Brad Mehldau: When It Rains
When It Rains
Brad Mehldau (piano)
Largo (Warner Bros 48114)
Steve Kujala, David Shostac (flutes), Jon Clark, Earle Dumler (oboes), Gary Gray, Emile Bernstein (clarinets), Peter Mandell, Rose Corrigan (bassoons).
Composed by Brad Mehldau.
Recorded: Hollywood, CA, April 2-8, 2001
Rating: 89/100 (learn more)
On Largo, Brad Mehldau moves away from his preferred piano trio format. The aptly titled “When It Rains” begins with a pensive piano introduction, quietly augmented by an octet of woodwinds. Mehldau’s droning left-hand triplets behind the melody recall those days where the incessant patter of gentle rain becomes a sobering rhythmic accompaniment to the day’s activities. Mehldau’s playing is bittersweet—his mood is lonesome and melancholic, but his phrases end with a sense of optimism, leaving listeners touched and surprisingly uplifted. Mehldau’s solo reprise of the introduction is a fitting conclusion to a convincing piece of stark emotion.
Reviewer: Matt Leskovic
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