Listen to Pat Metheny

LISTEN: PAT METHENY

2012 – UNITY BAND
(Nonesuch)	With Pat, you simply never know what is coming next. But among the many things that make this ever-changing artist so special is the consistent level of commitment and quality that he brings to everything he does. For the first time in more than 30 years, Pat features a tenor saxophone in the front line. The last, in fact the only, previous Metheny-led record to feature a horn player was the iconic and influential ECM recording 80/81. The Unity Band introduces a new Metheny ensemble of the same name with the amazing Chris Potter on sax and bass clarinet, longtime collaborator Antonio Sanchez on drums, and the up-and-coming Ben Williams on bass. The album features nine new Metheny compositions. Says Pat: "This is a group of musicians who can do just about anything." Listen/Download Order CD Musicians: Pat Metheny Antonio Sanchez Chris Potter Ben Williams	Tracks: New Year Roofdogs Come and See This Belongs to You Leaving Town Interval Waltz Signals (Orchestrion Sketch) Then and Now Breakdealer
2011 – WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT
(Nonesuch)	The new acoustic solo guitar album from Pat Metheny called "What's It All About" features classic tunes from songwriters like Paul Simon, Lennon & McCartney, Burt Bacharach, and Henry Mancini. Pat describes it like this: "I wanted to record some of the music that was on my radar before I ever wrote a note of my own, or in a few cases, even before I played an instrument. Every one of these tunes has something going on that is just hip on a musical level, no matter how you cut it. They have all stuck with me over the years." Order CD Musicians: Pat Metheny	Tracks: The Sound of Silence Cherish Alfie Pipeline Garota de Ipanema Rainy Days and Mondays That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be Slow Hot Wind Betcha by Golly, Wow And I Love Her
2010 – ORCHESTRION
(Nonesuch)	"Just retrieved this work from the mailbox and am currently listening for the first time. One word...brilliant. Like many listeners, I've enjoyed Pat Metheny's genius and artistry since 1978. Is this work different?...yes, but not nearly as much as earlier offerings from Metheny. Orchestrion will not disappoint... just go get yourself a copy and enjoy another creative effort from this human gift. Support this artist while we have him!" Amazon.com Order CD Musicians: Pat Metheny Podcast	Tracks: Orchestrion Entry Point Expandion Soul Search Spirit Of The Air
2009 – QUARTET LIVE
(Concord)	The album features three original members and jazz legends Gary Burton, Pat Metheny and Steve Swallow along with another new member, and perhaps one of the most prominent jazz drummers of his generation, Antonio Sanchez. The 11-song album was recorded live at Yoshi’s Jazz Club in Oakland, CA. Quartet Live! starts off with Chick Corea’s “Sea Journey,” one of many songs Corea wrote for the Burton group, and features songs written by Carla Bley (“Olhos de Gato” and “Syndrome”) and Keith Jarrett (“Coral”). Metheny’s composing talents are also represented here by tunes composed during his Burton Quartet years: the fast and furious “Missouri Uncompromised,” the haunting “B and G,” and “Question and Answer,” one of Pat’s most well-known pieces. The story begins in 1967 when bassist Steve Swallow joined with vibraphonist Gary Burton to form the original Gary Burton Quartet. In the early 1970s, then 19-year old guitarist Pat Metheny joined Burton’s band and one of the most celebrated careers in music began. A decade ago Metheny discovered drummer Antonio Sanchez, inviting him to join The Pat Metheny Group, and the two have been playing together ever since. The result is four legendary musicians, improvisers and composers all, each at the top of his game, bringing modern jazz history to life on Quartet Live! Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Gary Burton Pat Metheny Steve Swallow Antonio Sanchez	Tracks: Sea Journey Olhos de Gato Falling Grace Coral Walter L B and G (Midwestner Night's Dream) Missouri Uncompromised Fleurette Africaine (Little African Flower) Hullo, Bolinas Syndrome Question and Answer
2008 – UPOJENIE: PAT METHENY & ANNA MARIA JOPEK
