“When the Pat Metheny Group released this debut album on ECM inwards 1978, the musicianship of Pat was already get-go to plough some heads. His previous trio album for ECM inwards 1976, featuring Jaco Pastoris (bass) in addition to Bob Moses (drums), had forced the basis of traditional jazz to direct maintain notice of this contemporary sound. There is non a drab rail on this album, in addition to Metheny is joined past times an alone novel lineup of musicians: Lyle Mays (piano, autoharp, Oberheim synthesizer), Mark Egan (bass), in addition to Dan Gottlieb (drums). The grouping genuinely brought novel life into the genre. The album starts off with “San Lorenzo,” featuring some wonderful pianoforte solos past times Mays that volition knock your socks off. “Phase Dance” is the most widely recognizable Metheny slice on here, with some peachy riffs past times Pat threading throughout the piece. The rail “Jaco” is non genuinely really funky equally i powerfulness expect, since it was a tribute to bassist Jaco Pastorius, but does demo off Egan equally a peachy bassist that knows how to groove to an upbeat. “Aprilwind” is a brief serenity slice that is fairly straightforward inwards the delivery department. “April Joy” features Pat gracing the guitar inwards a agency nosotros direct maintain all grown to love. And finally, “Lone Jack,” a rail that has a bop experience to it. Most of the tracks on this loose direct maintain gone on to move standards inwards their ain right. This album solidified Metheny’s house equally a gifted composer with an outstanding mastery of his guitar-craft. This is sure enough i of the most of import contemporary jazz albums always released.”
The maiden of all recording past times the Pat Metheny Group features the innovative guitarist along with keyboardist Lyle Mays, bassist Mark Egan, in addition to drummer Dan Gottlieb. The music is quite distinctive, floating rather than swinging, electrical but non rockish, in addition to total of folkish melodies. The best known of these half-dozen Metheny-Mays originals are "Phase Dance" in addition to "Jaco." This music grows inwards involvement with each listen. All Music.
It was 1977 in addition to I was a pupil at a technical schoolhouse inwards Boston, an ardent fan of Jean-Luc Ponty. There was a concert at the Berkley Performance Center where JLP was going to characteristic pieces from his Enigmatic Ocean release, i of my favorite albums of all time. I was completely oblivious to the warm-up deed because I was in that location to experience Jean-Luc Ponty but at the opening of the demo in that location was a guitar at oculus phase positioned on a stand upwardly where a guitarist postulate only walk upwardly behind the musical instrument in addition to laid out playing. There it was, its cervix jutting at a 45 grade angle, waiting to live brought to life past times an appropriate musician. Soon, a floppy-haired guy, accompanied past times the other members of his group, bounced onto the phase with tentative applause. The floppy-haired guy waved appreciatively at the smattering of recognition from the audience piece the other musicians took their places at their respecive instruments. Slung over the dorsum of the floppy-haired guy was some other guitar, presumably his regulation instrument. To my surprise, the guy bent over the guitar positioned at oculus phase in addition to began to wail out the opening notes to "Phase Dance," a slice that has to live i of the best plant of jazz-fusion of all time. He played several bars of the opening topic thus stepped dorsum from the guitar on its stand, reached dorsum over his shoulder, grabbed the guitar slung over his dorsum whipped it only about forepart in addition to proceeded to crank out a solo that could convey tears to one's eyes. I didn't know who the creative someone was at the fourth dimension but I knew that he was talented in addition to I made a mental depository fiscal establishment annotation to recollect this creative someone for futurity reference. After his grouping completed his set, Jean-Luc Ponty took the phase in addition to I right away forgot most the warm-up band.
Several weeks later, a friend approached me in addition to said that Pat Metheny was appearing at a guild called the Paradise in addition to would I similar to move meet him? I replied, "Who's Pat Metheny?" His reply was, "Don't worry most it, I know you'll similar him." I thought, what the hey.
After nosotros were seated at our tabular array in addition to a circular or 2 of drinks were served, the phase lights came upwardly in addition to in that location was, at oculus stage, a guitar on a stand upwardly positioned at a 45 grade angle, waiting for a guitarist to approach it from behind, grasp its cervix in addition to laid out playing it for all it was worth, which is only what happened when some floppy-haired performer bounced onto the stage, wearing some other guitar over his back, accompanied past times the other menbers of his band. The guitarist bent over the guitar on the stand upwardly in addition to seconds subsequently the maiden of all bars of Phase Dance were blasted from the speakers onstage.
My eyes widened. I said "That's the guy!!!" That was the nighttime when I began to fully appreciate the artistry of Pat Metheny, his uncanny powerfulness to wrest every ounce of emotion from a guitar, his powerfulness to limited every emotion from despair to elation using zero but his fingers, strings in addition to a geyser of talent.
That night, I went to a music shop in addition to bought all of the Pat Metheny Group albums I could detect (there were no such things equally CDs at that time) in addition to began a journeying of exploration into an surface area of jazz that widened my horizons to an alone novel level. Pat Metheny remains, to this day, the guitarist for whom I concur the utmost abide by in addition to inwards whose talent I stand upwardly inwards awe. By CatManDEW.
I had heard of Pat Metheny dorsum inwards middle school, when I maiden of all genuinely started exploring jazz. It wasn't until i of the jazz ensembles at my high schoolhouse played Phase Dance during my junior twelvemonth that I genuinely got to hear something past times Metheny.
I wasn't inwards that item band, but I recollect the bassline sounding cool, in addition to I idea I would seek out the record. I finally bought it on used vinyl inwards August 1995 -- in addition to I couldn't hold off to larn abode in addition to play it.
It was i of the best decisions of my musical life.
Phase Dance is a peachy song, really positive in addition to uplifting, but San Lorenzo is the album's centerpiece to me. Lyle Mays' solo only blows me away everytime I psyche to it. This is definitely non a spontaneous album (and his solo may direct maintain fifty-fifty been rehearsed) but it plant thus well.
As much equally I don't similar winter, this album has a really wintry experience to me (even though I bought it inwards the summertime heat). Maybe it has to create with the pic on the dorsum of the record, in addition to the fact that it was recorded inwards Kingdom of Norway during winter.
Listen to San Lorenzo in addition to Phase Dance in addition to imagine snowfall falling outside, thus sparkling inwards the Sun after the storm's gone. The remainder of the album enthralling equally well, but it's the maiden of all 2 pieces that genuinely shine. By Disc.
Tracks Listing
1. San Lorenzo (10:16)
2. Phase Dance (8:25)
3. Jaco (5:40)
4. Aprilwind (2:09)
5. Apr Joy (8:15)
6. Lone Jack (6:43)
Personnel
Pat Metheny - 6 in addition to 12-string electrical in addition to acoustic guitars
Lyle Mays - piano, Oberheim synthesizer, autoharp
Mark Egan - fretless electrical bass
Danny Gottlieb - drums
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