Pat Metheny Appreciation Thread

No, it's recorded live in 1992. The Pat Metheny Group* - In Concert

 

Something I have now put right!!!

 

Good question. Maybe his record label contract doesn't give him the option to withhold streaming if they release an album?

 

This sounds like a question for Metheny. Now, if I could only get the dear boy on the phone...

 

Like you I really dig his ECM output, but recognize that he is not just an extraordinary musician, but an extraordinary artist who holds his community up to the highest standards. To those standards if you have a moment read this essay with regard to his feeling about Kenny G. Brutal but completely honest.

JazzOasis.com - Pat Metheny on Kenny G

 

Yes i like all the Metheny Group albums, especially the ecm albums.
My personal favourite is not a group album but a solo album, with many contributers: Secret Story.

 

Which led onto the classic Richard Thompson ditty, "I Agree With Pat Metheny" presented here....

 

I really enjoyed Metheny's work on Shadows and Light, the Joni Mitchell live album. In light of that, I ended up getting American Garage, and I enjoyed it, but that was a time in my life where I was in a constant state of flux, discovering new music every day, and Metheny disappeared off my radar.
@Jimbino thankfully reminded me of Metheny a few months ago, and then again just recently suggested Imaginary Day for the Surrounded on Sundays thread. It was a great suggestion and a great album, and I really want to check out the dvd the guys told me about with the midi controllers and what not, that the name escapes me at the moment ... but I have hit the pause button on purchases for the moment as I get my finances back in order after a crazy year lol

Metheny is an excellent guitarist, with an excellent ear for music and composition.

 

Holy crap. "Brutal" is an understatement. Pat ripped Kenny G a new anal orifice.

 

I bought American Garage in the late 80s. I liked it but wasn't totally blown away. I liked it enough though to keep adding more PMG records along the way. I saw him on the Secret Story tour but after that he went a bit off my radar for some reason or another. Only in the past 10-15 years I've truly started to appreciate the depth and variety of Pat's output and what amazing musician and composer he is. He's easily one of my top 10 artists. I missed him when the Unity Group swung by this way but managed to catch him on the 'best of' tour two years ago. I don't really have particular favorite records but if someone offered me money for such information I'd say Imaginary Day.

 

That is very cool.
He doesn't just bag him out. He clearly explains why.

 

Pat's solo on Joni's "In France They Kiss On Main Street" (from Shadows and Light) is outstanding, one of my absolute favorite Pat moments. The whole album, with Pat, Lyle, Jaco, and Mike Brecker, is sublime.
@mark winstanley - glad I could get you back on the Pat train.

 

I don't think he's entirely being a blow hard. Metheny has a deep respect for his art, and I dig that. From the article which answers to your observation:

But when Kenny G decided that it was appropriate for him to defile the music of the man who is probably the greatest jazz musician that has ever lived by spewing his lame-ass, jive, pseudo bluesy, out-of-tune, noodling, wimped out, f*cked up playing all over one of the great Louis's tracks (even one of his lesser ones), he did something that I would not have imagined possible. He, in one move, through his unbelievably pretentious and calloused musical decision to embark on this most cynical of musical paths, sh!t all over the graves of all the musicians past and present who have risked their lives by going out there on the road for years and years developing their own music inspired by the standards of grace that Louis Armstrong brought to every single note he played over an amazing lifetime as a musician. By disrespecting Louis, his legacy and by default, everyone who has ever tried to do something positive with improvised music and what it can be, Kenny G has created a new low point in modern culture - something that we all should be totally embarrassed about - and afraid of. We ignore this, "let it slide", at our own peril.

 

That was a group for the ages.
And I would like to echo the sentiments in this thread about Lyle Mays-a true genius, maybe the only person who could stand toe to toe with Pat. His solo albums are also among my favorite jazz albums (hell-any genre). He put out a live album a few years ago that is an absolute burner.

 

Yeah. I can't help but wonder whether Pat would have publicly mentioned Kenny G at all if Kenny hadn't done the Louis Armstrong thing. Pat might have just kept his earlier opinions of Kenny to himself.

 

Same here when I think about it.

 

I feel the opposite way, in fact "First Circle", "Letter from Home" and "Life (Still Talking)" are among my favorites, I think Pedro Anzar's voice on "Mas Alla (Beyond)" is incredible.

 

I’m a big fan and have seen him many times. Orchestrion is my favorite thing he ever did for sheer uniqueness and audacity.

For me, his real power lives in seeing him live in the same room. No recording comes close to capturing what he does in my experience. I go see him play as much as I can, but rarely listen to his records. They’re just a distant shadow to the live experience.

A true master of his instrument and art form. A national treasure that seems to be appreciated more abroad than in his own country, even though he’s got doctorates, Grammys and a long career. Doesn’t seem like enough recognition to me even at that level.

Watching his joy in playing is such a joy itself. A true servant to the music and the muse. Can’t say enough good things about Pat.

 

Pat goes deep...

 

Mark, you seriously need to get hold of "Trio Live" to get back into Pat's music. Great 2CD set.

 

Thanks for calling out Orchestrion. Audacious is right! The imagination to take on a project like that. I know he brought along discreet modules with him on later tours, but when he unveiled the whole crazy assemblage on a stage . . . just amazing. Then he coordinated it all to make music that was more than a novelty.

 

I'd have to agree , anyone that has not heard KIN , spin it a few times it has some great stuff on it .

 

That's a good Question , not sure if he still has a contract on the Nonesuch Label ? and if so does he have to release through them ? I'd be curious how his last few albums sold & maybe that has something to do with it , people will still just take stuff online & not purchase it ...... I like to buy my stuff & have the real copy with the art & such ....
I'd love for him to Expand on all of this in an Interview at some point .

 

Not a fan of his style of music.

But I did love this one songs of his. I actually bought the single. It all has to do wth the Coral Electric Sitar Pat plays. I'll love anything that features that wonderful instrument. Metheny actually does the most with it.

 

That Album still blows me away , i still hear different things from time to time that i never noticed before & i've heard it Thousands of times ............. Desert Island disc for me .