The Art of the Trio Recordings: 1996–2001

Brad Mehldau Trio

Nonesuch Records releases jazz pianist Brad Mehldau’s Art of the Trio Recordings: 1996–2001 on December 6, 2011. The set includes the five original Art of the Trio albums (the fifth volume includes two CDs), released on Warner Bros. over a prolific four year period from 1997 to 2001; a seventh disc of previously unreleased material from shows at the Village Vanguard in 1997, 1999, and 2001 completes the box. These recordings feature Mehldau’s longtime trio with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy. Repertoire includes interpretations of standard tunes and modern classics as well as many original compositions. New liner notes by Bad Plus pianist Ethan Iverson include interviews with all three trio members. 

Brad Mehldau moved to New York City from his native Connecticut in 1988, studying at the New School and playing in a number of different combos—including a stint in Joshua Redman’s quartet—before becoming a bandleader himself. His trio toured the globe extensively for 10 years and also made eight acclaimed recordings, including the five widely praised Art of the Trio albums. (Additionally, Grenadier and Rossy play on the pianist’s Introducing Brad Mehldau and Largo.) In his liner note, Ethan Iverson says: “Brad Mehldau, Larry Grenadier, and Jorge Rossy made up the most significant new piano/bass/drums trio of the 1990s…the music in this box is original. It could only be made by this group.”

Jorge Rossy grew up in Spain, moving to Boston in 1989 to study drums at the Berklee School. Steady work with Danilo Perez and Paquito D’Rivera enabled him to move to New York after three semesters. When saxophonist Perico Sambeat asked Rossy and his bassist brother Mario to join him on tour, Mario suggested his New School classmate Brad Mehldau join them. “I went to hear Brad the night before we flew to Madrid in 1991. It was Jimmy Cobb’s group with John Webber, Peter Bernstein, and Brad,” Rossy tells Iverson. “I thought ... 'I am in a different space musically.’ Then, at the first gig, Brad came into my territory. The slightest nuance was understood. A very fast, clear, uncluttered connection.” Rossy left the Trio in 2004 to spend more in Spain and to pursue other musical outlets—including playing piano, composing, and arranging. Mehldau said at the time: “Jorge and I have what I can only describe as a tremendous musical relationship and a great friendship as well.” (Jeff Ballard has played drums in the Trio for the past seven years.)

Larry Grenadier grew up in the San Francisco area and studied literature at Stanford University before also moving to Boston, to play with Gary Burton. He arrived in New York in 1991 and played with many of his peers, including Chris Cheek, Joshua Redman, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Mark Turner (with whom he and Ballard currently play in the collective FLY). When Grenadier first sat in with Mehldau and Rossy at the Village Gate, Rossy says: “It was obvious… Larry was in the band from that moment. (He) had perfect time, intonation, and tons of personality.” Grenadier was similarly hooked from that first gig. “Wow, here is music that leaves space for the bass…to be heard as one of three voices,” he recalls thinking. “Brad’s got the biggest elephant ears of any musician I know. Nothing gets past him. Almost 20 years later I’m still amazed by this. Same for Jorge.”

