Jazz at the Lobero welcomes Brad Mehldau back to the Lobero Theatre at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, as part of the Jazz at the Lobero Fall series. Mehldau will perform solo in an evening highlighting his dexterity as an artist who easily crosses from jazz into classical and pop music.
Mehldau is one of the most lyrical and intimate voices of contemporary jazz piano, forging a unique path that embodies the essence of jazz exploration, classical romanticism, and pop allure, according to Jazz at the Lobero.
Closing out this series on Dec. 6 will be Arturo Sandoval, a 10-time Grammy Award winner. A disciple of Dizzy Gillespie, Sandoval mixes elements of his Cuban upbringing into his live shows.
Mehldau’s musical personality forms a dichotomy.
He is first and foremost an improviser, who cherishes the surprise and wonder that can occur from a spontaneous musical idea that is expressed directly, in real time. But he also has a fascination for the formal architecture of music, and it informs everything he plays.
In his most inspired playing, the actual structure of his musical thought serves as an expressive device. As he plays, he listens to how ideas unwind, and the order in which they reveal themselves.
Each tune has a strongly felt narrative arch, whether it expresses itself in a beginning, an end, or something left intentionally open-ended. The two sides of Mehldau’s personality — the improviser and the formalist — play off each other, and the effect is often something like controlled chaos.
Mehldau has performed around the world at a steady pace since the mid-1990s’, with his trio and as a solo pianist.
His performances convey a wide range of expression. There is often an intellectual rigor to the continuous process of abstraction that may take place on a given tune, and a certain density of information.
That could be followed by a stripped down, emotionally direct ballad. Mehldau favors juxtaposing extremes. He has attracted a sizeable following over the years, one that has grown to expect a singular, intense experience in his performance.
“Mehldau is the most influential jazz pianist of the last 20 years,” The New York Times reports.
Tickets for Mehldau are on sale at Lobero.org or by calling the box office, 963-0761. Tickets are $52 for Section A, $42 for Section B, with a limited number of VIP tickets available for $105.
VIP tickets include premier seating and a 7 p.m. pre-show reception in the Lobero courtyard with complimentary bar and hors-d’oeuvres.
Series subscribers enjoy priority seating, savings of almost 20 percent on single ticket prices, and advance updates on upcoming shows. Learn more by calling 963-0761.
The Lobero Brubeck Circle Members enjoy an exclusive 20 percent discount on all Jazz at the Lobero shows, even those offered outside the series.
The Brubeck Circle makes it possible for the Lobero to bring in jazz, blues and roots artists like Wayne Shorter, Dr. John, Chris Thile, Robert Cray, and Keb’ Mo’. Learn more about the Brubeck Circle at Lobero.org/Jazz.
— Angie Bertucci for Lobero Theatre.