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047   
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048   
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049   
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major, BWV 1050   
Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B flat major, BWV 1051
Credits:
Bass – Benoit Dunoyer De Segonzac
Drums – Andre Arpino
Piano – Jacques Loussier

JOHN LEWIS - Original Sin + Essence (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 This Collectables reissue pairs up two albums by pianist, arranger, and Modern Jazz Quartet musical director John Lewis. Original Sin was Lewis' second experiment with a symphony orchestra. This ballet was originally performed in 1961 at the Alcazar Theatre in San Francisco, CA, with the libretto provided by beat poet Kenneth Rexroth based on Adam and Eve. Without the added excitement that improvisation could have provided, Original Sin comes across stiff. On the other hand, Essence, released in 1964, allows space for improvising around the charts provided by vibraphonist Gary McFarland. Arranged by Lewis, it featuring an array of jazz greats including Eric Dolphy, Phil Woods, Freddie Hubbard, Benny Golson, Jimmy Giuffre, and Jim Hall. Both sessions have their moments, but Essence is the main attraction on this disc. by Al Campbell

Tracklist:
 John Lewis - Original Sin (1961)
1    Creatoin of the World & Creation of Adam 3:54
John Lewis
2    Introduction 0:48
John Lewis  
3    Zebra, Lion, Camel 1:28  
John Lewis
4    Walrus, Ape 0:52
John Lewis      
5    Lamb, Leopard 1:47  
John Lewis
6    Rabbit, Skunk 0:44
John Lewis  
7    Variant V: Mountain Sheep, Deer 1:38  
John Lewis
8    Finale 2:11      
John Lewis
9    Birth of Eve 3:47  
John Lewis
10    Adam and Eve Pas de Duex 2:36
John Lewis
11    Teaching and Temptation 4:12  
John Lewis
12    Expulsion from the Garden of Eden 2:46  
John Lewis
Credits:
Conductor, Composed By – John Lewis
John Lewis ‎– Essence (1962)
13    Hopeful Encounter 4:40  
John Lewis
14    Tillamook Two 7:11  
John Lewis
15    Night Float 4:18  
John Lewis
16    Notions 4:00  
John Lewis
17    Another Encounter 5:10  
John Lewis
18    Wish Me Well 7:44
John Lewis
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 15)
Baritone Saxophone – Gene Allen (tracks: 14, 17), Jimmy Giuffre (tracks: 15)
Bass – George Duvivier (tracks: 15), Richard Davis (tracks: 13, 14, 16 to 18)
Basset Horn – Don Stewart (tracks: 14, 17)
Bassoon – Loren Glickman (tracks: 14, 17)
Clarinet – Phil Woods (tracks: 14, 17)
Composed By, Arranged By – Gary McFarland
Drums – Connie Kay
Flute – Harold Jones (tracks: 14, 17)
Flute [Alto] – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 14, 17)
French Horn – Gunther Schuller (tracks: 15), Bob Northern (tracks: 13, 16, 18), Robert Swisshelm (tracks: 13, 16, 18)
Guitar – Billy Bean (tracks: 13, 16, 18), Jim Hall (tracks: 14, 15,17)
Oboe – William Arrowsmith (tracks: 14, 17)
Piano – John Lewis
Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson (tracks: 15)
Trombone – Mike Zwerin (tracks: 13, 16, 18)
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard (tracks: 13, 16, 18), Herb Pomeroy (tracks: 16), Louis Mucci (tracks: 13, 16, 18), Nick Travis (tracks: 13, 16, 18)
Tuba – Don Butterfield (tracks: 13, 16, 18) 

 

JOHN LEWIS / SVEND ASMUSSEN - European Encounter (1962-2013) RM / Jazz Best Collection 1000 / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Violinist Svend Asmussen (who has had too few of his albums through the decades available in the U.S.) teams up with pianist John Lewis, bassist Jimmy Woode and drummer Sture Kalin on this 1962 session from Stockholm, Sweden. Most notable is the repertoire: six Lewis originals (including "Django") and Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman." Asmussen fits in well with Lewis and brings a solid sense of swing to the somewhat complex music. This date was reissued in 1986 as part of Atlantic's Jazzlore series. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    If I Were Eve    5:38
John Lewis
2    Winter Tale    5:38
John Lewis
3    Slater's Theme    3:30
John Lewis
4    Valeria    5:17
John Lewis
5    Lonely Woman 8:09
Ornette Coleman
6    Django    3:35
John Lewis
7    New York 19    7:25
John Lewis
Credits:
Bass – Jimmy Woode
Drums – Sture Kalin
Producer, Piano – John Lewis
Violin – Svend Asmussen 

