When I listen to this, I can't help but hear James Brown's "It's a Man's World" in those sweet melodic parts. Mehldau's a virtuoso, and I know he can explore the hell out of a piece, but I love when he brings out the sweet. The buildup from the search he begins at 6:00 comes to a beautiful culmination at 6:50 and in comes that wonderful melody agai... See more

Speaking of marrying creativity and business, I’ve discovered that a rock star and a brain surgeon have something in common. It’s not that either one would be particularly good at the other’s job (and I’m not sure which crossover would produce the more disastrous results), but rather that each one is capable of performing his craft brilliantly, and

... See more