Pat Metheny - From This Place 2/21/20

[pb2015]

The small town of Lone Jack Mo is just down the highway a bit, where he formed some of his early meditative musings.

I met a guy from around there once who told me that Lone Jack was a notorious speed trap. The PMG instrumental kind of conveys that to me.

[BobM]

The best of his best: "Pat Metheny Group" from 1978 on ECM and "The Way Up" from 2005. They are completely different albums and display the diversity and evolution of their musical ideas.

I have some of Pat's bootleg stuff and there was a cut from a concert back in the early 80's where Lyle and him were playing the basic theme from A Way Up. You know, the one note vamp that's prevalent at the beginning of the album. So this was something that came up with way back when and revisited to make their last album together. Just goes to show, never throw anything away.

[proggy_jazzer]

PM on his new album....

Wow. Thanks for sharing. I was in before, but I'm even inner now.

[nosebone]

My favorite will always be As Wichita Falls.../ Metheny Mays.

Seemingly influenced by Eberhard Weber's -Colours of Chloe

[Dave (in MA)]

Yes!! And if you're the kind of music lover who responds to live performance videos, This one will blow your mind: https://www.amazon.com/Pat-Metheny-G...SIN=B000I5XDWO

I've had it since it came out. I wonder why they didn't include the toy instruments section even though they're visible on the stage.

[mnprogger]

First Circle.

[chalkpie]

My favorite will always be As Wichita Falls.../ Metheny Mays.

Seemingly influenced by Eberhard Weber's -Colours of Chloe

Chris - have you heard (or watched the bluray) The Unity Sessions? Holy shit - that album jumped near the top for me for any PM project. The writing is sick and the playing is equally as good - Potter, Sanchez, and bassist Ben Williams all just kick major ass. I'll always love Wichita but I've heard it a gazillion times in college stoned out of my mind

I think two of his masterpieces that will go down in history are Secret Story and The Way Up. The guy is a legend. As far as I'm concerned, Pat and Chick are the two of the most important jazz musicians/composers of the modern era. Mingus, Ellington, Monk, Miles, etc etc and then these guys. They have reinvented what jazz could and can be. Holdsy too.

[StarThrower]

The Unity Sessions? Holy shit - that album jumped near the top for me for any PM project. The writing is sick and the playing is equally as good - Potter, Sanchez, and bassist Ben Williams all just kick major ass.

I think two of his masterpieces that will go down in history are Secret Story and The Way Up.

I picked up the DVD at the show last March. I was impressed! Also the 20th Anniversary edition of Song X is pretty great among his album discography.

[SunRunner2]

I have some of Pat's bootleg stuff and there was a cut from a concert back in the early 80's where Lyle and him were playing the basic theme from A Way Up. You know, the one note vamp that's prevalent at the beginning of the album. So this was something that came up with way back when and revisited to make their last album together. Just goes to show, never throw anything away.

Very interesting, little known fact. It is as if great musicians recirculate certain ideas in their heads and have an innate ability to conjure them up a later date (much later date in this case). If you were the one who caught the basic theme just by listening to an earlier bootleg and related it to the beginning of the "The Way Up", that's pretty impressive as well. Thanks for sharing.

[StarThrower]

That simple, lyrical theme works as a great transition away from the complexity of the first several minutes of the piece.

[aith01]

Chris - have you heard (or watched the bluray) The Unity Sessions? Holy shit - that album jumped near the top for me for any PM project. The writing is sick and the playing is equally as good - Potter, Sanchez, and bassist Ben Williams all just kick major ass. I'll always love Wichita but I've heard it a gazillion times in college stoned out of my mind

I think two of his masterpieces that will go down in history are Secret Story and The Way Up. The guy is a legend. As far as I'm concerned, Pat and Chick are the two of the most important jazz musicians/composers of the modern era. Mingus, Ellington, Monk, Miles, etc etc and then these guys. They have reinvented what jazz could and can be. Holdsy too.

I need to hear (and watch) the Unity Sessions. I loved Kin.

Interesting you mention Holdsy here too, as he's my favorite guitarist. With Allan sadly having passed away, Metheny is my favorite living guitarist. Those two guys have made some of the most beautiful music of the last 50+ years, IMO. Both have very different approaches, and despite Holdsworth's sheer technical prowess I still always found his music to be highly emotional as well. Something rare, at least in my experience.

[chalkpie]

The ending section of this new piece is crazy good - I love the sampled sounds, the orchestral colors, the percussion, etc. It has a Witchita-type vibe....well sort of. I think this album will be an interesting new direction for a guy who has made a career of constantly moving in new directions.

[chalkpie]

I need to hear (and watch) the Unity Sessions. I loved Kin.

Interesting you mention Holdsy here too, as he's my favorite guitarist. With Allan sadly having passed away, Metheny is my favorite living guitarist. Those two guys have made some of the most beautiful music of the last 50+ years, IMO. Both have very different approaches, and despite Holdsworth's sheer technical prowess I still always found his music to be highly emotional as well. Something rare, at least in my experience.

