Brad Mehldau Trio
Ode

The world is becoming more complicated and inscrutable every day, not to mention interpersonal relationships! People seem to have a constant and desperate need for company, a need so strong that it suffocates people who, like myself, love to get lost in the pages of a book or the grooves of an old vinyl record and, for this reason, are often improperly labeled as "antisocial."

Personally, I prefer to spend my time with emotions; I do not really enjoy words or the company of other people (except for some splendid exceptions) and I seek in art that simplicity that society, unfortunately, has now forgotten; therefore, it's easy to understand why I have a preference for the jazz form of the Trio (capitalization absolutely intentional, and by this definition I mean the classic: piano-double bass-drums), a formation that, in my opinion, fully expresses that sense of poetry and journey that is always inherent in an experimental musical genre, yet at the same time sweetly vintage, such as Jazz.

A Trio that I love very much, besides Keith Jarrett's Standards, is the one led by Brad Mehldau as leader and pianist, followed by Larry Grenadier on double bass and Jeff Ballard on drums, an ensemble that has recently released their latest work of originals, simply titled "Ode," consisting of eleven tracks that reference both real and imaginary characters. For example, "Kurt Vibe" is dedicated to guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, while "Eulogy For George Hanson" refers to the character played by Jack Nicholson in the famous 1969 film "Easy Rider."

The first thing that catches the ear when the disc is put in the player is, besides the technical skill of our artists, the lightness of the compositions, which flow pleasantly like a warm shower after a hard day's work, resulting in a certain "comforting" and relaxing quality, capable of stripping away unpleasant sensations such as stress or anxiety, true plagues of contemporary life. The American pianist, for his part, leaves plenty of room for the rhythm section, infusing it with lyrical and varied pianism, perfectly blending with the double bass and drums to create a rich and hypnotic sound, which captivates throughout the work, which runs well over sixty minutes. Paradigmatic of what I have just said is certainly track number seven, "Kurt Vibe," which, introduced by Larry Grenadier's plucked bass, sees Brad Mehldau deliver a melody so captivating and engaging that after just one listen you will find yourself humming it without even realizing it, all of which proves that million-dollar productions or overhyped DJ sets are not necessary to create a fun, singable track, and in the highest sense of the term, pop. And it is precisely this that made me really appreciate the latest effort of the Brad Mehldau Trio, that ability to unite the elegant and "cultured" structures of Jazz with a sense of song and music that makes the work easily accessible, all without forgetting that aura of poetry and elegance that has always permeated great artistic manifestations.

In conclusion, we are dealing with a fresh and dynamic album, where the leader gives plenty of space to the other two musicians and, together with them, fully serves the music, without venturing into exaggerated solos placed there solely to showcase one's skill with the instrument. Therefore, I feel that I can recommend listening to "Ode" to just about everyone, especially those who consider Jazz a verbose and boring genre, distant from the general public and confined to a select circle of "snob intellectuals" more attentive to the complexity of the music than to its beauty.

Brad Mehldau Trio: Brad Mehldau, piano; Larry Grenadier, bass; Jeff Ballard, drums.