Hey Joe – 2020

Brad Mehldau

Mehldau and his trio play a lightly grooving original

A major and influential jazz pianist since the early 1990s, Brad Mehldau has led or co-led over 40 albums in his career.

Mehldau first recorded “Hey Joe” in 2011 while joined by bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard, long-time members of his trio.

On this rendition of “Hey Joe” from 2020, Mehldau interacts with bassist Felix Moseholm and drummer Jorge Rossy.

Since Rossy was the regular drummer in Mehldau’s trio during 1993-2005, this performance is a reunion for them while bassist Felix Moseholm had never previously recorded with the pianist.

Despite having been together as a unit for only a short period, the three musicians sound very much like a long-term group with Moseholm and Rossy reacting immediately to Mehldau’s ideas and adding to the sound o the group during the grooving ensemble piece.

-Scott Yanow