| LearnJazzPiano.com archives: brad mehldau | |
| trocadero -- 01/05/2005, 15:43:37 -- #10139 | |
| Hi I've been listening to Bred Mehldau's Art of the trio vol. 4 with Jorge Rossy on drums and Larry Grenadier on bass for a mounth now. I really love the way Brad(the whole trio sounds great too) plays, it sounds very hip for a classic pianotrio. Since I'm from Sweden I don't know exacly whats going on in the US with jazz. I'd really like some tips of what artists that have a new fresh playing. And what do you experienced guys(I'm only 19 years old) think of Brad Mehldau? Btw, very good forum! | |
| nkil -- 01/05/2005, 16:14:40 -- #10140 | |
| Hey how is Sweden this time of year? Hopefully you can move your fingers and toes, unlike us in the northeastern US. Anyway, Brad Mehldau has, for the last 7 or 8 months, been one of my favorite jazz pianists. I am constantly listening to Brad and Bill Evans as if they the only two names ever to grace the genre, and also because I am aspiring to be base my style from learning nuances of theirs...more admiration than anything. My complaint about Brad is that he will get extremely abstract at times. It works most of the time but at times it doesn't (this is in my opinion by the way). For instance, a good run of his is during his piano solo in the recording of Chill with the Joshua Redman Quartet, album Moodswing. Towards the end of his solo he plays something that is beyond me to this day and until I understand I will continue to obsess over learning to play at that level. What I don't like about Brad is that he plays somewhat lazilly, without a care in the world. This is good in some ways, again, but it breaks up some of the rhythm and being a rhythmic pianist, myself, I like to swing. However this is also because he is much better than me, so he can afford to go in and out of swing. That is my opinion on Brad. Jazz in the US...I'm still quite young, myself (21), so I don't want to speak for the genre other than my own experiences, which aren't a whole lot. It seems to be a growing genre with the younger crowd, as in those who are musically educated or those who come from a musical background in their family-tree. Jazz clubs, around where I am, aren't hard to find. The one thing that I've noticed are that there are a growing number of jazz "elitists"...perhaps this is just at my college. Sometimes I find myself portraying an elitist, myself, and I don't agree with it. By elitist, I am referring to the mentality that jazz is at the top, the pinnacle of music, and unless you like it you aren't "worthy." Being young, it's not hard to fall into that periodically especially when frusturated, but it's a bad trend and hopefully it will die out, in my opinion. Somebody please elaborate, someone who's older and wiser. It would most likely help moreso than what I just ranted about. | |
| trocadero -- 01/05/2005, 16:33:38 -- #10141 | |
| It's like 0 degrees celius here right know(22:21). Brrrr You said that you listened mostly to Bill Evans and Brad Mehldau. Have you read the linear notes to Art of the trio vol. 4? Like 4 pages where Brad explains that he doesn't have Evans as a role-model. He says that he's sick of people labeling him as a Evans-ripoff. look for yourself(you're probably better at English than I am ;)) http://www.bradmehldau.com/mehldau/words/liner_back_vanguard.html When I listened to Brad the first time I thought I heard strong influences of Keith Jarrett(who was influenced by Evans). Then I thought that I might tip you about a swedeish pianist. Esbjörn Svensson and his trio EST. People in sweden says he's very well known outside sweden but I really dont know if that's true. Anyway, his trio is a kickass liveband but the records are quite lame. You sould get your hands on a dvd named EST: Live in Stockholm. Very personal style, not at all like an ordinary pianotrio. How wierd, I ended up giving YOU a tip. | |
| nkil -- 01/05/2005, 22:28:26 -- #10148 | |
| I will take a look into that DVD...I need more jazz oriented material as far as DVDs are concerned. About Brad; It's interesting because when I hear him play, I never consider him sounding at all like Bill Evans...they play with two different styles entirely. However I always thought it was interesting that Evans was one of Brad's biggest influences, as well. I think it's important to have some kind of role-model, someone who you can look up to and learn from but at the same time, learn who you are as well. That's the idea I think I am trying to convey in a very indirect matter, which I apologize for. | |
| tomwrush -- 01/06/2005, 00:51:59 -- #10153 | |
| nkil- just curious, but where do you go school? just curious, I'm thinking of transferring. it's 10 degrees (f) -4(c) here in balmy bar harbor, maine | |
| trocadero -- 01/06/2005, 03:44:08 -- #10154 | |
| Nkil p> I'm not shure I understand since my english isn't fully developed. I wasn't trying to correct you or anything I just remebered the unusual text I read in the linear notes to an album. You guys who are better at reading, who do you interperet Brads text? To me he sounds very shure of himself and serious in the linear notes. Are there anybody here who seen him him live? I wonder what he's like. | |
| nkil -- 01/06/2005, 04:40:31 -- #10156 | |
| Tomwrush- I'm at school in Boston, Berklee College of Music. Trocadero- I think Brad is extremely sure of himself, and I think he is very confident. I hope to someday develop a style of my own and be able to have as much confidence in my ability as he does. He's extremely intelligent, as well, very knowledgable. Most good musicians are though...they have to be. Oh, and I didn't take offence, I didn't think you were correcting me I just wanted to apologize, that's all. No worries my Swedish friend. :) -Nathan | |
| tomwrush -- 01/06/2005, 13:09:09 -- #10161 | |
| Nathan- Berklee is certainly on my list of schools, I'm curious what the students there are like. Are they all just musicians, is there a mix of folks that are simultanesously learning about stuff other than music? And is a competitive school to get into? thanks, tom | |