The Art of the Trio Recordings 1996–2001

1.01    Vol. 1: Blame It on My Youth
1.02    Vol. 1: I Didn't Know What Time It Wa
1.03    Vol. 1: Ron's Place
1.04    Vol. 1: Blackbird
1.05    Vol. 1: Lament for Linus
1.06    Vol. 1: Mignon's Song
1.07    Vol. 1: I Fall in Love Too Easily
1.08    Vol. 1: Lucid
1.09    Vol. 1: Nobody Else But Me
2.01    Vol. 2: It's Alright with Me
2.02    Vol. 2: Young and Foolish
2.03    Vol. 2: Monk's Dream
2.04    Vol. 2: The Way You Look Tonight
2.05    Vol. 2: Moon River 
2.06    Vol. 2: Countdown
3.01    Vol. 3: Song-Song
3.02    Vol. 3: Unrequited
3.03    Vol. 3: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered 
3.04    Vol. 3: Exit Music (for a Film)
3.05    Vol. 3: At a Loss
3.06    Vol. 3: Convalescent    
3.07    Vol. 3: For All We Know
3.08    Vol. 3: River Man
3.09    Vol. 3: Young at Heart 
3.10    Vol. 3: Sehnsucht    
4.01    Vol. 4: All the Things You Are
4.02    Vol. 4: Sehnsucht
4.03    Vol. 4: Nice Pass
4.04    Vol. 4: Solar
4.05    Vol. 4: London Blues
4.06    Vol. 4: I'll Be Seeing You
4.07    Vol. 4: Exit Music (for a Film)
5.01    Vol. 5: The More I See You
5.02    Vol. 5: Dream's Monk
5.03    Vol. 5: The Folks Who Live on the Hill 
5.04    Vol. 5: Alone Together
5.05    Vol. 5: It Might As Well Be Spring
5.06    Vol. 5: Cry Me a River
5.07    Vol. 5: River Man
6.01    Vol. 5: Quit
6.02    Vol. 5: Secret Love
6.03    Vol. 5: Sublation
6.04    Vol. 5: Resignation
6.05    Vol. 5: Long Ago and Far Away
6.06    Vol. 5: How Long Has This Been Going On?
7.01    Additional Recordings: London Blues
7.02    Additional Recordings: Unrequited
7.03    Additional Recordings: Ron's Place
7.04    Additional Recordings: In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
7.05    Additional Recordings: Lament for Linus

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Credits:

MUSICIANS
Brad Mehldau, piano
Larry Grenadier, bass
Jorge Rossy, drums

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Matt Pierson
All songs by Brad Mehldau, except where noted above

Disc 1: Vol. 1 (1997)
Recorded September 4–5, 1996, at Mad Hatter Recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Engineer: Bernie Kirsh
Assistant Engineers: Robert Read, Tony Gonzalez, Anthony Gillis
Mixed by James Farber at River Sound, New York, NY
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Masterdisk Corp., New York, NY
Production Coordinator: Dana Watson

Disc 2: Vol. 2—Live at the Village Vanguard (1998)
Recorded July 29–August 3, 1997, at The Village Vanguard, New York, NY
Engineers: James Farber, John Bates
Assistant Engineer: Greg Thompson
Remote recording equipment provided by Effanel Music
Mixed by James Farber at The Hit Factory, New York, NY
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Masterdisk Corp., New York, NY
Production Coordinator: Dana Watson

Disc 3: Vol. 3—Songs (1998)
Recorded May 27–28, 1998, at Right Track Recording, New York, NY
Engineer: James Farber
Assistant Engineers: Jason Stasium, Ryan Hewitt
Mixed by James Farber at Sony Music Studios, New York, NY
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Masterdisk Corp., New York, NY
Production Coordinator: Dana Watson

Disc 4: Vol. 4—Back at the Vanguard (1999)
Recorded January 5–10, 1999, at The Village Vanguard, New York, NY
Engineer: David Oakes
Mixed by James Farber at TK, New York, NY
Mastered by Mark Wilder at Sony Mastering Studio, New York, NY
Production Coordinator: Dana Watson

Discs 5 & 6: Vol. 5—Progression (2001)
Recorded September 22–24, 2000, at The Village Vanguard, New York, NY
Engineer: Adam Blackburn
Mixed by James Farber at Sear Sound, New York, NY
Assistant Engineer: Steve Mazur
Additional Engineering: Ken Freeman
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, New York, NY
Production Coordinator: Dana Watson

Disc 7: Additional Recordings: 1997–2001
Recorded at The Village Vanguard, New York, NY

Track 1 recorded January 7, 1999
Recorded by James Farber and John Bates
Remote recording equipment provided by Effanel Music
Mixed by James Farber at the Hit Factory, New York, NY
Assistant Engineer: Greg Thompson

Track 2 recorded August 1, 1997, and tracks 3, 5 recorded July 31, 1997
Recorded by David Oakes
Mixed by James Farber

Track 4 recorded September 2001
Recorded by Adam Blackburn for Effanel Music
Mixed by James Farber at Sear Sound, New York, NY
Assistant Engineer: Steve Mazur
Additional Engineering by Ken Freeman

Mastered by Paul Zinman at SoundByte Productions, Inc., New York, NY

Cover photograph by Michael Lewis
Design by John Gall