(Nonesuch)	"Anna Maria's beautiful voice is marvelous throughout this album and the creative interpretation of Pat's and PMG's classic tunes make this a must have for any Pat Metheny fan. Pats' playing on this album is spirited, uplifting and technically marvelous. As a whole the album flows and has nice balance between Pat's and the PMG's tunes reinvented with Polish lyrics and also traditional Polish tunes that are highlighted by Jopek's incredible voice. Now that this album has been released through Pat's and PMG record company, it is available in the US without having to pay for an import album from Poland. In short, this beautiful album is a must have! 3 incredible bonus tracks (1 studio/ 2 live) including 2 Pat solos on nylon string and synth guitar - Simply Awesome! Also a shorter tune with the soprano guitar. Highly recommended!" - amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Anna Maria Jopek, Pat Metheny, Leszek Mozdzer, Marcin Pospieszalski, Cezary Konrad, Mino Cinelu, Henryk Miskiewicz, Mateusz Pospiezalski, Marek Pospieszalski, Wojciech Kowalewski, Piotr Natzaruk, Bernard Maseli, Marek Napiorkowski, Barney	Tracks: Here Comes the Silent Dusk So May It Secretly Begin Whiteness Tell Her You Saw Me Are You Going With Me Black Words Lulajze Jezuniu Upojenie Always and Forever A Song for Stas Letter From Home Another Life Farmer's Trust Polish Paths Follow Me The Snow Falls All Over the Place Whispers and Tears
2008 – TOKYO DAY TRIP (EP)
(Nonesuch)	This is a great companion piece to the studio release of Day Trip. Musically it's all over the map; two acoustic ballads (Inori, Night Becomes You), screaming rock fusion (Back Arm), one very esoteric ECM sort of tune (Tromsb), and one glorious straight ahead jazz piece which to me is the highlight of the entire album (Traveling Fast). If you like Metheny in a trio format then you probably loved Day Trip and I'm guessing you'll love this. His musical companions are both monster musicians themselves, so you've got the best of all worlds here. These three can seriously play! ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Christian McBride, Antonio Sanchez
2008 – DAY TRIP
(Nonesuch)	DAY TRIP, the first release from Metheny's current trio lineup, featuring bassist Christian McBride and drummer Antonio Sanchez, vividly depicts the group at one particularly inspired moment. Reviews from the daily U.S. press along the way have been a compendium of superlatives. The Buffalo News declared, Metheny is sharing his musical soul with the two finest musicians of their generation. The Times Union of Albany concurred: Christian McBride on stand-up bass and drummer Antonio Sanchez wove their way into Metheny’s music... and played with a telepathic virtuosity. And the Louisville Courier Journal summed up the nightly reaction to the trio’s sets: It was a collaborative tour de force that earned a standing ovation. Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Christian McBride, Antonio Sanchez Podcast	Tracks: Son of Thirteen At Last You're Here Let's Move Snova Calvin's Keys Is This America? When We Were Free Dreaming Trees The Red One Day Trip
2007 – SECRET STORY - COLLECTOR'S EDITION
(Nonesuch)	The New York Times called Pat Metheny’s 1992 Grammy Award-winning Secret Story the most sweepingly ambitious album that the jazz guitarist has yet recorded...a nearly 80-minute world-music suite with symphonic underpinnings. If the album functioned then, in the words of critic Stephen Holden, as part travelogue and part soundtrack for a nonexistent film, then this expanded and re-mastered edition can best be described as the director’s cut. Composer and guitarist Metheny revisited and restored five previously unreleased tracks in the studio over the last year, and he’s collected them on a bonus disc. More pastoral in tone than most of the original material on Secret Story and with a decidedly cinematic, orchestral feel these tracks are like the deleted scenes from a deeply evocative yet wordless narrative feature. Back in ’92, Metheny declared that Secret Story was unlike anything I’ve ever done. It’s the largest in scope - 80 people were involved in the record - but it's also the most intimate record I’ve done. ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny with Jeremy Lubbock, Charlie Haden, Nana Vasconcelos, Lyle Mays, Armando Marcal, Mark Ledford, Danny Gottlieb, Steve Ferrone, Paul Wertico, Steve Rodby, Will Lee, Gil Goldstein, Mike Metheny, Ryan Kisor, Sammy Merendino, Toots Thielemans, Akiko Yano, members of the London Orchestra, members of the Pinpeat Orchestra, Choir of the Cambodian Royal Palace and others.	Tracks: Above The Treetops Facing West Cathedral In A Suitcase Finding and Believing The Longest Summer Sunlight Rain River Always and Forever See The World As A Flower Blossoms (I Am Running To You) Antonia The Truth Will Always Be Tell Her You Saw Me Not To Be Forgotten (Our Final Hour) Back In Time Understanding A Change In Cicumstance Look Ahead Et si c'etait la fin
2007 – METHENY MEHLDAU QUARTET
(Nonesuch)	QUARTET expands upon the "dream pairing" - begun by guitarist Pat Metheny and pianist Brad Mehldau on their 2006 Nonesuch collaboration, Metheny/Mehldau. This time they incorporate the members of Mehldau's trio, bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard, into a breathtakingly eclectic set, which ranges from the airy, pastoral "Don't Wait" to straight-up rocking in the slowly building "Towards the Light." Last year, London's Evening Standard described Metheny and Mehldau as "graceful, lyrical improvisers." The 11 tracks that comprise Quartet were cut during the week-length December 2005 session that yielded Metheny /Mehldau, a recording date that, over time, will surely be considered a landmark in contemporary jazz. On Quartet, each artist contributes original solo compositions as well as their first co-written piece, "A Night Away." The group also reworks Mehldau's "Fear and Trembling," which originally appeared on House On Hill, Mehldau's final outing with his previous trio lineup. It also interprets Metheny's "Marta's Theme," from his score to the 1998 Italian film, A Passage to Paradise. Quartet is perhaps even more adventurous and just as rewarding as their first release; the exhilarating back and forth between Metheny and Mehldau continues with their eagerly awaited live dates. ~ Amazon.com Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Brad Mehldau, Larry Grenadier, Jeff Ballard	Tracks: A Night Away The Sound of Water Fear and Trembling So Much Music Everywhere Towards the Light Long Before En la Tierra Que No Olivida Santa Cruz Slacker Secret Beach Silent Movie
2006 – METHENY MEHLDAU
(NoneSuch)	"This is a dream pairing: Pat Metheny, the Baby Boomer guitar god whose musical palette embraces everything from Ornette Coleman to contemporary jazz, teams with pianist Brad Mehldau, the brooding Gen X prince of the piano on the verge of becoming himself. After admiring each other for years, they're now on the same label, and this dynamic duel extends their mutual admiration into a very personal and simpatico release that recalls the intimacy of that 1960s Jim Hall/Bill Evans masterpiece, Undercurrent. Save for Mehldau's bandmates drummer Jeff Ballard and bassist Larry Grenadier forming a quartet on the bop-mazed "Ring of Life" and the Afro-Caribbean cadences of "Say the Brother's Name," it's two for the road on the rest of the recording. When you hear selections like "Unrequited," "Ahmid-6," and "Make Peace," you know that this CD is only the start of something big from these two artists." Amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Brad Mehldau, Larry Grenadier, Jeff Ballard	Tracks: Unrequited Ahmid-6 Summer Day Ring of Life Legend Find Me in Your Dreams Say the Brother's Name Bachelors III Annie's Bittersweet Cake Make Peace
2005 – THE WAY UP
(Nonesuch)	Most artists who have more than 30 years of success behind them usually talk about that one unfinished masterpiece, the one that's swimming around in the brain just waiting to come out at just the right time. In the case of Pat Metheny, his latest effort "The Way Up" could very well be such a piece. The changes of mood and texture heard throughout the piece make the 68-minute running time goes by in no time. The strong musicianship between Pat and his bandmates is sensational while the compositional structure is flawless. Applause must be given to Pat Metheny and keyboardist/collaborator Lyle Mays for taking such a daring step and successfully pulling it off. This is Pat Metheny's definitive magnum-opus, a mountain-top acheivement for this brilliant guitar genius. ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Antonio Sanchez, Cuong Vu, Gregoire Maret	Tracks: Opening Part One Part Two Part Three
