Brad Mehldau performs two solo piano sets at New York City's Highline Ballroom tonight, with proceeds going to benefit JazzReach, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion, performance, creation, and teaching of jazz music.

The New York Times's Nate Chinen says, in the listing for tonight's event, that "Mehldau has established himself as one of the standout jazz voices of his generation, partly through a run of intensely lyrical solo piano recitals." Chinen, in his blog, The Gig, brought the world the first bit of news on Mehldau's forthcoming Nonesuch release, a project with Jon Brion, over the holidays. Stay tuned for more news of the project in Nonesuch Journal in the coming weeks.

For now, says the Village Voice's Jim Macnie, who is eagerly anticipating the new album, with tonight's performances, audiences "can absorb the sublime sobriety of his solo piano work." Macnie says that in his solo sets, the pianist goes "wherever the rapture is hiding," adding enough "animated dazzle" to keep from going too far afield, ultimately producing "a chops-over-mood triumph."

JazzReach, the organization tonight's performances benefit, has worked to foster a greater appreciation, awareness, and understanding of jazz since 1997, through the presentation of live multimedia educational programs for young audiences, main-stage concerts for general audiences, and clinics and master-classes for student musicians and ensembles. For more on the organization, visit jazzreach.org.

For more information on tonight's event, visit highlineballroom.com.

Brad brings his solo show out to the West Coast next week for sets in Seattle, Santa Barbara, and San Francisco. For the complete schedule and venue links, go to nonesuch.com/on-tour.