Has Brad Mehldau always been one step ahead of jazz? In this episode, Peter and Adam trace his evolution from the straight-ahead Art of the Trio series to the produced, cinematic experiments of his 2002 opus Largo. We look at how Brad’s late nights in LA, love of Radiohead, and partnership with producer Jon Brion blurred the lines between indie pop, alt rock, and jazz, creating a new “Populist Jazz.” Discover how Brad Mehldau’s Largo paved the way for a generation of genre-bending artists from The Bad Plus, to Robert Glasper, to our very own Adam Maness – and cemented his place as the greatest genre hacker in jazz. 🟠 Open Studio Members -> Nerd Nook Try OS Membership today! → https://osjazz.link/about Looking to drop a question? Want to listen to the audio pod? Look no further! https://youllhearit.com/ Play better in 2026 and beyond at Open Studio. Join today with our last BIG savings of the year at openstudiojazz.com/yhi