2003 – ONE QUIET NIGHT
(Warner Bros.)	After having played in either trios or mid-sized group in recent years, Metheny goes the solo acoustic route on One Quiet Night. As the title implies, Metheny is in a contemplative mood, as he records a mix covers and old and new originals in his home studio. Playing his baritone guitar in a low country music tuning, Methany explores tonal shading throughout 12 relatively short tunes that are more impressionistic meditations than songs build around traditional jazz arrangements. The Norah Jones hit "Don’t Know Why" is born anew, but the new original pieces point in a particularly fresh new vein for the great guitarist. ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen Special Feature Musicians: Pat Metheny	Tracks: One Quiet Night Song For The Boys Dont Know Why Another Chance And Time Goes On My Song Peace Memory Ferry Cross The Mersey Over On 4th Street I Will Find The Way North To South East To West Last Train Home
2002 – SPEAKING OF NOW
(Warner Bros.)	Throughout its 25-year history, the Pat Metheny Group has consistently had the power to reinvent itself, developing an ever-broader musical vision. Speaking of Now reflects substantial changes since the band was last assembled. The core remains intact, with Lyle Mays, Metheny's composing partner since the beginning, still contributing keyboards and some eloquent acoustic piano. Bassist Steve Rodby is here as well, but there are some new additions. Mexican-born drummer Antonio Sanchez is a creative fountain of rhythm, while Richard Bona, from Cameroon, has joined the band on vocals and percussion. There's an unearthly serenity in Bona's high-pitched vocals and they've clearly shaped some of the composing here. Trumpeter Cuong Vu's presence marks the first time a horn player has been a member of PMG, and his laconic, airy trumpet is a perfect complement to Metheny's guitar. The Group has always had the ability to fuse elements from different cultures into a graceful and floating whole, but this version sets new standards for sheer sonic beauty, like the welling orchestral breadth that underscores Bona's voice on "You." Highlights seem to abound, but the guitar solos on "Proof" and "A Place in the World" testify to Metheny's inspiration. ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen / Buy @ iTunes Special Feature Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Antonio Sanchez, Richard Bona, Cuong Vu,	Tracks: As it Is Proof Another Life The Gathering Sky You On Her Way A Place In The World Afternoon Wherever You Go
2000 – PAT METHENY TRIO > LIVE
(Wea/Warner Bros.)	"Pat Metheny's brought a string of trios to bear on his music, none of them lasting as a touring band long enough to bring a session like Trio Live to life. As on Trio 99-00, Metheny's bandstand has Larry Grenadier and Bill Stewart beside him, and they burn from start to finish. Taking up 13 tunes, Metheny shows off every nuance of his talents. Stewart invokes Elvin Jones, with a lead-footed focus on tempo and a hammering power. Grenadier provides calm force, keeping time with steely firmness. Metheny is all over the map, laying back to open the session, throwing off torrents of modulated guitar synth on a 19-minute "Question and Answer" and then diving laconically into one of jazz's least laconic pieces, John Coltrane's "Giant Steps." He's granite thick on the rocking "Faith Healer" and gently harplike on "Into the Dream," grooving steadily in between. All the while, the audience is hyped and involved. The trio has chemistry like Keith Jarrett's standards project, with each member providing texture and finishing each other's musical thoughts telepathically. This you can hear on familiar tunes, as well as on 35 minutes of new material rounding out the second disc."- Amazon.com Order CD Listen Special Feature Musicians: Pat Metheny, Larry Grenadier, Bill Stewart	Tracks: Bright Size Life Question And Answer Giant Steps Into The Dream So May It Secretly Begin The Bat All The Things You Are James Unity Village Soul Cowboy Night Turns Into Day Faith Healer Counting Texas
2000 – PAT METHENY TRIO 99 > 00
