Modern Music (Mehldau–Hayes album)
Modern Music | |
---|---|
Studio album by Brad Mehldau, Kevin Hays | |
Released | September 20, 2011 |
Recorded | October 2010; Mechanics Hall, Worcester, Massachusetts |
Label | Nonesuch |
Producer | Patrick Zimmerli |
Modern Music is an album by pianists Brad Mehldau and Kevin Hays.
Background
The three protagonists for the album – composer and arranger Patrick Zimmerli, and pianists Brad Mehldau and Kevin Hays – were friends.[1] Mehldau was already known for mixing elements from forms of music other than jazz into his performances, and Hays had more recently extended "from his signature, intelligent, hard swinging post-bop approach to include compositions with modern classical touches".[1]
Music and recording
The album was recorded in October 2010 at Mechanics Hall, Worcester, Massachusetts.[2] Zimmerli composed three of the pieces and arranged the others, which included an original each from Mehldau and Hays.[1] The three Zimmerli pieces have "busy palettes, intricate cross-keyboard dialogues, and contrapuntal studies".[1]
Reception
The album was released by Nonesuch Records on September 20, 2011.[2] The AllMusic reviewer concluded that "it's not a jazz album, but one in which new considerations of harmonic composition and intra-instrument dialogue are readily apparent and delivered upon with discipline as well as verve."[1] The Financial Times reviewer commented on the two pianists' awareness of what they were doing together and the positive impact of the structure of their playing.[3]
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Financial Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Track listing
- "Crazy Quilt" (Patrick Zimmerli) – 6:21
- "Unrequited" (Brad Mehldau) – 6:27
- "Generatrix" (Zimmerli) – 5:12
- "Celtic Folk Melody" (Zimmerli) – 2:58
- "Excerpt from Music for 18 Musicians" (Steve Reich) – 5:20
- "Lonely Woman" (Ornette Coleman) – 6:31
- "Modern Music" (Zimmerli) – 4:59
- "Elegia" (Kevin Hays) – 6:20
- "Excerpt from String Quartet No. 5" (Philip Glass) – 3:45
Personnel
- Brad Mehldau – piano
- Kevin Hays – piano
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jurek, Thom "Brad Mehldau / Kevin Hays / Patrick Zimmerli – Modern Music". AllMusic. Retrieved December 3, 2016.
- 1 2 "Brad Mehldau + Kevin Hays + Patrick Zimmerli – Modern Music". Nonesuch Records. Retrieved December 3, 2016.
- 1 2 Hobart, Mike (September 17, 2011) "Brad Mehldau & Kevin Hays: Modern Music". Financial Times.
- ↑ Fordham, John (September 29, 2011) "Brad Mehldau/Kevin Hays: Modern Music – Review". The Guardian.