JOHN LEWIS -Evolution (1999) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

John Lewis, a founding member of the Modern Jazz Quartet (and architect, with Gunther Schuller, of the "Third Stream" movement that attempted a fusion of classical music and jazz), has always been known for the delicacy and refinement of his playing and for the quality of his compositions. This solo album will only add to his reputation in both regards. That he's able to make "Sweet Georgia Brown" sound like a recital piece is testament to his sophistication (and perhaps his sense of humor); that his own "Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West" manages to evoke New Orleans and Ravel simultaneously speaks to the depth of his musicianship. "Django," perhaps Lewis' most famous composition, is given a stop-action tango treatment here, and his "At the Horse Show" is as graceful as a colt. However, Lewis' voice is far too well-miked, which means he mutters and grunts in the left channel throughout the proceedings. Recommended nevertheless. by Rick Anderson
Tracklist:
1    Sweet Georgia Brown 2:54
Ben Bernie / Kenneth Casey / Maceo Pinkard
2    September Song 5:25    
Maxwell Anderson / Kurt Weill
3    Afternoon in Paris 5:10    
John Lewis
4    Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West 4:17
John Lewis
5    I'll Remember April 3:09
Gene DePaul / Patricia Johnston / Don Raye
6    Django 7:30    
John Lewis
7    Willow Weep for Me 3:22    
Ann Ronell
8    Cherokee 4:04    
Ray Noble
9    For Ellington 5:35
John Lewis
10    Don't Blame Me 3:50    
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
11    At the Horse Show 2:49
John Lewis
Credits:
Piano – John Lewis 

JOHN LEWIS - Evolution II (2001-2014) RM / Jazz Best Collection 1000 / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

On May 3, 2000, John Lewis turned 80 -- and almost half a century after the formation of the Modern Jazz Quartet, he could still inspire a variety of reactions. Over the years, Lewis' detractors have insisted that his piano playing is too polite and overly mannered; his admirers, however, have exalted him as the epitome of class and sophistication. To be sure, Lewis' pianism is quite sophisticated, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't swing or that he isn't soulful. Recorded in 2000 and released in early 2001, Evolution II isn't going to convert anyone who isn't already an admirer of the pianist's cool jazz/third stream approach. Anyone who has claimed that Lewis' playing is too polite won't have a change of heart after hearing this CD, but for Lewis' admirers, the rewards are great. Evolution II is the second installment of his Evolution trilogy; while the first Evolution was an unaccompanied solo piano recording, Evolution II finds him leading quartets that include Howard Alden or Howard Collins on guitar, George Mraz or Marc Johnson on upright bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. Except for the standards "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "What Is This Thing Called Love?," all of the songs are Lewis originals (including new compositions as well as familiar pieces like "Django" and "Trieste"). True to form, Lewis is elegant and swinging at the same time -- contrary to what his detractors have claimed, Lewis swings, but he does so on his own terms. For Lewis, there is no reason why jazz cannot be classical-influenced yet maintain the feelings of the blues. Although Evolution II falls short of essential, it is an enjoyable addition to the veteran pianist's catalog and demonstrates that his chops have held up well over the years. by Alex Henderson
Tracklist:
1    The Festivals 4:14   
John Lewis
2    One of Parker's Moods 3:54   
John Lewis
3    December, Remember 6:59
John Lewis
4    That! Afternoon in Paris 6:07    
John Lewis
5    Cain and Abel 6:52
John Lewis
6    Come Rain or Come Shine 5:03
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
7    Trieste 4:17
John Lewis
8    Django 5:24
John Lewis
9    Sammy 4:09
John Lewis / Cole Porter
10    What Is This Thing Called Love? 5:52
Cole Porter
John Lewis feat: Cole Porter
CreditS :
Howard Alden - Guitar
Howard Collins - Guitar
Marc Johnson - Bass, Bass (Acoustic)
John Lewis - Composer, Piano, Producer
George Mraz - Bass, Bass (Acoustic),
Lewis Nash - Drums
Cole Porter - Composer, Performer

