Mehldau plays original compositions, jazz standards and jazz arrangements o… Read Full Bio ↴Mehldau plays original compositions, jazz standards and jazz arrangements of popular music, especially rock music. With his trio, he has recorded arrangements of the music of Nick Drake, The Beatles, Radiohead and Paul Simon. Mehldau has a distinct talent for transforming these ‘Rock’ songs in such a way that they sound as if they were Jazz Standards in the first place. He is best known as leader of the Brad Mehldau Trio, with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummers Jorge Rossy and Jeff Ballard (who succeeded Rossy in 2005). Mehldau has also expressed an interest in and knowledge of philosophy, in particular of music and art( such articles like; " Ideology, Burgers and Beer" published by Jazz Time Magazine, which can be found in his web site under the writing section.) He has played and recorded solo and with co-leaders Peter Bernstein, Mark Turner, Charlie Haden, Charles Lloyd, Pat Metheny and others. In 2004, Mehldau toured with Kurt Rosenwinkel and Joshua Redman.

Mehldau is first and foremost an improviser, and greatly cherishes the surprise and wonder that can occur from a spontaneous, directly expressed musical idea. But he also has a deep fascination for the formal architecture of music, which informs everything he plays. In his most inspired playing, the actual structure of his musical thought serves as an expressive device. As he plays, he listens to how ideas unwind, and the order in which they reveal themselves. Each tune has a strongly felt narrative arc, whether it expresses itself in a beginning and an end, or as something left intentionally open-ended. The two sides of Mehldau’s personality--the improviser and the formalist--play off each other, and the effect is often something like controlled chaos.

Mehldau has performed around the world at a steady pace since the mid-nineties, with his trio and as a solo pianist. His performances convey a wide range of expression, and he favors juxtaposing extremes. Often, the intellectual rigor and density of information in the abstraction of one tune is followed by a stripped down, emotional directness in the next. Over the years, he has attracted a sizeable following, which has grown to expect a singular, intense experience in his performance.

Where Do You Start?
Brad Mehldau Trio Lyrics

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Where do you start? How do you separate the present from the past?
How do you deal with all the thing you thought would last? That didn't last
With bits of memories scattered here and there
I look around and don't know where to start

Which books are yours?
Which tapes and dreams belong to you and which are mine?
Our lives are tangled like the branches of a vine that intertwine

So many habits that we'll have to break
And yesterday's we'll have to take apart

One day there'll be a song or something in the air again
To catch me by surprise and you'll be there again
A moment in what might have been

Where do you start? Do you allow yourself a little time to cry?
Or do you close your eyes and kiss it all goodbye? I guess you try
And though I don't know where and don't know when
I'll find myself in love again

I promise there will always be a little place no one will see
A tiny part within my heart, that stays in love with you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Brad Mehldau Trio's "Where Do You Start?" are a poignant representation of the complexity and confusion that accompany the end of a relationship. The song reflects on the aftermath of a breakup and the inability to distinguish between past and present, memories and realities, and what belongs to whom. The artist makes use of a series of questions to convey the sense of loss and despair, asking the listener if they know where to begin and how to separate themselves from the past. The uncertain attribution of memories and possessions makes it harder to move on, and the connection between two people is portrayed as a tangled vine, whose branches are difficult to unravel.

The artist also acknowledges the sorrow that comes with a breakup, asking if it's okay to give in to tears or whether it's better to shut the door completely. The song seems to suggest that there is no easy answer to these questions, and every person has to find their path to healing. The final verse expresses the idea that despite everything, love remains, albeit in a hidden place within oneself, waiting for the possibility of a reconnection that might never come.

Overall, "Where Do You Start?" is a powerful reflection on the aftermath of a breakup, and the feelings of confusion and loss that can come with it. The artist's use of questions and metaphors paints a vivid picture of the situation, allowing the listener to connect with the message on a more personal level.

Line by Line Meaning

Where do you start? How do you separate the present from the past?
How do you begin to move on? How do you distinguish what is currently happening from what has already happened?

How do you deal with all the thing you thought would last? That didn't last
How do you cope with things in your life that you believed would be permanent but ended up changing?

With bits of memories scattered here and there
With fragments of memories haphazardly placed throughout your life

I look around and don't know where to start
I'm overwhelmed and unsure of how to begin

Which books are yours?
Which books belong to you specifically?

Which tapes and dreams belong to you and which are mine?
Which shared experiences belong to each of us individually?

Our lives are tangled like the branches of a vine that intertwine
Our lives have become intertwined and complex, like the tangled branches of a vine

So many habits that we'll have to break
There are numerous habits we need to break in order to move forward

And yesterday's we'll have to take apart
There are things from the past that we must dismantle to move forward

One day there'll be a song or something in the air again
One day, there will be a moment that causes me to recall a memory

To catch me by surprise and you'll be there again
This moment will take me by surprise, and it will remind me of you

A moment in what might have been
A moment that makes me think about what could have been if things had gone differently

Where do you start? Do you allow yourself a little time to cry?
How do you begin to heal? Do you let yourself grieve?

Or do you close your eyes and kiss it all goodbye? I guess you try
Or do you force yourself to move on without properly processing what has happened? I suppose you attempt to do so

And though I don't know where and don't know when
Even though I'm uncertain about the future

I'll find myself in love again
I know that I will love again in the future

I promise there will always be a little place no one will see
I vow to always keep a part of myself that is private and hidden from others

A tiny part within my heart, that stays in love with you
A small portion of my heart will always be in love with you

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALAN BERGMAN, JOHNNY MANDEL, MARILYN BERGMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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