Yes - The Unity Sessions is a MUST see/hear - I streamed it from Amazon Prime Video (like 2.99 I think?) and was blown away at how good everything is, including the sonic production. I watched it via my laptop with headphones and it was just killer! At one point even Potter jams on an acoustic with Pat Antonio Sanchez is just a ridiculous drummer. He is so much fun and interesting to watch and his pocket is as deep as it gets. He has impeccable listening skills and reacts beautifully with his bandmates. 10/10 A++ for me on that album/Bluray.

Re: AH - Absolutely. His compositions imo are a bridge between both the rock and jazz worlds, but never really feel comfortable in either. They exist in their own universe and hopefully some day these pieces will be looked at as favorably as his extraordinary skill/playing itself. I have never heard music like his before, except for players trying to mimic him. His chord progressions flavored with super advanced alien harmonies are exquisite.

[zumacraig]

Thanks for the quote on his new album. Surprised Pat does not mention why it's been so long between albums. From the beginning of his career he's put out at least 1 or 2 albums a year. It's been a long wait.

[pb2015]

Thanks for the quote on his new album. Surprised Pat does not mention why it's been so long between albums. From the beginning of his career he's put out at least 1 or 2 albums a year. It's been a long wait.

I have read here and there, he hasn't released new music in a while because he isn't happy about streaming. I can understand but I'm glad he's gotten past it somehow to put out this record.

[jkelman]

I’m glad I got to see the Unity Group show here in Ottawa. Definitely one of the best PM shows I’d seen in some time.

The new album won’t make PMG fans looking for a return to that vibe, nor is it, despite the orchestra (not Orchestrion, though it’s inn there too I think) Secret Story 2. This is a continuation of Metheny’s exploration of far more complex compositional forms that began a bit with TWU, but kicked into higher gear with Orchestrion, Tap, Unity Band/Group. It’s a very logical expansion on those recordings, and so far I’m loving it.

It’s also great that they provided digital promos (CD quality) last week for an album not due ‘til mid-February, which means I will almost certainly be able to review it. If only more artists, labels and/or publicists made material available so far in advance. It really gives you time to spend with the music, and absorb it, without feeling (given I listen to everything 8-10 times before writing, for the most part and when possible) rushed....

Anyway, for fans of post-TWU Metheny, y’all are gonna love this new one.

[aith01]

^ Thanks, John. Makes me even more excited to her this one when it comes out.

I need to go back and listen to The Way Up again. It has been a few years since I last heard it.

[Dave (in MA)]

I’m glad I got to see the Unity Group show here in Ottawa. Definitely one of the best PM shows I’d seen in some time.

The new album won’t make PMG fans looking for a return to that vibe, nor is it, despite the orchestra (not Orchestrion, though it’s inn there too I think)

There were Orchestrion vibes show in at least one Unity Sessions video that I saw. Maybe that's going to be standard from now on.

[abhorsen]

My favorite will always be As Wichita Falls.../ Metheny Mays.

Seemingly influenced by Eberhard Weber's -Colours of Chloe

Both such beautiful albums.

[pb2015]

There were Orchestrion vibes show in at least one Unity Sessions video that I saw. Maybe that's going to be standard from now on.

He used the Orchestrion at least through the Unity tours. Not sure if he still did with the quartet from this upcoming disc, or the Side Eye shows this year.

[chalkpie]

Out today. I'm gonna try to give it a spin tonight. My buddy who is a Pat freak says it's his fav PM release since The Way Up, so that is a good sign for me.

[aith01]

Out today. I'm gonna try to give it a spin tonight. My buddy who is a Pat freak says it's his fav PM release since The Way Up, so that is a good sign for me.

Please let us know what you think, Frank. I'm eager to hear your opinion on it.

[rdclark]

To me it feels like a Quartet session with a Secret Story overlay. I'm diggin' it a lot.

[BobM]

My favorite will always be As Wichita Falls.../ Metheny Mays.

Seemingly influenced by Eberhard Weber's -Colours of Chloe

Lyle (RIP) has stated in the past that one of his influences was Rainer Brüninghaus, who played on many Eberhard albums. You can definitely hear some similarities in their playing.

[nosebone]

Chris - have you heard (or watched the bluray) The Unity Sessions? Holy shit - that album jumped near the top for me for any PM project. The writing is sick and the playing is equally as good - Potter, Sanchez, and bassist Ben Williams all just kick major ass. I'll always love Wichita but I've heard it a gazillion times in college stoned out of my mind

I think two of his masterpieces that will go down in history are Secret Story and The Way Up. The guy is a legend. As far as I'm concerned, Pat and Chick are the two of the most important jazz musicians/composers of the modern era. Mingus, Ellington, Monk, Miles, etc etc and then these guys. They have reinvented what jazz could and can be. Holdsy too.

I saw the Unity band live a couple years ago and it was a phenomenal show. I'll check out the sessions video, thx.
I would add McLaughlin to that list also.

Lyle (RIP) has stated in the past that one of his influences was Rainer Brüninghaus, who played on many Eberhard albums. You can definitely hear some similarities in their playing.

Absolutely, positively, definitely! Eberhard and Morricone were big influences to Metheny/Mays.