BRAD MEHLDAU - Elegiac Cycle (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Brad Mehldau's first solo piano album is not only his best record to date, it is one of the most searching, most inventive solo piano albums since Keith Jarrett's best solo concerts of the 1970s, and it throws virtually the whole Maybeck series into a cocked hat, too. For one thing, it is a truly unified cycle of mostly improvised reminiscences, starting from a Chopin prelude-like base on "Bard," peaking dynamically with "Trailer Park Ghost," and cycling right back to the "Bard" theme seamlessly, inevitably, at the close. It is also radically different from so many jazz solo piano records because Mehldau's primary thrust is contrapuntal, with both hands playing independent single lines, not the usual bop runs with harmonies or stacked chords. Perhaps Mehldau's playing doesn't swing here as much as one would like, but it is always intelligent, often endearingly melodic, always technically resourceful ("Memory's Tricks," for example, turns into a two-part invention), and even when he breaks off some startling change, you always sense the shape and direction of each piece. Here, he throws off the shackles of the Bill Evans model once and, hopefully, for all, employing classical models other than impressionists (Bach, Brahms, Chopin, and Schumann come to mind), and in doing so, he makes a big mark on the future of jazz solo piano. And Mehldau is not only an unusually gifted pianist, he is also an intriguing thinker; his long, rambling, wide-ranging ssay in thby booklet is one of the most interesting artist-penned liner notes in memory. by Richard S. Ginell 

Tracklist:

1 Bard 2:44

Brad Mehldau

2 Resignation 5:29

Brad Mehldau

3 Memory's Tricks 9:12

Brad Mehldau

4 Elegy For William Burroughs And Allen Ginsberg 4:43

Brad Mehldau

5 Lament For Linus 1:23

Brad Mehldau

6 Trailer Park Ghost 9:14

Brad Mehldau

7 Goodbye Storyteller (For Fred Myrow) 10:21

Brad Mehldau

8 Rückblick 8:56

Brad Mehldau

9 The Bard Returns 4:16

Brad Mehldau

Credits:

Piano, Composed By – Brad Mehldau

BRAD MEHLDAU - PLACES (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Brad Mehldau is becoming a more interesting, more thought-provoking, more individualistic musician with each release -- breaking away from the same old models, finding new ones to integrate into his own personality. The 11 compositions on this CD were conceived on the road, and only midway through did Mehldau realize that they developed similar ideas. Which indeed they do, seizing upon repeated riffing and vamps that Keith Jarrett has explored and sending them in cogent directions. The designated theme is travel; each selection bears the name of a place or mood, and the catchy, contemplative "Los Angeles" serves as the album's bookends, as well as a solo pit stop in the center. Like Elegiac Cycle, Places works like a song cycle; a unified, beautifully proportioned conception, with lots of rambunctious, swinging outbreaks amidst the contemplation. The titles in themselves mean nothing as far as the content of the music is concerned -- or so he writes in another lengthy, provocative liner note. Rather, the album is about the constancy of his personality and musical language, taking all of your personal mental baggage with you wherever you travel. This is an important album, one that anyone interested in piano jazz ought to check out. by Richard S. Ginell  

Tracklist:

1 Los Angeles 5:21

Brad Mehldau

2 29 Palms 5:09

Brad Mehldau

3 Madrid 6:07

Brad Mehldau

4 Amsterdam 3:38

Brad Mehldau

5 Los Angels II 5:18

Brad Mehldau

6 West Hartford 5:39

Brad Mehldau

7 Airport Sadness 4:48

Brad Mehldau

8 Perugia 3:52

Brad Mehldau

9 A Walk In The Park 5:59

Brad Mehldau

10 Paris 6:30

Brad Mehldau

11 Schloss Elmau 6:32

Brad Mehldau

12 Am Zauberberg 7:07

Brad Mehldau

13 Los Angeles (Reprise) 3:28

Brad Mehldau

Credits:

Bass – Larry Grenadier

Drums – Jorge Rossy

Piano, Composed By, Producer – Brad Mehldau

BRAD MEHLDAU - Largo (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In the most enigmatic project up to this point in his career, Brad Mehldau explores conflicting aesthetics, sometimes in tracks positioned next to each other, and occasionally within the confines of a single performance. A spare simplicity governs much of the album, emphasized by almost puritanical horn arrangements -- long notes, mournful triadic chords. After acknowledging these episodes with childlike figurations on the piano, Mehldau then builds his solos along more dissonant lines, which invariably end up enhancing the mood. But then there are tracks like "Dropjes," whose electronic effects gnash angrily at the piano, or "Free Willy," on which putty attached to the instrument's low strings allows Mehldau to unleash a feral improvisation, with lines that suggest scurrying rodents more than bebop blowing. Producer Jon Brion stimulated much of this adventurism, at times diving directly into the mix with his guitar synth or Chamberlin keyboard. But what intrigues most about Largo in the end is the perspective it offers on Mehldau, whose playing here is, as always, intelligent, perhaps a bit cerebral, and now open as well to sonic exotica. by Robert L. Doerschuk  

Tracklist:

1 When It Rains 6:36

Bassoon – Peter Mandell, Rose Corrigan

Clarinet – Emile Bernstein, Gary Gray

Drums – Matt Chamberlain

Flute – David Shostac, Steve Kujala

Oboe – Earle Dumler, Jon Clark

Piano – Brad Mehldau

Acoustic Bass – Larry Grenadier

2 You're Vibing Me 3:28

Acoustic Bass [Left] – Darek "Oles" Oleszkiewicz

Acoustic Bass [Right] – Larry Grenadier

Drums – Jim Keltner, Jorge Rossy

Piano, Vibraphone – Brad Mehldau

Shaker – Matt Chamberlain

3 Dusty Mcnugget 5:43

Acoustic Bass – Darek "Oles" Oleszkiewicz

Bass Trombone – George B. Thatcher

Drums – Matt Chamberlain

French Horn – Daniel Kelley, Philip Yao

Piano – Brad Mehldau, Brad Mehldau

Snare [Brush] – Jim Keltner

Trombone – William Reichenbach

4 Dropjes 3:58

Jon Brion / Matt Chamberlain / Brad Mehldau / Justin Meldal-Johnsen / Darek Oleszkiewicz

Acoustic Bass – Darek "Oles" Oleszkiewicz

Drums, Percussion – Matt Chamberlain, Victor Indrizzo

Electric Bass – Justin Meldal-Johnsen

Guitar [Treatments] – Jon Brion

Piano – Brad Mehldau

5 Paranoid Android 9:05

Colin Greenwood / Phil Selway / Thom Yorke

Acoustic Bass – Darek "Oles" Oleszkiewicz

Bass Trombone – Kenneth Kugler

Drums – Jim Keltner, Matt Chamberlain

French Horn – Jerry Folsom, Joseph Meyer

Percussion [Piano Prepared] – Jon Brion

Piano [With Putty Treatment In Lower Two Octaves] – Brad Mehldau

Trombone – William Reichenbach

6 Franklin Avenue 3:42

Acoustic Bass – Darek "Oles" Oleszkiewicz

Bass Trombone – George B. Thatcher

Drums – Matt Chamberlain

French Horn – Daniel Kelley, Philip Yao

Piano – Brad Mehldau

Trombone – William Reichenbach

Vibraphone – Jim Keltner

7 Sabbath 4:42

Piano [Distorto Piano Through Leslie With Whammy Pedal] – Brad Mehldau

8 Dear Prudence 5:22

John Lennon / Paul McCartney

Acoustic Bass – Darek "Oles" Oleszkiewicz

Drums – Jim Keltner

Piano – Brad Mehldau

Shaker, Percussion – Matt Chamberlain

9 Free Willy 5:05

Matt Chamberlain / Larry Grenadier / Brad Mehldau / Jorge Rossy

Bass [Treated] – Larry Grenadier

Drums, Percussion – Jorge Rossy, Matt Chamberlain

Piano [With Putty Treatment In Lower Two Octaves] – Brad Mehldau

10 Alvarado 4:00

Acoustic Bass – Darek "Oles" Oleszkiewicz

 Drums, Percussion – Victor Indrizzo

Electric Bass – Justin Meldal-Johnsen

Percussion [Piano Prepared] – Jim Keltner

Piano – Brad Mehldau 

Tabla – Matt Chamberlain

11 Medley 6:28

Antônio Carlos Jobim / John Lennon / Paul McCartney

Acoustic Bass – Darek "Oles" Oleszkiewicz

Drums – Matt Chamberlain, Victor Indrizzo

Electric Bass – Justin Meldal-Johnsen

Guitar [Synthesizer] – Jon Brion

Vibraphone – Brad Mehldau

12 I Do 7:17 

Bassoon – Peter Mandell, Rose Corrigan

Clarinet – Emile Bernstein, Gary Gray 

Flute – David Shostac, Steve Kujala

Oboe – Earle Dumler, Jon Clark

Piano – Brad Mehldau

Credits:

