This is about the 3rd time Impulse! has released a posthumous album with Charlie Haden, this time with pianist Brad Mehldau from a 2007 concert in Mannheim Germany. Judging by the high quality of all of these albums, it causes one to think how much more brilliant material is in their vaults. What else are we missing?
This collection of piano/bass duets oozes with sublime swing; you can feel the comradery between the sensitive kindred spirits throughout these essentially spontaneous conversations. There is plenty of room for exquisite soloing, but most of the time after stating their themes as on the reflective and tender “My Love and I” and the relaxed saloon blues of “My Old Flame” the veer in and out of the spotlight while producing a background for each other. Mehldau is conversant and caught in wanderlust on “Everything Happens to Me” and the two are dreamlike with starlit wanderlust during “What’ll I Do?.” The two create sublime swing with warmth and elegance for the title track and bop with elan for a coy and stately take of Charlie Parker’s “Au Privave.” This album glows like warm embers; sit by the fire and take it in.