MTB (MEHLDAU/TURNER/BERNSTEIN) “Solid Jackson”

ARTIST

MTB (Mehldau/Turner/Bernstein)

ALBUM TITLE

“Solid Jackson”

LABEL

Criss Cross

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Comparing this album with its precursor Consenting Adults (recorded in 1994 and released in 2000 with Leon Parker on drums) makes clear the extraordinary refinement the musicians have achieved over the decades – refinement worthy of the finest wines and spirits. Thirty years is no small matter. Mehldau himself observed back then that each member of the group was still at the beginning of his path, searching for his voice. Those voices now resonate with full authority, and the result leaves no doubt as to the stature of the album. It arrives like the proverbial black monolith at the close of a year that has hardly lacked for satisfactions.

We are now dealing with acknowledged masters. This release is no longer a calling card or a statement of promise but rather a confirmation of an absolutely preeminent position, bordering on a brilliant divertissement. That status comes not only from the predominance of original pieces (five out of eight) but also from the highly personal way in which the three standards are reimagined: Wayne Shorter’s Angola, Hank Mobley’s Soft Impression, and Harold Land’s Ode to Angela. The instrumental contributions from Mehldau, Turner, and Bernstein shine with luminous abundance, each of them in a state of grace. Yet Grenadier and Stewart are never reduced to mere accompanists – roles that would hardly suit musicians of their stature.

The new compositions are equally inspired: Mehldau’s Solid Jackson and Maury’s Grey Wig, Bernstein’s The Things That Fall Away, and Turner’s 1946. These may well be remembered for years to come. To call the album “monumental” is no exaggeration – if anything, it risks understatement. Trust us: the music surpasses all expectations. This is essential listening.

—Sandro Cerini

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