Written-By, Arranged By [Woodwind And Brass Arrangements] – Brad Mehldau

BRAD MEHLDAU TRIO - Anything Goes (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Ironically, Anything Goes would have been a more fitting title for pianist Brad Mehldau's previous effort, the idiosyncratic and experimental Largo. Completely eschewing the electronic flourishes and horn sections that characterized the 2002 Jon Brion-produced album as Mehldau's most adventurous release up to that point, Anything Goes is actually a return to a more traditional approach. Featuring his longtime sidemen bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy, Mehldau has crafted a thoughtful and pretty standards-based album. Classics including the title track and "Get Happy" are artfully deconstructed in a style that calls to mind a deft blending of Mehldau's most obvious touchstones, Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans. Similarly, "The Nearness of You" and "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" are masterpieces of impressionism that veritably weep with the plangent yearning of Miles Davis' trumpet. However, by the time Mehldau turns Radiohead's "Everything in Its Right Place" into the missing track off Sketches of Spain and solidifies Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years" as the most poignant ballad ever written, Anything Goes moves from the expected to the inspired and that alone makes this worth a listen. by Matt Collar 

Tracklist:

1 Get Happy 9:47

Written-By – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler

2 Dreamsville 5:03

Written-By – Henry Mancini, Jay Livingston, Raymond B. Evans

3 Anything Goes 7:08

Written-By – Cole Porter

4 Tres Palabras 5:01

Written-By – Osvaldo Farres

5 Skippy 5:24

Written-By – Thelonious Monk

6 Nearness Of You 6:43

Written-By – Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington

7 Still Crazy After All These Years 5:21

Written-By – Paul Simon

8 Everything In Its Right Place 6:55

Written-By – Radiohead

9 Smile 6:48

Written-By – Charlie Chaplin, Geoffrey Clarmont Parsons, James John Turner Philips

10 I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face 4:49

Written-By – Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe

Credits:

Bass – Larry Grenadier

Drums – Jorge Rossy

Piano – Brad Mehldau

BRAD MEHLDAU TRIO - Day Is Done (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Brad Mehldau did an exceptional job of keeping his stellar trio together for seven years, as proven by his fine Art of the Trio dates and 2004's Anything Goes. But Jorge Rossy, the group's drummer, began spending more and more time away from music and at his home in Spain. Mehldau, who is almost prolific in his recording process, recruited drummer Jeff Ballard to replace Rossy on Day Is Done. Ballard has worked off and on with bassist Larry Grenadier in the trio Fly with saxman Mark Turner, so he's not a total stranger to the process. Yet Ballard is a different kind of drummer, more diverse and certainly more kinetic in his approach, as evidenced by this disc. This is Mehldau's most energetic and rigorous recording to date. These ten cuts are comprised mainly of covers, though aside from "Alfie," there isn't anything here approaching a standard. There are tunes here by the Beatles ("She's Leaving Home" and a glorious solo version of "Martha My Dear" with a Scarlatti-esque study in counterpoint to usher it in), Paul Simon (a jaunty read of "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover"), Nick Drake (the title cut), and even Radiohead (in the crackling energy of "Knives Out"). There are two fine originals as well: the shimmering "Artis," with its striated right-hand work, and the Latin-tinged "Turtle Town," a somewhat breezy ballad that is nonetheless knotty and off-kilter enough in its melody and in Mehldau's solo to become complex and challenging. Day Is Done is another exceptional chapter in the Mehldau catalog, one that showcases a willingness to stretch itself to the breaking point and open up the band to a wider array of approaches.