| 7 -- 01/06/2005, 14:04:09 -- #10162 | |
| I've been told by my Sax teacher (a Berklee graduate currently playing with the Brian Setzer Orchestra) that Berklee is full of a bunch of snot nosed rich kids. He says that all you need to get into Berklee is your daddy's fat wallet (or words to that effect). On the other hand, he notes that if you put your nose to the grindstone and pay attention you WILL get the goods. I understand that Berklee is also a good way to network yourself into good paying jobs - since the school is so well-connected and (in most people's minds) "prestigious". I've always found it interesting that people are willing to pay a school like Berklee approximately the same amount of money to become a "musician" that you would pay to become a doctor or a lawyer. With almost no hope of ever recouping the investment ... | |
| nkil -- 01/06/2005, 22:05:56 -- #10167 | |
| 7- Trust me, I know what your sax instructor means. There are a LOT of rich kids here, a lot that are riding on their parent's dollar...and it makes me sick coming from a background like mine. The one thing that I will say, as sick as it sounds, that makes me happy almost more than the things I'm learning there is watching these kids complain, piss and moan and eventually drop out and move in with their parents again. There's a lot of negative things to say about Berklee...and my main word of advice to anyone looking to go there; come hungry, and know how to play before you get here unless you're going into the business side. Berklee is NOT hard to get into, it's staying in and keeping your drive that is the hardest thing. To their credit, I will say that some of the instructors are quite amazing and I have taken up something of an apprenticeship with my private instructor and it's a very good feeling to know that perhaps he may see something in me worth working extra on. Other instructors, you'd never understand how they got the job. The new president is working to clean up the corruption at the college apparently...I'll believe it when I see it. Until then, as long as it stays out of my hair, I will continue to work my ass off there. Some of the cats there...I don't understand how they ever got in, because musical ability was definitely not what got them there. I am not trying to sound boastful, but it really does piss me off at the college when I see students who really, really need to be practicing regularly just to get by, sitting on their asses...or their parent's wallets if you will...and playing video games, drinking, wasting time. There are those there who are there for the right reasons however. And even then, sometimes Berklee isn't even the right place to be...if you want to perform, getting a performance degree at berklee won't mean a thing in the real world. I am there for the Contemporary Writing & PRoduction major, other than that...I'm persuing performance on my own time getting together with friends and playing standards, originals, jamming, studio recording, session work...I would never go through their performance program. I see so many burnt-out talented musicians that just don't want anything to do with music anymore because honestly, they let Berklee get to them in a way that they never should have. Ok, that is my new rant, and I apologize for how long it is. -Nathan | |
| Scot -- 01/06/2005, 23:49:09 -- #10172 | |
| That's what I heard about Berklee. Basically if you have the money you get it, no questions asked, but the only way you're going to get good at Berklee is to have the drive to get good. There's a lot to be said about that kind of environment, though, because it will teach you about the real world of music. There are a lot of bad musicians who get a lot of the gigs out there simply because they are tenacious and work harder at getting gigs than getting good. You have to be able to cut through that stuff to get your own gigs and fighting it out at Berklee is as good as practice for the real world as anywhere. | |
| kennyG -- 01/07/2005, 01:48:28 -- #10181 | |
| When I was at Bezerkley in the Late Seventies it was easy to get in to if you had the money. But very competitive once in. Very difficult to keep up with the course load. To have a social life and pass courses was not a possability. It would have been easier to become a Doctor or Lawyer for sure | |
| MoJazz -- 01/09/2005, 06:02:07 -- #10220 | |
| I would never go through their performance program. I see so many burnt-out talented musicians that just don't want anything to do with music anymore because honestly, they let Berklee get to them in a way that they never should have. I hear you and agree that being a performing working musician can be very discouraging to any musician, young and old alike. Berklee may be training these performance majors to develop a high degree of artistic and technical prowess, but they forget there is another thing to prepare for. You will be an *Entertainer* and an audience will be awaiting any performing musician. It can rattle any inexperienced musician to have a crowd "eye-balling" you with their own expectations of your performance. You may play extremely well in your own judgement, but the audience may not like it. So, learning how to be an *Entertainer* can inspire or depress you. Compromising your artistic goals to get better gigs and gaining popularity? Well, you don't have to, but many great players have done so for awhile to earn a living. Many great African-American musicians had to play the "Chitlin" circuit to get started, (eg. Jimmy Smith, George Benson, Jimi Hendrix, etc.) then went on to playing what they want. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Keith Jarret started out playing with Art Blakely's Jazz Messengers on the small club jazz circuit in the 60's before his success with Miles Davis and his own groups. Anyways, what I'm getting at is YOU'VE GOT PAY YOUR DUES in this jazz business. It's something that all serious Berklee or other music school students need to think about. | |
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