The second album by Brad Mehldau may invite obvious comparisons to Bill Evans, but it sees the young pianist well on the road to establishing himself as one of the shining lights of contemporary jazz. It is a beautifully moody and contemplative set featuring fine support from the Jorge Rossy/Larry Grenadier rhythm section.
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Modern Cool Patricia Barber 1998 [Premonition]
Urban pastiche made up mostly of originals sporting pianist/vocalist Barber's delightfully witty lyricism. While the earthier Verse from 2002 would go on to critical acclaim, Modern Cool remains a favourite with her fans. Trumpeter Dave Douglas jazzes things up and Barber proves that intelligence can work in just about any context.
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The Art Of the Trio - Volume Three Brad Mehldau 1998 [Warner]
An achingly romantic set from Bill Evans-inspired pianist Mehldau. Half the record consists of originals, with the rest an inspired selection of standards and covers. The Jorge Rossy/Larry Grenadier rhythm section provides capable support, making this an excellent place to start exploring the work of this fine contemporary pianist.
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Solo Live Michel Petrucciani 1999 [Dreyfus]
Despite being afflicted with glass bones disease which greatly inhibited his physical growth, Petrucciani managed to establish himself as one of contemporary jazz's premier pianists. This solo date from 1998 highlights his mastery of instrumentation and showmanship. Released not long after his death in 1999, Solo is a real heart-wrencher.
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Written in the Stars Bill Charlap Trio 2000 [Blue Note]
Popular mainstream pianist Charlap makes his living by playing jazz standards in a Bill Evans-like fashion. Here he interprets some lesser-known gems by songwriters like the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, and Irving Berlin. While jazz has no shortage of promising young pianists, Charlap proves here he is something special.
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The Invisible Hand Greg Osby 2000 [Blue Note]
With a creative heritage that can be traced to the M-Base collective, altoist Osby is rarely routine on record. Invisible Hand is no different, although the presence of jazz veterans Jim Hall on guitar and pianist Andrew Hill injects some melodic focus into the mix. Some think this album is all over the place, but others rank it as a post-bop classic.
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Black Stars Jason Moran 2001 [Blue Note]
The highlight here is the meeting of young pianist Moran with sax legend and elder statesman Sam Rivers. Never straying too far from the Blue Note sound, there is plenty of hard bop mixed in nicely with some freer contemporary elements. Moran also displays compositional maturity beyond his years, penning ten of the album's eleven tracks.
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The Sequel Mulgrew Miller & Wingspan 2002 [Maxjazz]
Journeyman pianist Miller reunited with the quintet he formed in the late-80s to lead this terrific straightahead jazz record. Eight of the 10 tracks are originals, with the wonderful 'Go East Young Man' showcasing some fine soloing by the Wingspan crew. In particular, soprano saxman Steve Wilson is at the top of his game.