(This comment is posted on allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower our blog O Púbis da Rosa)

Tracklist:

1 Knives Out 8:29

Colin Greenwood

2 Alfie 3:46

Burt Bacharach

3 Martha My Dear 4:38

John Lennon / Paul McCartney

4 Day Is Done 9:26

Nick Drake

5 Artis 6:21

6 Turtle Town 6:18

7 She's Leaving Home 9:07

John Lennon / Paul McCartney

8 Granada 7:30

Chris Cheek

9 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover 8:32

Paul Simon

10 No Moon at All 5:49

Redd Evans

Credits:

Bass – Larry Grenadier

Drums – Jeff Ballard

Piano – Brad Mehldau

BRAD MEHLDAU TRIO - House on Hill (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

House on Hill may be a new recording, but the material is not. Virtually everything here was written, according to his liner notes -- like Keith Jarrett, Brad Mehldau writes about himself best -- in a session done in 2004 which yielded 18 songs with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy. The decision was made to split the sets into originals and covers. The covers became 2004's Anything Goes. There are nine cuts here, the remaining seven from 2004, and the other two come from a more recent session. Mehldau states quite frankly that the compositions here mostly fall into the standard frame for small ensembles: theme (head) variations/theme. Mehldau's notes are exhaustive. They look at compositional forms of theme and its variations from Bach and Brahms. Yeah, it's an intellectual (read: eggheaded) -- and occasionally dry -- reading. The music on this set is anything but. The sheer elegance of Mehldau's writing is always something to behold, and this trio always finds the lace of swing. Often it is not in the melodies and lyric lines he writes. These are usually somewhat knotty, expansive statements from which the band just finds a kind of groove to extrapolate upon. The title cut is a fine example where the slippery little notation in the theme is built into a Latin-flavored ride. Dynamic shifts are continual in this music' check out "Boomer" which gains in intensity until the last minute when it finds its way home into the midtempo softness, and "Backyard," that is almost pastoral until the improvisation, where the tension in the rhythm section is almost icy. The off-kilter, spatial way "Fear and Trembling" (a reference to Søren Kierkegaard's book of the same name, perhaps?) opens is one of the more satisfying moments on the album. The ascending three- and four-note clusters Mehldau employs as a theme work well for putting the listener immediately inside the piece. It's modal touch is a nice one, where space is used as proficiently as instrumental acumen. House on Hill closes with the slightly angular introduction of "Waiting for Eden," that moves through a series of arpeggiatic sleights of hand and into a full swinging post-bop melody. While this set is nowhere near as full of surprises as Day Is Done, it is nonetheless another chapter in the development of a singular composer and pianist.

(This comment is posted on allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower our blog O Púbis da Rosa)

Tracklist:

1 August Ending 6:59

Brad Mehldau

2 House on Hill 8:13

Brad Mehldau

3 Bealtine 9:19

Brad Mehldau

4 Boomer 7:17

Brad Mehldau

5 Backyard 5:43

Brad Mehldau

6 Fear and Trembling 5:26

Brad Mehldau

7 Embers 8:07

Brad Mehldau

8 Happy Tune 8:53

Brad Mehldau

9 Waiting for Eden 7:32

Brad Mehldau

Credits:

Bass – Larry Grenadier

Drums – Jorge Rossy

Piano, Written-By – Brad Mehldau

KEITH JARRETT / GARY PEACOCK / JACK DeJOHNETTE - Whisper Not (2000) 2xCD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For Keith Jarrett, this extremely satisfying concert with the Standards Trio on two CDs is a personal landmark, the first for-the-record sign that he had recovered from the chronic fatigue syndrome that laid him low for three years in the late 1990s. Indeed, by the time this Paris gig took place, he had come all the way back -- his technical facilities intact (a handful of smeared notes aside), his inventiveness bubbling over. Old cohorts Gary Peacock (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums) are back, too, regenerating their propulsive, swinging, collective E.S.P. at will. Not too much has changed from the pre-illness days, though the focus is very much on classic bebop now -- with Bud Powell getting a good deal of attention with an outstanding "Bouncing With Bud" and a terrific "Hallucinations" that has an atypically funny false ending. Jarrett's bebop runs on "Groovin' High" are astonishing, "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" is appealingly jaunty and carefree, and ballads like "'Round Midnight" and "Prelude to a Kiss" revert to the melodic simplicity that was cultivated during Jarrett's down time. Even though the Standards Trio has been one of the most prolifically recorded groups of its era, only the final encore, "When I Fall in Love," had been recorded before by this group. So even those who think they have enough material by this group will be rightly tempted to invest in this document of Jarrett's resurrection. by Richard S. Ginell  

Tracklist 1 :

