Customer Reviews

Elegiac Cycles

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Finally there's a piano solo album in my collection that can match Keith Jarret's `Facing You' (1971). It's Brad Mehldau's `Eligiac Cycle'. Haven't heard such a great piano solo album in years. `Eligiac Cycle' -released in 1999- was a revelation to me. This guy's playing takes your breath away. On `Elegiac Cycle' Mehldau plays improvisations inspired by the theme of `loss'. His playing is daring and adventurous, and because he has a perfect sense of structure as well, he never gets lost and keeps everything in perfect balance. And on top of this, his playing is deeply moving. In Mehldau's playing we can discern a lot of influences from the realms of classical and jazz music. I hear a lot of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, but, much more important, I hear foremost a pianist with a distinct style of his own. His classical training seems to contribute to this distinctness of his playing. On `Elegiac Cycle' I hear the influence of Bach's contrapunt, especially in `Memory Tricks'. I hear a bit of Debussy in `Rückblick', and each and every time it's a big sensation to hear the opening and ending-segment of `Trailer Park Ghost', which sounds in my ears as the perfect blending of the enraged energy of Schubert's `Der Strom' and the odd-mystical melodic intervals in the middle section of Scriabin's piano-piece `Poème vers la flamme'. Brad Mehldau's `Elegiac Cycle' is my favourite album of 1999, and most certainly one of my all time favourite albums. It's a masterpiece, and nobody with a serious interest in good and enriching contemporary piano music can afford to miss this album.

Pieter de Rooij. Amsterdam, january 22nd - 2000.

I had never heard of Brad Mehldau before purchasing this CD, but I can assure you I will hear more of him now. His work is brilliant - constant change-ups, modulations, variations in technique - without wearing you out as the listener. As much as Keith Jarrett's music intrigues me, for instance, I cannot listen to him for long before wanting to remove the CD and break it in half - he's just too distressing to the human psyche. Mehldau, on the other hand, has just as much intellectual stimulation without the pain. I can't wait to listen to this CD a hundred or so more times.

** "Bill Evans" with complex emotions and feelings - the deep Bill Evans

** "Keith Jarrett" without the humming

The is the very best of Brad Mehldau (for the moment) ! If you like to dream while listening to Jazz, then this CD must become yours.

I've recently attended a solo-concert of B.M. (North Sea Jazz '99 - The Hague / The Netherlands) and I can assure you... there's plenty more where that came from, we ain't see nothing yet ! He played various songs written by rock artists like Metalica and Rage-Against-The-Machine, and I got to give it to them... they write great JAZZ !

Buy this CD, the man's on his best SOLO and the commercial success of his first SOLO CD could influence him on making a second, and that's what we're all waiting for !!

Meanwhile, whenever he's playing live somewhere close towhere you live, don't hesitate !! Close your eyes and "fly away" !

Though hardly a surprise if you've been following the career and the previous recordings of this gifted pianist, what is a astonishing is the depth of the emotional beauty found here. This is an absolutely amazing album. No doubt about it...we're witnessing genius here.

P.S. The liner notes provide an artistic manifesto by Mehldau which ought to be included in the next issue of Best American Essays of the Year. Thoughtful, interesting and well-written!

Finally there's a piano solo album in my collection that can match Keith Jarret's 'Facing You' (1971). It's Brad Mehldau's 'Elegiac Cycle'. Haven't heard such a great piano solo album in years. 'Elegiac Cycle' -released in 1999- was a revelation to me. This guy's playing takes your breath away. On 'Elegiac Cycle' Mehldau plays improvisations inspired by the theme of 'loss'. His playing is daring and adventurous, and because he has a perfect sense of structure as well, he never gets lost and keeps everything in perfect balance. And on top of this, his playing is deeply moving. In Mehldau's playing we can discern a lot of influences from the realms of classical and jazz music. I hear a lot of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, but, much more important, I hear foremost a pianist with a distinct style of his own. His classical training seems to contribute to this distinctness of his playing. On 'Elegiac Cycle' I hear the influence of Bach's contrapunt, especially in 'Memory Tricks'. I hear a bit of Debussy in 'Rückblick', and each and every time it's a big sensation to hear the opening and ending-segment of 'Trailer Park Ghost', which sounds in my ears as the perfect blending of the enraged energy of Schubert's 'Der Strom' and the odd-mystical melodic intervals in the middle section of Scriabin's piano-piece 'Poème vers la flamme'. In the longest piece on the cd, 'Goodbye Storyteller', Mehldau reveals all his poetic qualities -using a Rachmaninoff-touch here and there- and makes a deeply moving and unsurpassable statement about the way 'beauty and loss' are interconnected. Brad Mehldau's 'Elegiac Cycle' is my favourite album of 1999, and most certainly one of my all time favourite albums. It's a masterpiece, and nobody with a serious interest in good and enriching contemporary piano music can afford to miss this album.[22-1-2000]

