Jacob's Ladder
Brad Mehldau
Awards:
-
Jazzwise, Editor's Choice, April 2022
-
Presto Recording of the Week, 25th March 2022
-
Grammy Awards, 65th Awards (2023), Nominee: Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
-
The Guardian, Jazz Album of the Month, March 2022
Jacob’s Ladder sees Brad Mehldau going into fusion mode, which contrasts nicely with his recent solo and orchestral offering…It ’s a spirited and lively undertaking.
Jacob's Ladder
Brad Mehldau
Purchase product
Other available formats
Awards:
-
Jazzwise, Editor's Choice, April 2022
-
Presto Recording of the Week, 25th March 2022
-
Grammy Awards, 65th Awards (2023), Nominee: Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
-
The Guardian, Jazz Album of the Month, March 2022
Jacob’s Ladder sees Brad Mehldau going into fusion mode, which contrasts nicely with his recent solo and orchestral offering…It ’s a spirited and lively undertaking.
About
Mehldau explains, 'We are born close to God, and as we mature, we invariably move further and further away from Him on account of our ego. 'Jacob's Ladder' begins at that place closer to God with the voice of child, and then moves into the world of action. God is always there, but in our discovery and conquest, and all the joys and sorrows they bring, we may lose sight of him. He sets a ladder before us though, like in Jacob's dream, and we climb towards him, to find reconciliation with ourselves, to stitch up all those worldly wounds and finally heal. The record ends with my vision of heaven - once again as a child, His child, in eternal grace, in ecstasy'.
Contents and tracklist
maybe as his skies are wide
Work length3:43
- Brad Mehldau (glockenspiel), Brad Mehldau (samples), Brad Mehldau (synthesizer), Brad Mehldau (grand piano), John Davis (samples), Luca van den Bossche (treble vocals), Mark Guiliana (drums)
Herr und Knecht
Work length7:47
- Brad Mehldau (moog), Mark Guiliana (drums), Joel Frahm (soprano saxophone), Becca Stevens (additional vocals), Brad Mehldau (emulator synthesizer), Brad Mehldau (grand piano), Brad Mehldau (electric piano), Brad Mehldau (wurlitzer piano), Brad Mehldau (synthesizer), Tobias Bader (screams vocals)
(Entr’acte) Glam Perfume
Work length5:44
- Brad Mehldau (mellotron), Becca Stevens (vocals), Brad Mehldau (moog), Brad Mehldau (grand piano), Lavinia Meijer (harp)
Cogs in Cogs, Pt. I: Dance
Work length4:11
Cogs in Cogs, Pt. II: Song (feat. Becca Stevens)
Work length4:02
- Brad Mehldau (keyboards), Becca Stevens (lead vocals), Motomi Igarashi-de Jong (lirone cello), Mark Guiliana (drums), John Davis (drum programming), Brad Mehldau (background vocals), Brad Mehldau (emulator synthesizer), Brad Mehldau (grand piano), Brad Mehldau (synthesizer)
Cogs in Cogs, Pt. III: Double Fugue
Work length4:30
Tom Sawyer (feat. Chris Thile)
Work length7:44
- Brad Mehldau (moog), Chris Thile (mandolin), Mark Guiliana (drums), Luca van den Bossche (treble vocals), John Davis (drum programming), Joel Frahm (soprano saxophone), Joel Frahm (tenor saxophone), Brad Mehldau (additional vocals), Brad Mehldau (emulator synthesizer), Brad Mehldau (prophet synthesizer), Brad Mehldau (juno synthesizer), Brad Mehldau (grand piano), Brad Mehldau (electric piano), Brad Mehldau (synthesizer)
Vou correndo te encontrar / Racecar
Work length5:05
- Brad Mehldau (drums), Brad Mehldau (synthesizer), Brad Mehldau (tambourine), Brad Mehldau (grand piano), Pedro Martins (acoustic guitar)
Jacob’s Ladder, Pt. I: Liturgy
Work length1:27
- Safia McKinney-Askeur (spoken voice vocals), Luca van den Bossche (spoken voice vocals), Becca Stevens (spoken voice vocals), Damien Mehldau (spoken voice vocals), Brad Mehldau (spoken voice vocals), Timothy Hill (spoken voice vocals)
Jacob’s Ladder, Pt. II: Song
Work length11:30
- Brad Mehldau (sleigh bells), Motomi Igarashi-de Jong (lirone cello), Michael McKiervnan (guitar technician), Mark Guiliana (electronic drums), Mark Guiliana (drums), Brad Mehldau (grand piano), Brad Mehldau (upright piano), Brad Mehldau (synthesizer), Brad Mehldau (moog), Brad Mehldau (mellotron), Brad Mehldau (keyboards), Safia McKinney-Askeur (vocals)
Jacob’s Ladder, Pt. III: Ladder
Work length4:19
- Brad Mehldau (bells), Joris Roelofs (bass clarinet), Safia McKinney-Askeur (soprano), Safia McKinney-Askeur (alto), Motomi Igarashi-de Jong (lirone cello), Luca van den Bossche (treble vocals), Becca Stevens (alto), Fleurine (spoken voice vocals), Brad Mehldau (spoken voice vocals), Brad Mehldau (tenor), Brad Mehldau (synthesizer), Becca Stevens (soprano), Timothy Hill (bass)
Heaven: I. All Once – II. Life Seeker – III. Würm – IV. Epilogue: It Was a Dream but I Carry It Still (feat. Cécile McLorin Salvant)
Work length10:07
- Brad Mehldau (drums), Cécile McLorin Salvant, Pedro Martins (electric guitar), Pedro Martins (acoustic guitar), Paul Pouwer (bass drums), Mark Guiliana (drums), Luca van den Bossche (background vocals), Lavinia Meijer (harp), Brad Mehldau (background vocals), Brad Mehldau (juno synthesizer), Brad Mehldau (grand piano), Brad Mehldau (fender rhodes piano), Brad Mehldau (shaker egg percussion), Brad Mehldau (synthesizer), Brad Mehldau (keyboards), Becca Stevens (background vocals), Safia McKinney-Askeur (lead vocals)
Spotlight on this release
-
Brad Mehldau, 'Jacob's Ladder'
25th Mar 2022
Brad Mehldau combines the sounds of contemporary jazz and classic progressive rock on his conceptual new record.
Awards and reviews
-
JazzwiseEditor's ChoiceApril 2022
-
Presto Recording of the Week25th March 2022
-
Grammy Awards65th Awards (2023)Nominee: Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
-
The GuardianJazz Album of the MonthMarch 2022
May 2022
Jacob’s Ladder sees Brad Mehldau going into fusion mode, which contrasts nicely with his recent solo and orchestral offering…It ’s a spirited and lively undertaking.
April 2022
Nevertheless Mehldau’s signature as a pianist, even if it’s more Beatles, Bach and Brahms than Bud Powell, is all over the recording. On Jacob’s Ladder Mehldau gives you both something to think about as well as musically get your teeth into. Those are indeed rare qualities.