(Wea/Warner Bros.)	"Think "Pat Metheny trio record" and you'll probably recall his groundbreaking Bright Size Life or the more abstract Rejoicing (with Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins) or even Question and Answer (Dave Holland, Roy Haynes). Well, keep thinking. Trio 99-00 is the popular guitarist-composer's most straight-ahead, no-muss, no-fuss recording yet. Recorded over two days with the remarkable team of drummer Bill Stewart and bassist Larry Grenadier, Trio 99-00 covers much compositional and stylistic ground but is essentially a hard-bop-tinged blowing session. Metheny's Sonny Rollins-ish originals include "(Go) Get It," "Soul Cowboy" (featuring amazing chordal guitar), "What Do You Want?" and a blazing trio variation on "Lone Jack," which appeared on the first Pat Metheny Group album. Unusual choices are made throughout: a sensually swinging "Giant Steps," an elegant "A Lot of Livin' to Do," and inclusion of Wayne Shorter's queasy gem, "Capricorn." And as always, Pat can't help but get sentimental on acoustic guitar, culminating in the first studio rendition of "Travels." This isn't for the faint-hearted, nor those waiting for another PMG travelogue like We Live Here or Letter from Home. This is pure jazz slam, a trio showdown with the gloves off." - Amazon.com Listen / Buy @ iTunes Special Feature Musicians: Pat Metheny, Larry Grenadier, Bill Stewart	Tracks: (Go) Get It Giant Steps Just Like The Day Soul Cowboy The Sun In Montreal Capricorn We Had A Sister What Do You Want? A Lot Of Livin' To Do Lone Jack Travels
1999 – A MAP OF THE WORLD
(Warner Bros.)	"Pat Metheny is a true musical poet. His score to Jane Hamilton's "A Map of the World" does something remarkable - it conjurs up not just the feeling and atmosphere of the book; it actually seems to address the central meaning and essense of forgiveness that makes this story one of the modern miracles of literature. As someone who has loved this book since it was released in the mid-90's, I was concerned when I heard that they were making a movie of it. I saw the movie the other night, and it is excellent. But the highlight of the film - and a major component of it's success is this hauntinly beautiful, truly deep music. Although there are comparisons to be made with Metheny's "Beyond the Missouri Sky", this music is far more substantial. There are several musical themes, especially the title theme melody, which appear regularly throughout this suite, that are some of Metheny's absolute best ballads. The harmonic ambiguity of the first piece on the record (you really cannot tell what key it is finally going to land in, it keeps modulating so much) sets EXACTLY the right tone for the protaganists (Alice Goodwin) mental state. And the basic sound Metheny is getting here out of his acoustic guitars is simply breathtaking - this man has the best touch of any acoustic guitarist in the world right now." - Amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Special Feature Musicians: Pat Metheny and orchestra	Tracks: A Map Of The World Family North Home Sisters Childhood Fall From Grace Memory Gone Flight Alone Outcasts Sunday Discovery Acceptance Realization Soliloquy Night Sunrise Resolution Pictures Patience Transition Reunion Renewal Homecoming Forgiving Holding Us
1999 – JIM HALL & PAT METHENY
(Nonesuch)	"The presence of Pat Metheny on Jim Hall's 1998 By Arrangement fulfilled the younger guitarist's long-standing dream of recording with Hall. But these duets confirm how beautiful their performing together could become. Unlike many encounters between high-profile guitarists, these recordings, from both a New York studio and a Pittsburgh concert, show no sense of competition or interest in displays of empty virtuosity. Instead, the CD's true to the enduring spirit of Hall's music, emphasizing interaction and a subtle complexity. Hall plays the lightly amplified electric guitar that is his trademark, with a gorgeous liquid tone, while Metheny brings a bevy of instruments to the meeting, including a standard electric (no synth), several acoustics--including a fretless classical--and his 42-string model for some remarkably harplike effects. There's tremendous variety in the music and thought in the choices of tunes and approaches. "The Birds and the Bees," played in memory