The Art of the Trio Recordings: 1996-2001 Nonesuch*****

The title seemed self-important for a pianist then still in his 20s, but history has absolved Brad Mehldau. His first piano trio, with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy, would indeed turn out to be the state of the art, challenging even Keith Jarrett’s Standards Trio in terms both of its creativity and its international popularity. But where Jarrett co restricted themselves to the standard repertoire, Mehldau’s trio began to favour more contemporary material, opening up their music to a younger, hipper generation. Comparisons with Jarrett and others were drawn over the years, but this hefty seven-disc compilation, including previously unreleased material and a perceptive essay from fellow pianist Ethan Iverson, proves that Mehldau’s trio found their own path to the waterfall and the resulting music stands alongside the best that has been produced in jazz in the last 25 years. See nonesuch.com.