I'm debating whether to pick up the new one. I'll be hitting the record store on Friday. If they have a copy I'll probably grab it.
He's playing with Antonio Sanchez, Linda May Han Oh and Gwilym Simcock. Details here: Auckland Arts Festival - Pat Metheny
I'm actually the same. The local brick and mortar has it for pre-order but I think i'll take my chances and pop in... otherwise might wait to see if they have it on sale at the merch table at the concert (another rare thing for me! Always envy when people talk about going to see 'x' artist in NYC and picking up their new album at the merch table).
That sounds cool! Antonio is a badass. Haven't heard the other players. Sounds like he'll be doing the career spanning set with maybe a few tunes from the new album. He did just about everything at the show I attended with the exception of American Garage. Between the trio set and the solo encore he covered a huge amount of material. Played some cool bluesy stuff on the solid body electric too. A totally satisfying show for a long time fan.
I made the mistake of going to the merch table after the show and there was hardly anything left. I bought the Unity Sessions DVD.
Like several people here, I also preordered the new album, From This Place. I always wanted Mays to come back, but, in the back of my mind, I knew this just wasn’t going to happen. I think Mays simply reached burnout and is enjoying whatever it is he’s currently doing. I believe he still performs --- probably irregularly.
I do believe he's released records pretty regularly in recent years (though he's been all over the stylistic map) including the Unity Band works, guesting with Cuong Vu Qtt, John Zorn book of Angels LP, etc., and he has a new (provocative) album out this Friday 2/21, latest regular four-piece plus strings, From This Place.
Holy crap! I had no idea. I’ve been off in the classical world. Damn...this one really hurts. It really does. R.I.P., Mr. Mays. Such an unbelievable musician and, from what I could tell from various interviews, a good person.
Yeah, it's pretty sad and a shocker too. But even if he had lived, he wasn't going back on the road with Metheny.
Gwilym Simcock is worth checking out. He has a great band called The Impossible Gentlemen with Mike Walker on guitar, Adam Nussbaum on drums and Steve Swallow/Steve Rodby on bass. Try their first self-titled album first, I think that one's probably the best (they have three). You're going to love that show @xybert . Saw it twice here in the US, it really is a great career retrospective almost.
I have a marked different sense of time than 'some people'.....Pat seems to have spent much time touring in different configurations 'in recent years'.
I'm glad he's still touring a lot. Last year I could have actually seen him twice in six months which has never happened in my area. But I caught one show in March.
Got my preorder vinyl copy of the new album yesterday. I really like it. The vinyl pressing is very nice. Lots of music to digest.
Very curious to hear what folks here think of the new Metheny album....(which i have not bought yet and i'm on the fence about getting) i've been going back and re-listening to some of my older Metheny and PMG albums since hearing the sad news that Lyle Mays died a few weeks ago. Wondering how the new one stacks up against prior albums of his...
Judging from several past releases Pat is not writing the great melodies like he did in the past. The music is accomplished and familiar sounding but I don't need any more Metheny albums. Others may feel different.
yeah, this is kind of my fear about PM's new music these days, he's a great great player,and is expert at crafting those kind of 'metheneyesque' soundscapes, but its very hard for any artist to consistently come up with new great melodies/songs after 30 or 40 years... that being said, its been a few years since his last proper 'album' of originals, so we'll see..
And not to single out Pat, but all of the other leading jazz and fusion guitarists have been cranking out releases for decades. I've got enough of these albums. Younger fans may feel different. But I'd pay to go see any of them in concert. I bought tickets for Metheny and Scofield last year. And Jack DeJohnette too.
At the time that Kin was released I felt like I had had enough, and told myself I wouldn't buy his next studio album (not a criticism of Kin, which I liked, but just felt like I was done). But now i'm psyched to be seeing him live which has got the juices flowing so I've ordered the new album.
I've just finished listening to the CD. DR=12. Musically I'm a bit underwhelmed. Stylistically it reminds me of Wayne Shorter's High Life album, of which the All Music critic said "The pieces set moods rather than state singable melodies". I'll play it again in a couple of days & see if it grows on me at all.
Just got the Trio 99->00 CD, with the live album to follow. Off to see what the neighbours think of it now.....
I like the duo guitar albums Pat has recorded with Scofield, and Bill Frisell which I think was a Marc Johnson album.