of its composer, the late guitarist Attila Zoller, has a haunting depth, while the frequently played "Summertime" achieves a new identity in Metheny's arrangement, with spare and vibrant lead contrasting with animated rhythm guitar. Both musicians are adept composers, and highlights include Metheny's "Ballad X" and Hall's increasingly propulsive "Cold Spring." Given that Hall participated in one of the first recorded examples of free improvisation, "Free Form" with the Chico Hamilton Quintet in 1955, and Metheny has recorded with the British avant-gardist Derek Bailey, it's fitting that the two guitarists test the limits of their empathy in five brief and intriguing collective improvisations that sometimes explore unusual textures and microtonal harmonies. Whatever the material, though, the earmarks of the set are a quiet energy and a sustained lyric invention that invite and reward repeated listenings. The recording quality is superb, capturing every nuance of this music that seems to live near the core of the jazz guitar ethos." ~ Amazon.com Listen / Buy @ Amazon Listen / Buy @ iTunes Special Feature Musicians: Pat Metheny, Jim Hall	Tracks: Lookin' Up All The Things You Are The Birds And The Bees Improvisation No.1 Falling Grace Ballad Z Summertime Farmer's Trust Cold Spring Improvisation No.2 Into The Dream Don't Forget Improvisation No.3 Waiting To Dance Improvisation No.4 Improvisation No.5 All Across The City
1998 – LIKE MINDS
(Concord)	"Vibist Gary Burton has been collaborating with pianist Chick Corea and guitarist Pat Metheny since the mid-'70s, and it shows. The three have a strong intuitive sense of each other's lines and sound and can enhance the music in myriad, subtle ways. Having a great rhythm section doesn't hurt either, and bassist Dave Holland and drummer Roy Haynes are two of the very best. On Like Minds they have created an excellent CD: a no-frills, straight-ahead jazz album, crisply recorded, full of energy and imagination. With the exception of the George Gershwin piece, "Soon," the disc features all original compositions, with considerable thought given to distinguishing each soloist despite the surface similarity of their nimble, bouncy styles. Like minds, perhaps, but each possesses a singular voice and the ability to merge it creatively with others."- Amazon.com Listen / Buy @ Amazon Special Feature Musicians: Pat Metheny, Gary Burton, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Roy Haynes	Tracks: Question And Answer Elucidation Windows Futures Like Minds Country Roads Tears Of Rain Soon For A Thousand Years Straight Up And Down
1997 – IMAGINARY DAY
(Warner Bros.)	This is one of my favorite releases from the Pat Metheny Group. Metheny is a unique guitarist who has been able to take jazz over into the mainstream. His sound is synthesized, but it doesn't detract from his playing ability. He is still the type that can make your jaw drop with his phrasing and sound. This album is a great tour of Metheny's abilities. Like many of Metheny's albums, "Imaginary Day" blends well between songs, making the album very story like. Although songs can be played out of order and enjoyed, it is like taking a quote out of context. Metheny doesn't only write a song, he composes the entire album. The album opens with the title track, and Metheny playing another one of his guitar inventions, the fretless guitar. This guitar provides a unique sound as Metheny is able to add semitones to his playing arsenal. "A Story Within a Story" has more of a jazzy sound, and "The Heat of the Day" is a little more hectic, but with Metheny's clear notes ringing through the cacophony of sound. My favorite track off the album is "The Roots of Coincidence", a hard driving song. It slowly works its way towards a crescendo of guitar and drums, only to back off to a quiet interlude and repeat the process again. The solo between these peaks of music is pure Metheny. ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen / Buy @ iTunes Special Feature Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico, Mark Ledford, David Blamires, Mino Cinelu, David Samuels, Glen Velez, Don Alias	Tracks: Imaginary Day Follow Me Into The Dream A Story Within The Story The Heat Of The Day Across The Sky The Roots Of Coincidence Too Soon Tomorrow The Awakening
