This is the first time since 2007’s Largo that Brad Mehldau has stepped out of his usual trio format for a larger ensemble. For this episode, he adds voices by Becca Stevens and Gabriel Kahane (along with is own) as well as mixing and matching Mark Guilliana/dr, Chirs Cheek/ts-bs, Joel Frahm/ts, Charles Pillow/ss-as-bcl, Ambrose Akinmusire/tp, Kurt Elling/voc, Sara Caswell/vi among others whil he himself plays piano along with xylophone, electronic keys such as the OB-6, Phahttps://youtu.be/xs73-eVBu6Ity, Fender Rhodes and Therevox (for starters).
The inspiration for the album came after Mehldau competed a 7 year study of the Bible, thus the songs contain titles from the Old and New Testament. It’s always fascinating to see what people glean from Scripture, and Mehldau, so the mix of Biblical themes with instrumentation outside of his usual comfort zone makes for discussion of this album on a variety of levels.
On the musical side, you get a fairly ecumenical mix of talking intimately to God and a choir of “Hallelujahs” while Mehldau’s big hand give a gospel feel to the title track, while contemplative voices team with synths and heartfelt moods on the Ecclesiastical “Striving After Wind.” Kurt Elling brings in impassioned voice to “Make It All Go Away” while angry, urgent and defiant horns shriek like a shofar on “The Prophet Is A Fool.” Meditative voices and synthesizers and other textures make “The Garden” a trip to Gethsemane before betrayal.
As far as themes, Mehldau spends much time about the story of Job, with Elling and “Snorts” Malibu teamed in a synthesized mood of an eternal problem, dealing with when bad things happen to “good” people. Solomon’s book on the vanity of life under the sun, stories of ignored prophets and passionate cries to God for justice summarize the Old Testament view, while the passion of the Garden, the gospel of St. Mark and the cleansing of baptismal waters are also addressed. Mehldau, both musically and thematically, seems to be on the same pilgrimage of many of us, summarized by St Augustine’s classic remark, that “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” This music and message point to a final City not quite reached this side of heaven.