1 Bouncing With Bud 7:33

Composed By – Bud Powell

2 Whisper Not 8:06

Composed By – Benny Golson

3 Groovin' High 8:31

Composed By – Dizzy Gillespie

4 Chelsea Bridge 9:47

Composed By – Billy Strayhorn

5 Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams 5:48

Composed By – Billy Moll, Harry Barris, Ted Koehler

6 Round Midnight 6:45

Composed By – Cootie Williams, Thelonious Monk

7 Sandu 7:26

Composed By – Clifford Brown

Tracklist 2 :

1 What Is This Thing Called Love 12:23

Composed By – Cole Porter

2 Conception 8:08

Composed By – George Shearing

3 Prelude To A Kiss 8:16

Composed By – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills

4 Hallucinations 6:36

Composed By – Bud Powell

5 All My Tomorrows 6:23

Composed By – Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn

6 Poinciana 9:11

Composed By – Buddy Bernier, Nat Simon

7 When I Fall In Love 8:06

Composed By – Edward Heyman, Victor Young

Credits:

Double Bass – Gary Peacock

Drums – Jack DeJohnette

Piano – Keith Jarrett

Producer – Manfred Eicher

ECM 1724 / 25

Recorded live July 5, 1999 at Palais des Congrès, Paris [1:53:10]

KEITH JARRETT - La Scala (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For this live solo concert (recorded at the Teatro alla Scala in Milano, Italy and released in 1997), pianist Keith Jarrett performs two lengthy improvisations simply titled "La Scala, Parts I and II." Most of the music is quite lyrical and romantic. The first part (which lasted nearly 45 minutes) does have a section using a droning rhythm reminiscent of American Indian music before resolving back into a ballad. The second section (a mere 27½ minutes) starts out dissonant, gradually evolves into a peaceful section, and then concludes with the original dissonant ideas. As an encore, Jarrett performs a melodic and very beautiful six-minute rendition of "Over the Rainbow," receiving a well-deserved thunderous ovation at its conclusion. The music overall develops slowly but always holds one's interest, reinforcing one's viewpoint of Keith Jarrett as one of the top pianists of the 1980s and '90s. by Scott Yanow

Tracklist:

1 La Scala, Pt 1 44:54

Keith Jarrett

2 La Scala, Pt 2 27:42

Keith Jarrett

3 Over the Rainbow 6:01

Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg

Credits:

Piano, Liner Notes – Keith Jarrett

KEITH JARRETT TRIO - Tribute (1991) 2xCD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Keith Jarrett Standards Trio gets back down to business with two CDs' worth of familiar and perhaps not-so-familiar tunes, recorded in one evening in Cologne, Germany. There is a concept this time, for all the standards carry a dedication to some jazz man or woman who performed them -- and they are not predictable choices; Lee Konitz for "Lover Man," "It's Easy to Remember" for John Coltrane, "All of You" for Miles Davis, etc. Almost every number has a reflective solo piano introduction, with one of the notable exceptions being Jarrett's rolling, convoluted opening variations on "All the Things You Are" (Sonny Rollins). "Solar" (the Bill Evans tribute) has challenging, fractured interplay between Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette and Gary Peacock, and it directly segues into Jarrett's own obsessive "Sun Prayer," which seems to lose its way after a fine start. The other Jarrett composition, "U Dance," a carefree folk-like tune with a rhumba rhythm, closes the concert with a tribute to no one in particular. While the Standards Trio rarely takes anything for granted, transforming everything in its path, the results are not quite as inventive here as on other releases, though Disc Two is clearly more interesting overall than Disc One. Warning to the wary: Keith Jarrett, singer, is in rare groaning form on "I Hear a Rhapsody" and "Solar." by Richard S. Ginell  
Tracklist :
1-1 Lover Man 13:13
Written-By – James Davis, James Sherman, Roger Ramirez
1-2 I Hear A Rhapsody 11:19
Written-By – Dick Gasparre, George Fragos, Jack Baker, Richard Bard
1-3 Little Girl Blue 6:05
Written-By – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
1-4 Solar 9:32
Written-By – Miles Davis
1-5 Sun Prayer 14:15
Written-By – Keith Jarrett
2-1 Just In Time 10:07
Written-By – Adolph Green, Betty Comden, Jule Styne
2-2 Smoke Gets In Your Eyes 8:26
Written-By – Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach
2-3 All Of You 8:08
Written-By – Cole Porter
2-4 Ballad Of The Sad Young Men 7:02
Written-By – Frances Landesman, Thomas Wolf
2-5 All The Things You Are 8:57
Written-By – Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein
2-6 It's Easy To Remember 7:08
Written-By – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
2-7 U Dance 10:46
Written-By – Keith Jarrett
Credits:
Bass – Gary Peacock
Design [Cover Design] – Barbara Wojirsch
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Piano – Keith Jarrett
Producer – Manfred Eicher
ECM 1420 / 21
Tracks 1-1 to 1-4 and 2-1 to 2-6 are tributes to
1-1: Lee Konitz
1-2: Jim Hall
1-3: Nancy Wilson
1-4: Bill Evans
2-1: Charlie Parker
2-2: Coleman Hawkins
2-3: Miles Davis
2-4: Anita O'Day
2-5: Sonny Rollins
2-6: John Coltrane