1997 – BEYOND THE MISSOURI SKY (SHORT STORIES)
(Universal Music)	This subtle, sublime collaboration finds bassist Charlie Haden and guitarist Pat Metheny crafting bejeweled chamber duets that transcend genre. With their shared Missouri lineage as a thematic touchstone, Haden and Metheny forge a lyrical, mostly acoustic style at once intimate and expansive. Both pare their playing to a Zen-like economy, focusing on a purity of tone, clarity of harmony, and counterpoint to achieve a tender lyricism. Metheny's acoustic steel-string and classical guitars predominate, but he also applies discreet overdubs (including some delicate synthesizer and keyboard textures) to sculpt orchestral detail. Haden, as always, is both a generous foil and a deft melodist on his own, moving easily into his instrument's upper register as he twines through Metheny's lines. The set's emotional coherence is particularly satisfying in light of the material, which spans Ennio Morricone ("Cinema Paradiso"), Henry Mancini ("Two for the Road"), Jim Webb ("The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress"), and Roy Acuff ("The Precious Jewel") as well as affecting originals by both leaders. And giving the project a sense of closure, while commenting obliquely on the generational dialogue it represents, is the luminous "Spiritual" (composed by Haden's son, Josh), an instrumental prayer that exemplifies the balance of concision and deep emotion at the heart of this exquisite triumph. ~ Amazon.com Listen / Buy @ iTunes Special Feature Musicians: Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden	Tracks: Waltz For Ruth Our Spanish Love Song Message To A Friend Two For The Road First Song The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress The Precious Jewel He's Gone Away The Moon Song Tears Of Rain Cinema Paradiso (Love Theme) Cinema Paradiso (Main Theme) Spiritual
1996 – QUARTET
(Nonesuch)	This CD is definitely a departure from the other Pat Metheny Group albums of recent. Being roughly half improvisation or near improvisation and half carefully crafted songs like we're used to hearing from the Group, we get to see a side of the band we haven't seen before. And the result is extremely worthwhile, even if not always immediately pleasant. The fact that it is music played solely by the four core members and recorded in a live fashion with little or no overdubs and almost exclusivly on acoustic instruments lends uniqueness to this Group recording. While still a very large leap away from Pat's Zero Tolerance for Silence, this CD contains some stretching material for casual Group listeners. I for one, however, grew musically through repeated listens, and over time found myself placing this CD right up there with my top favourites by Pat and the group. In addition to some of the "out-there" stuff (music for the mind, ie. Dismantling Utopia, Badla! nd, etc.), it contains in my opinion some of the Group's most heartfelt and beautiful ballads (so satisfying to the soul, ie. As I Am, Oceania, etc.), and a couple of very grooving tunes bearing the label of jazz more fittingly than what we've been hearing from them lately (the stuff for the body, ie. When We Were Free, Montevideo, Language of Time). I would recommend this underrated CD as the most complete and satisfying musical ride I've ever taken part in. And if you're like me, you'll also grow as a result of it! ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen / Buy @ iTunes Special Feature Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico Podcast	Tracks: Introduction When We Were Free Montevideo Take Me There Seven Days Oceania Dismantling Utopia Double Blind Second Thought Mojave Badland Glacier Language Of Time Sometimes I See As I Am
1995 – WE LIVE HERE
(Nonesuch)	All of Metheny's stuff is great. This particular set has such sparkle. Often when a group plays together for so long, a kind of staleness arises; not so with these guys. Man oh man, can Pat play. Metheny is the most decorated guitarist in jazz history, and this one is among his best work. Every song is a gem: they swing, they're funky, they're tricky, and yet Pat's as fresh as a teenager in his American Garage. Whether you think you've heard it all from Metheny, or you're just discovering him, you should really love this one. ~ CD Universe Order CD Listen / Buy @ iTunes Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico, Luis Conte, Mark Ledford, David Blamires Podcast	Tracks: Here To Stay And Then I Knew The Girls Next Door To The End Of The World We Live Here Episode D'Azur Something To Remind You Red Sky Stranger In Town
