Featuring Chris Thile and Daniel Rossen.
Yea, we have been strung out on all things Brad Mehldau since the Art of the Trio series in the nineties. That group with Larry Grenadier and Jorge Rossy built upon the piano trio format in the style of Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett. And like those groups, they raised the bar of technical prowess, group improvisation and stylistic experimentation. Mehldau’s trio covered Radiohead’s Exit Music for a Film on Art of the Trio volume 3 which doesn’t sound that odd today since Radiohead is universally acclaimed but in the 90s it was a less obvious choice that caused many in the Jazz community to scratch their heads…
Twenty five years later he’s using Elliott Smith’s music as the basis for his jazz arrangements and improvisations. Elliott Smith may not be a household name but is celebrated for his brooding lyrics and stark arrangements. Not the kind of artist a jazz pianist would normally cover.