KEITH JARRETT TRIO - Bye Bye Blackbird (1991-2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is the Keith Jarrett Trio's -- featuring bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette -- elegy for their former employer Miles Davis, recorded only 13 days after the maestro's death. The lonely figure in shadow with a horn on the cover contrasts with the joyous spirit of many of the tracks on this CD, yet there is still a ghostly presence to deal with -- and in keeping with Miles' credo, Jarrett's choice of notes is often more purposefully spare than usual. There is symmetry in the organization of the album, with "Bye Bye Blackbird" opening and the trio's equally jaunty "Blackbird, Bye Bye" closing the album, and the interior tracks immediately following the former and preceding the latter are "You Won't Forget Me" and "I Thought About You." The centerpiece of the CD is an 18-and-a-half-minute group improvisation, "For Miles," which after some DeJohnette tumbling around becomes a dirge sometimes reminiscent of Miles' own elegy for Duke Ellington, "He Loved Him Madly." As an immediate response to a traumatic event, Jarrett and his colleagues strike the right emotional balance to create one of their more meaningful albums. by Richard S. Ginell  

Tracklist:

1. Bye Bye Blackbird - 11:13

(Ray Henderson)

2. You Won't Forget Me - 10:46

(Kermit Goell/Fred Spielman)

3. Butch and Butch - 6:37

(Oliver Nelson)

4. Summer Night - 6:42

(Al Dubin, Harry Warren)

5. For Miles - 18:43

 (Jarrett/Peacock/DeJohnette) 

6. Straight No Chaser - 6:46

 (Thelonious Monk) 

7. I Thought About You - 4:02

(Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Mercer)

8. Blackbird, Bye Bye - 3:02

 (Jarrett/Peacock/DeJohnette)

Personnel

Keith Jarrett piano

Gary Peacock bass

Jack DeJohnette drums

ECM 1467

Recorded October 12, 1991 at Power Station, New York

KEITH JARRETT TRIO - The Cure (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Sure, the Keith Jarrett Trio of the '80s and '90s recorded way too much music for the casual fan to absorb. But one's reservations fade when confronted with the sheer creativity and empathy that the trio displayed in this gorgeously recorded live date at New York's Town Hall. As in several albums before, the emphasis for Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette is on standards, save for a sole ostinato-based Jarrett original (the title track). "Bemsha Swing" finds Jarrett at very nearly his best, transforming standard material completely in his own funky manner. In addition, there is a really beautiful rendition of Oscar Levant's "Blame It on My Youth," and an eloquently harmonized "Body and Soul" with generous solo space for Peacock. There is some squeaky vocalizing by Jarrett over some of his solos, but not enough to deter anyone from enjoying this 77-minute outpouring of first-class improvisational jazz. by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist:
1 Bemsha Swing 9:43
Denzil Best / Thelonious Monk
2 Old Folks 11:18
Dedette Lee Hill / Willard Robison
3 Woody'n You 6:39
Dizzy Gillespie
4 Blame It On My Youth 8:17
Edward Heyman / Oscar Levant
5 Golden Earrings 8:31
Ray Evans / Jay Livingston / Victor Young
6 Body And Soul 13:27
Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour
7 The Cure 10:31
Keith Jarrett
8 Things Ain't What They Used to Be 9:11
Mercer Ellington / Ted Persons
Credits:
Bass – Gary Peacock
Design [Cover Design] – Barbara Wojirsch
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Piano – Keith Jarrett
Producer – Manfred Eicher
ECM 1440
Recorded digitally live at
Town Hall, New York, April 21, 1990