Brad Mehldau keyboards, synths
Mark Guliana drums
Over the last few years, world renowned pianist BRAD MEHLDAU and acclaimed drummer/percussionist MARK GUILIANA (Gretchen Parlato, Meshell Ndegeocello) had been discussing a potential collaboration in which Brad would, for the first time in a live group setting, perform on fender Rhodes and an arsenal of vintage synthesizers, while Mark would accompany on live drums and effects in a loose setting. A great idea that until 2011 didn’t find the light of day due to touring and recording schedules. In August 2011, the two musicians finally got a chance to display what they’d finally got to work on, playing a small show at the Falcon, a cozy venue in upstate New York, to a small attentive crowd during hurricane Irene. The resulting show was trance-laden, free and majestic, displaying Brad’s pension for splitting his hands in a way that no other modern pianist in his generation can – sounding like two pianists – only now utilizing the varied timbres of synthesizers, accompanied by Mark’s frenetic drum machine-like jungle beat precision and unbreakable groove. A completely free form performance, with no set compositions, the resulting sounds were quintessential Brad and Mark, yet touching on modern drum and bass forays found in dance clubs, and nodding back to the more free dance-funk spirit of the early 70s. The unmistakable harmony and melodicism of Brad Mehldau played through electric keyboards enveloped by the virtuosic rhythmic tendencies of Guiliana – is nothing short of what a lot of music fans have been waiting for; two of the world’s most refreshing instrumentalist humanizing live electronic music with improvisation and deft ability.
MEHLIANA featuring Brad Mehldau and Mark Guiliana 06.06.12 Stone, NYC from Brad Mehldau on Vimeo.