Not being a fan of piano too much, I stumbled onto Brad randomly from a recommendation of a friend. This--from listening to the rest of his albums--is the best solo stuff I've heard in a bit. Brad fuses avant-guarde, talent, precision, and a splash of classical into an album great for listening, studying, or cooling off after a long night. He's like a bartender for sweet sound that knows every drink receipe in the book and can't be stiffed even with the most complex of orders.

The music is so intricate, you wonder how there can be notes to accompany--yet, so precision, that you double-take attempting to reproduce such beautiful music without notes.

I've seen a video of him playing and it's almost magical; it's as if he has an earpiece with the music and lineage beind fed to him remotely.

Inspirational, always; sloppy, hardly; Beauty, primarly; Harmonic, secondairly; this is Brad Mehldau. He's got a big fan base and it takes only one listen of his work to figure out why.

Top marks to Brad Mehldau in creating something unique and beautiful from a myriad of influences. This music succeeds in incorporating "classical" sensibilities within a contemporary jazz sound. The approach is overwhemingly lyrical and romantic while the mood is profound and heartfelt. Neatly sidestepping any potential accusations of classical-lite jazz by the overwhemingly successful ploy of creating transcendentally excellent music Brad has created a masterpiece.

The ideas underlining this production are put forward in some fascinating liner notes written by Brad which help to frame the pieces. Extra marks earned here for going to the trouble of articulating his deepest ruminations on music and art; excellent food for thought while listening to the music.

Not being a fan of solo piano I was a little reticent about this release at first but immediately had to revise that view. The compositions are all very well suited to the voice and resources of the solo piano. While the sensibilities of a Bill Evans session are evoked and developed here there are many other qalities and nuances introduced. "Memory's Tricks" raises the spirit of Rachmaninov while Liszt, Debussy and Ravel seem to be Brad's muses in other pieces such as "Bard". "Lament for Linus" is beautiful as is "Goodbye Storyteller". All the other tracks are also excellent.

Much about the nature of this music is stated in the title "Elegiac Cycle". Yes, the sound is in-line with the concept of an elegy, a mournful and heartfelt statement in music. In addition, the overall feel of the set is that of a suite or cycle with themes repeated towards the end of the piece in a to emphasise that the music has come back to it's point of embarcation.

The themes which Brad has created here are very poignant and memorable - this is music which gets it's hooks into you and doesn't let go. Interesting to note that Brad wrote all of the pieces which are uniformly excellent and musically adventurous without ever compromising on the heartfelt melacholic beauty of each piece. Material is one thing, execution another and here Brad shines also. The technique is exquisitely measured with timing and flow perfectly judged.

Having been new to Brad as a leader and soloist I have been, on listening to this fine production, fully converted. This music is now elevated to the status of required listening.

Hugely recommended!

Elegiac Cycle evoked the deepest melancholic feelings with a sense of beauty surely will be subject of study for future piano jazz students since establishing a precedent in solo jazz albums.

HM

I have been listening to Brad for years and have enjoyed discovering that each time I hear him he has progressed. Years ago his music was complex and seductive; it has now grown to become one of the most powerful artistic forces around. This solo album releases an oversized talent to run free, play, meditate and yes, mourn.

It's great to know that his creations will continue to grow for decades more. Buy this album. Then go buy all his others. They're worth it.

My brother, a jazz composer, recommended this disc to me and I have since thanked him for it. Mehldau's contemplative sound challenges without resorting to the jarring and antagonist atonalism that many modern composers rely on to get your attention. If you like piano music, Mehldau fuses your favorites: the elegant simplicity of Satie, echoes of Chopin sonatas, Keith Jarrett's stylistic joie de vivre. The result is something original. Try track #2, "Resignation." It sticks to you.