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One Quiet Night


Joe G

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Just saw this on the PMG website:

New Pat Metheny Release on Warner Bros.

pm_onenight_cover.jpg

"One Quiet Night"

Solo Baritone Guitar

Release Date: 05.24.03

More Info to Come... Stay Tuned.

". . . This record is about essentially one sound, basically one mood, and taking the time to go deep inside that single world."

- Pat Metheny

The concert that Jim and I attended last fall featured a solo piece by Pat on baritone guitar. Sounded incredible. I'm really looking forward to this one. :rsmile:

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That looks really interesting.

I've always thought those old baritone guitars were cool.

Joe, I've been listening to the Metheny you suggested. I enjoy his phrasing quite a bit. What I have a problem with is the production of the music. I bet a solo recording would be right up my alley.

:rsmile:

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AB, What is it about the production that you don't like? (We are talking about Missouri Sky, right?) Is it the Synclavier orchestrations? Or the overall sound? With such a basic instrumental configuration, it seems like you would have to try to screw it up.

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Joe,

Actually I'm refering to Speaking of Now (after I got Missouri Sky, I picked that up, too). I really like the Missouri Sky cd. I'm listening to the Speaking of Now and it must be the Synclavier. I've never been a fan of synthesizers in jazz.

Organs - YES! :rsmile:

Synths - NO! :rmad:

There is some really good music there, but I just have to get past my biases.

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Ah, I understand now. Yes, the PMG definitely has a sheen to their recordings. Might not be everyone's cup of tea. It's a common complaint actually. For me, though, I think they integrate the synths into the music in an organic way. And they are such great musicians that the pop-ness of the music can be forgiven, at least by me.

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I preordered One Quiet Night. The preview track "Ferry Across The Mersey" was beautiful. I like most anything Pat puts out. As for Speaking of Now, wonderful album, the melodeies harken back to the accessibility of the Brazillian trilogy, but elements totally new such as Richard Bona, the trumpet playing and Antonio Sanchez. As for the Synclavier, the PMG don't use it anymore. They may have older sequences backed up in a new program, or have the Synclavier sound library stored somewhere. Lyle Mays uses a Korg Triton now which may be the source of his famous thick Oberheim patch which reappeared on SoN. Lyle programs all of his own sounds.

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I'd say:

Bright Size Life

First Circle

Question & Answer

There are actually some big holes in my PMG collection I've heard that "Travels" is great, also the so-called "White Album", which is simply called Pat Metheny Group, their first. I might defer to CJ or Ed on this one.

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I love Metheny before he got that machine which makes his guitar sound like a mouth organ!!!! In recent years it's been his sideman roles I've enjoyed most - and the quieter discs like Missouri Sky. The trio discs were nice too. For some reason the PMG records since the early 80s have disappointed me.

My two favourite Methenys are 'Watercolours' (with Eberhard Weber in fine form) and, best of all, '80/81' with Dewey Redman, Michael Brecker, Charlie Haden and Jack de J.

This new one looks interesting. I've always enjoyed his late 70s solo disc 'New Chautauqua' - had to sell off Secret Stories as it used to curdle the milk in the fridge! Moral...never make a record just after you've been dumped!!!!

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As far Pat Metheny Group albums go I'd have to say my favorites are (in no particular order) Letter From Home, Still Life talking, Speaking of Now, Offramp, First Circle. Travels is indeed excellent as is the more recent The Road to You (both live)

I really enjoy all aspects of Metheny's music from his ECM days to the trios to the full blown PMG. I think that being involved in so many projects of varying natures have kept Metheny interesting. His PMG release are spaced pretty far apart and his non PMG project tend to be more toward mainstream jazz. I guess knowing the guy can really play helps in the acceptance of his PMG material and getting beyond the sheen that's apparent on those albums. Once you get beyong that, there's beautiful often exhilarating music, tons of rhythm and world influences, great arrangements and excellent solos (at least to my ears).

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AfricaBrass,

Metheny is quite an interesting player, and one of the nicest guys as well. For me, the 'white album', Travels, Offramp, Trio Live and Trio albums, 80/81, and Question and Answer are my favorite. His Trio Live and Trio albums really showcase his straightahead chops (with Larry Grenadier and Bill Stewart) and are much recommended. I LOVE his slow bossa version of Giant Steps and his absolutely deconstructed All the Things You Are.

Don't forget to check out Song X, which I grow more fond of with each listen. It's hard to explain, but somehow Metheny plays completely within Ornette Coleman's idiom, yet his lyricism unmistakably shines through. Song X is truly a masterpiece in my opinion.

