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MarcNebo Jun 17 2022 at 11:38 PM |
Last night I listened to Gary Burton’s 1976 record Passengers on my headphones. Excellent band with Pat, both Steve Swallow and Eberhard Weber on bass and Danny Gottlieb on drums. With Swallow’s special electric bass and Weber on his special acoustic acoustic bass there are some really incredible sounds happening. Pat wrote three of the six songs on the record. The same year Pat released Bright Size Life and one of the songs from Passengers, Midwestern Nights Dream. This was Pat’s first Gary Burton record where he was the only guitarist. On the two previous records Pat played the 12-string electric guitar and Mick Goodrich was the other guitarist. Check out Passengers, it sounds more like a Pat record with Gary Burton. Nice transition to Bright Size Life. |
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MarcNebo Jun 30 2022 at 9:43 PM |
frank sexton : That must have been an incredible show. The extensive liner notes explained by Pat and Gary was
right on with your analysis. They said the chemistry was great both musically and as friends. Antonio drove the band
to the stratosphere. I can’t remember hearing Gary Burton playing that fast and loud. The ballads were also excellent
and I have heard that on slow tunes every note matters. Great record for the band and all four musicians.
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facing west Jun 30 2022 at 10:29 AM |
I agree, Marc. The Metheny, Burton, Swallow, Sanchez Quartet is something else. Saw them live in Montreal in 2005.
In interviews leading up to the show, Pat talked a lot about Swallow and how influential he was on his sound and his
thinking--especially the tune Falling Grace. I remember the show--it was in a concert hall, maybe 2,000 people or so. I
could swear the whole audience levitated. It was the first time Antonio played with the band and he was on fire. I
believe it was supposed to be a one-time event, but the chemistry was just too good. Earlier versions of this band
were great but Sanchez took them to another level. As for the Quartet Live record, dig the Peter Max cover art. Not
sure what kind of statement it makes.
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MarcNebo Jun 29 2022 at 4:36 PM |
Quarte Live (Burton, Metheny, Swallow, Sanchez) was an out-of-the-park Grand Slam. After listening to Pat’s
records with Gary Burton and hearing Pat developing his recognizable sound and confidence it was overwhelming
listening to this record thirty years later. Much more aggressive and excellent playing by all four musicians. Bob
Moses and Danny Gottlieb were great on the early records, but Antonio rose the quartet to a higher level. He had
several incredible solos on the record. Once again another great version of Question And Answer, same song
differently. Pat’s playing at that time (2007) was at such a high level that it really made this record a great reunion.
I won’t even attempt to pick my favorite version. I loved the entire record and recorded very well. I am very glad I
caught that band (Scott Colley instead of Steve Swallow) at the Detroit Jazz Festival. It was a great and memorable
show, as all Pat’s shows are.
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MarcNebo Jun 26 2022 at 11:58 AM |
Next batter, Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Steve Swallow, Antonio Sanchez Quartet Live, time to listen again. I caught
the same lineup (Scott Colley instead of Steve Swallow) at the Detroit Jazz Festival in 2015. It was an excellent show
and was prior to Gary Burton having minor memory issues. At the DJF that year I saw him two other night. It would
have been four nights, but I had a bad fall trying to see Pat with Ron Carter.
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MarcNebo Jun 26 2022 at 9:55 AM |
After listening to Dreams So Real again I think it falls between Ring and Passengers, compositions-wise
(chronology wise also). To me it sounds more accessible than Ring and Pat’s playing was becoming more
recognizable. Last night I got out the Voices In Jazz Guitar book and went to the chapters on Pat and Gary Burton.
Gary Burton appreciated Pat because he was constantly evolving. He said Pat was always writing new tunes and
adding new things to his playing. Gary also said Pat’s sound was very recognizable, easy to listen to and happy.
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MarcNebo Jun 25 2022 at 10:13 PM |
facing west : Well put, I still am having a difficult time describing the music. I am not much of a movie guy, but I want
to say it sounds like a soundtrack to a Tarantino or similar type of movie. Even the basses (Weber and Swallow sound
different than Passengers. I need to listen to it again, maybe at 2:00AM. Next listen will be Dreams So Real (second
part of Burton/Metheny trilogy. I believe it is Carla Bley compositions.
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facing west Jun 25 2022 at 10:03 AM |
Listened to Ring for the first time in a very long while. Almost felt like a first listen. It really feels like a
quintessential 2am record. Unfinished Sympathy is an interesting tune. I agree, Marc, it’s a little difficult to tell
where Mick Goodrick ends and Pat starts. They seem to have one voice. But I’m assuming Mick is taking virtually
all the lead parts. It feels like Pat is the kid in the back who might have something to say. But, you know, he’s
paying his dues and learning from some of the best. Even at a subtle level, it feels like the ECM sound is evolving.
As Bob noted, Jan Erik Kongshaug engineered Passengers and hundreds of other great ECM records. The engineer
on Ring is Martin Wieland. Small thing, but JEK brought something to the table. Thinking about engineers got me
curious about Pat’s main guy, Rob Eaton. Pretty interesting when I looked him up. Rob is the guitarist in the
Grateful Dead cover band Dark Star Orchestra? I didn’t know that.
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molesoulsandal Jun 23 2022 at 4:33 PM |
have always loved passengers. i think i’ve mentioned on here B4 that my personal favorite ’pat solo’ of all time, so far, is his playing on midwestern night’s dream on this album. fer me, it just says it all about PM.
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MarcNebo Jun 23 2022 at 11:56 AM |
facing west, I received the Gary Burton Quintet with Eberhard Weber record Ring (1974). It’s really a sextet with
Burton, Pat, Mick Goodrich, Steve Swallow, Bob Moses and Eberhard Weber. I listened to it last night and was blown
away by how unusual it was for both a Gary Burton and ECM record. It was very difficult trying to tell if I was hearing
Pat or Mick playing. Pat didn’t have his unmistakable sound yet. I was able to hear his 12 string electric guitar on one
track. Three songs were written by Michael Gibbs, one each by Carla Bley, Mick Goodrich and Eberhard Weber. I am
having a hard time trying to describe the music, kind of Jazz, Fusion, Avant Garde hybrid. Spooky at times and sounds
like a soundtrack for a Mystery movie. Like I said I am having a hard time trying to describe what I heard. If you have
heard Ring, help me out with your review.
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facing west Jun 22 2022 at 10:38 AM |
This album may be a bit of a buried treasure. Weber gives it a mysterious vibe. It’s a great showcase for Weber,
Swallow and Gottlieb. Midwestern Night’s Dream could make the cut of essential Metheny tracks. The album has a
’70s vibe, but still sounds progressive and up-to-the-moment. I imagine that for anyone who came across this album
in the ’70s, it was like looking into the future.
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BobSmith1 Jun 19 2022 at 6:41 PM |
MarcNebo--Passengers is indeed a great, interesting record and it’s also my all time favorite ECM cover. The great Jan
Erik Kongshaug engineered. I still have my vinyl version that I bought back in the day.
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MarcNebo Jun 19 2022 at 11:51 AM |
Last week I bought Ring, the first Gary Burton record with Pat from 1974. I should be receiving it this week. Will
review it here. Pat was only nineteen at that time.
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