Brad Mehldau: Day is Done
Musicians:
Brad Mehldau (piano),
Larry Grenadier (bass), Jeff Ballard (drums)
.Composed by Nick Drake
.Recorded: New York City, March 13, 2005
Rating: 90/100 (learn more)
Jeff Ballard replaced longtime Mehldau drummer Jorge Rossy on Day is Done, and considering Mehldau's and Rossy's 10-year partnership, had some large shoes to fill. Ballard is Rossy's polar opposite—where Rossy was subdued and complementary, Ballard is boisterous and dynamic. His liveliness invigorates the trio on this track, which comes from the pen of tragically troubled British singer/songwriter Nick Drake. Drake's original is dark and distressed; one might expect the trio's version to follow suit, and it does initially, with Grenadier's bass melody embodying the singer's lonely melancholy. Though I wouldn't exactly say a smiling sun ever rises (the harmony keeps the sky dark and the clouds thick), Ballard adds a spark of life to the night and keeps things groovy and moving along. The trio engages in some energized discourse, fueled by the drummer's rabbit-like quickness and penetrating snare and cymbal work.
Reviewer: Matt Leskovic
If you liked this track, also check out
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Related Links
Assessing Brad Mehldau at Mid-Career by Ted Gioia
The Dozens: Twelve Essential Brad Mehldau Performances by Ted Gioia
In Conversation with Brad Mehldau by Ted Panken
Tags: 2000s jazz · nick drake covers · piano trio
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