Taking the genius of Johann Sebastian Bach and doing something else with it is not a new idea. From Mendelssohn’s 19th-century adaptations to The Swingle Singers’ a capella musings and Wendy Carlos’ Moog synthesiser take in the 1960s, the great composer’s music is nothing if not resilient. With Brad Mehldau’s current version of the German’s keyboard music there are, naturally, clear hints at his background in jazz. However, it’s the essence of Bach himself that absolutely comes through in Mehldau’s new album. Improvisation is key to both Johann Sebastian (one of the world’s best-ever improvisers) and Mehldau, who is an exceptionally gifted jazz artist.

In a combination of Bach originals and Mehldau’s new compositions, After Bach II is a holistic progression of, for the most part, short, miniaturist pieces. There are four preludes and one fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier, as well as ‘Allemande’ from the fourth Partita, interspersed with seven compositions or improvisations by Mehldau inspired by the complementary works of Bach. Whether playing the composer’s output or his own work, Mehldau brings a consistent clarity of translucent light to his performance on this recording.

As if meandering its way through an unfolding story, this mix is especially rewarding in ‘Variations On Bach’s Goldberg Theme’ with Mehldau achieving a balance of combined creative sparks. It’s definitely worth listening to the longest track, ‘After Bach: Toccata’, where dissonance rails against Johann Sebastian rather than going with the overall, mainly agreeable flow.

Brad Mehldau: After Bach II is released by Nonesuch on Friday 10 May.