Writing:
Formation
Building a Personal Canon, Part I
By Brad Mehldau
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.
Liner Notes: Après Fauré and After Bach II
Fourteen Reveries
Read Brad’s essay from his work Fourteen Reveries. “14 Reveries came from a similar impulse as the suite from 3 years ago, April 2020, to write shorter pieces. In both sets, I’ve eschewed larger-scale development, opting for brevity. Each piece is more like a distillation of emotion.”
Folly of Desire – Program Note
Read Brad’s essay from his new album Folly of Desire. “Lovers give themselves in a moment of trust – or they dare to take without asking. The fact that this giving and taking is without an established contract – there is risk – is what gives desire its wings, and also makes it potentially transgressive.”
Recent Articles:
Looking Back on Elegiac Cycle
This essay is an excerpt from an extended interview conducted several years ago that appeared in the introductory material to the transcription book of Brad's record from 1999, Elegiac Cycle.
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Rock Hemiolas
Brad's essay, published in Arcana VI: Musicans on Music, a collection of essays from musicians edited by John Zorn
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Titles
Brad's thoughts on ODE (February 2012)
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Wisdom in Music
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After Brad’s residency at Carnegie Hall, he was invited to write about the music and musicians that have inspired him. Following are six installments:
Creativity in Beethoven and Coltrane
Installment 6 – Bud’s Dance Between The Intuitive and The Counter-Intuitive
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Creativity in Beethoven and Coltrane
Installment 5 – Bird’s Wide Wingspan
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Creativity in Beethoven and Coltrane
Installment 4 – Jazz’s High Stakes and Tragic Failures
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Creativity in Beethoven and Coltrane
Installment 3 – Which Came First, The Melody or The Motif?
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Creativity in Beethoven and Coltrane
Installment 2 – Who Needs A Good Melody Anyways?
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Creativity in Beethoven and Coltrane
Installment 1 – Taking Stock and Shoring Up in Opus 95
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