New Brad Mehldau, Pat Metheny Albums Previewed by BBC Radio 2's Jamie Cullum
Nonesuch
Mehliana: Taming the Dragon, the debut album from the electric duo of Brad Mehldau and Mark Guiliana, due February 25 on Nonesuch Records, and Kin (←→), the debut album from the Pat Metheny Unity Group, due February 4, are featured on the latest episode of BBC Radio 2's Jamie Cullum show. The episode looks ahead to the music of 2014 and showcases "some of the most exciting tracks coming out in the next few months in the world of jazz," including "Hungry Ghost" from the Mehliana album and "Kqu" from Kin (←→).
"The pianist Brad Mehldau is probably my most played artist on this very show; I'm a huge fan of his," says Cullum. "Brad's always doing interesting left turns with his music." On the forthcoming album, "he's paying keyboards, he's playing Fender Rhodes, and he's playing with a very different type of drummer, Mark Guiliana, an incredible jazz drummer, but also someone who's got his ear open for new sounds, the sound of electronic music, the sound of dub step and hip hop and sample music and all that kind of stuff. He manages to bring that together with Brad's incredible conception on keyboard and Brad bringing together a load of new sounds as well, playing synthesizers, playing electric piano, and doing something totally new. Sounds great. You're gonna love it, I'm sure."