Check out his playing on Kenny Garrett's Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane and Michael Brecker's Time is of the Essence for some more straightahead mastery. I was really blown away by his playing on Pursuance, especially. He often steals the show.

I also warn you that there are some Metheny albums that do nothing for me, and are better ignored, especially if you are wary of the synth. We Live Here borders on smooth jazz in my opinion (even if is well-played smooth jazz). Hope this helps. Metheny is often misunderstood, but I feel his music is quite rewarding.

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Thanks David!

I'll take your suggestions. I forgot about the Ornette Coleman disc. I'd really like to hear that.

I appreciate the passion you guys have for Metheny, it makes me realize that I had really underestimated Metheny and had been unfair. I'm going to listen with a very open mind.

I hope I can find some of his records today.

:rsmile:

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AfricaBrass,

Metheny is quite an interesting player, and one of the nicest guys as well.

...unless your name is Kenny G! :P

Yeah, I forgot about Song X! I like that one too. If you want to hear something without sheen, this is it. Pretty raw, but you're right David, I hear an awful lot of musicality and beauty in there too.

Edited by Joe G
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Joe G. if you have holes in your PMG collection. I suggest these few albums from their transitional period: e.g. post Brazillian. I think their next album which they are rumored to be in the studio for they will strike a groove that will signal the third distinct PMG era.

We Live Here: a lot of people have mixed feelings about this one. Actually, this is the record that made me sit and listen 5 years ago when I was an 17 year old hard bop snob. It permanently opened my horizons. The slick veneer the record has shouldn't scare you off, theres a lot of strong stuff. including "And Then I Knew" which has a gorgeous Pat solo over a lush bed of Synclav orchestrations with interesting sounding changes. "The Girls Next Door" is a funk tune (I call it a porno funk tune. just listen to the rhythm) that has Pat getting really dirty, I love his ultra dry tone on this one with just a hint of delay. The guitar sounds like it was recorded in the bathroom. "To the End of the World" is one of the best tunes on the album and one of the PMG's best period. It's a reworking of "Are You Going With Me?" featuring a great piano solo from Mays and an awesome GR300 solo from Pat.... his entry is classic. Even better is the "We Live Here Live in Japan" DVD which has a good cross section of classic material and a few surprises like "Antonia" and "This is Not America"

Quartet: just Pat, Lyle, Steve and Paul playing music mostly improvised on the spot. A very loosely produced recording, you can actually hear Paul's drums too :) Includes lots of wacked out fucked free stuff like "Dismantling Utopia", which in the opening section has Lyle Mays playing clavinet in the most sideways way, Herbie is the furthest thing from your mind. "When We Were Free" is a greasy blues in 3/4, hearing Pat and Lyle get real nasty on this one is a treat.

Imaginary Day: continues some ideas found on Quartet but is their most far reaching album to date with everything from Chinese opera, blues- rock, techno, thrash metal, middle eastern and Celtic. A lot of fans have difficulty with this one, but not me, it's a great record, almost like the PMG doing prog-rock... every cut flows into the other and is pretty unified as a whole.

As from Letter From Home, I have it on right now. It has some great tunes like "Have You Heard", "5-5-7" "Dream of the Return" and "Slip Away" but in some ways, it's the weakest of the Brazillian trilogy. The reason is this: First Circle was the one that fully brought in the element into their music, Still Life (Talking) refined it, and both these records are great from start to finish with engaging compositions. I think LFH got away from really being something from start to finish that just sucks you in. I think this has to do with the sequencing of the record more than the tunes themselves. The second half with "Are We There Yet" and "Vidala" turn it into something really intriguing by the end. the first half has some of these great but almost really sappy melodies, then the 180 into free, soundscape territory makes one get totally into the record again, if the sheen began to turn them off at the start of the record.

Edited by CJ Shearn
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Bev Stapleton's objections are exactly the type I was referring to in the earlier post. Like I said, not everyone's cup of tea. :rsly:

Not really objections.

Just an attempt to express a disquiet with a major part of the output of a musician I love in other contexts.

But I'd be the first to admit that my disappointments are more a reflection of my tastes than any fault on Metheny's part.

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That's a great essay. He seems very reasonable in his opinion.

It is disgusting what Kenny G did with that Armstrong track.

:alien:

There've been a lot of good laughs on the board today, this was the best one! :lol: I hope the Gorelick himself has read it.

:lol: Me too! :lol:

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