(Nonesuch Records)

Ode is the first recording from the Brad Mehldau Trio in 4 years. The project’s title references its musical odes to many different people, fictional and nonfictional, including the late, great saxophonist Michael Brecker, a character from the film Easy Rider, a comic book hero and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. Pianist Mehldau has always been fantastic as something of a solo, high wire artist, but with the trio he demonstrates how he can ‘play well with others’, in this case, bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy, both stellar talents in their own right. The trio clicks through the albums 11 tunes, all of which Mehldau composed, like a finely tuned watch. The tracks are balance of uptempo numbers and ballads, which provide a showcase for this latest episode in the artistry of the trio.