1994 – ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SILENCE
(DGC)	"...THE most radical recording of this decade...a new milestone in electric guitar music...searing, soaring, twisted shards of action guitar/thought process. An incendiary work by an unpredictable master, a challenge to the challengers..." ~ Thurston Moore, Sonic Youth Listen / Buy @ Amazon Listen / Buy @ iTunes Musicians: Pat Metheny	Tracks: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
1993 – THE ROAD TO YOU
(Nonesuch)	One the thing the Pat Metheny Group has always been known for is being able to pull off everything it can do on record in front of a live audience. THE ROAD TO YOU captures PMG on a European tour playing for ecstatic fans that even sing along to the guitarist's enchanting melodies. For their enthusiasm they are treated to explosive performances of many of Metheny's best works. Longtime members Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, and Paul Wertico and multi-instrumentalists Armando Marsal and Pedro Aznar round out the group. All of the group's "hits" are here, including the blistering "Have You Heard," which opens the show with a first-of-many jaw-dropping solos by the leader. The dramatic "First Circle" makes for an exciting live piece as Aznar's vocal work and May's delicate piano styling offer many pleasing moments. The crowd erupts at the first notes of the favorite "Last Train Home, " long a Metheny chestnut. The grandest moments, however, come with the exhilarating "Beat 70" and the stunning closer "Third Wind." Also included are some new compositions like the eclectic "Half Life Of Absolution" and Metheny's tender acoustic piece "Solo From 'More Travels'. ~ CD Universe Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico, Armando Marcal, Pedro Aznar Podcast	Tracks: Have You Heard First Circle The Road To You Half Life Of Absolution Last Train Home Better Days Ahead Naked Moon Beat 70 Letter From Home Third Wind Solo From 'More Travels'
1992 – SECRET STORY
(Nonesuch)	The New York Times called Pat Metheny’s 1992 Grammy Award-winning Secret Story the most sweepingly ambitious album that the jazz guitarist has yet recorded...a nearly 80-minute world-music suite with symphonic underpinnings. The album functions, in the words of critic Stephen Holden, as part travelogue and part soundtrack for a nonexistent film. - Amazon.com Listen / Buy @ Amazon Listen/Buy @ iTunes Musicians: Pat Metheny with Jeremy Lubbock, Charlie Haden, Nana Vasconcelos, Lyle Mays, Armando Marcal, Mark Ledford, Danny Gottlieb, Steve Ferrone, Paul Wertico, Steve Rodby, Will Lee, Gil Goldstein, Mike Metheny, Ryan Kisor, Sammy Merendino, Toots Thielemans, Akiko Yano, members of the London Orchestra, members of the Pinpeat Orchestra, Choir of the Cambodian Royal Palace and others.	Tracks: Above The Treetops Facing West Cathedral In A Suitcase Finding and Believing The Longest Summer Sunlight Rain River Always and Forever See The World As A Flower Blossoms (I Am Running To You) Antonia The Truth Will Always Be Tell Her You Saw Me Not To Be Forgotton (Our Final Hour)
1990 – QUESTION AND ANSWER (REMASTERED VERSION 2008)
(Nonesuch)	Here are three musicians who are perfectly in sync. Creating music of such beauty and depth that now, 12 years after I bought this recording I am still stunned by it. This is some of Pat Metheny's best playing. They are three but sound like more. It would've been easy for these three virtuoso's to let their technique run away with them and make this a chop fest but they didn't. This is pure jazz which is both accessible, swinging, complex and interesting. The setting is spare which allows for them to explore each piece without the encumberances of over production. They can step out on stage on do these piece live, true to form. This recording is timeless. Twelve years later it holds up well. The pieces are just as fresh. Dave Holland shows why he is the bassist's bassist. His tone is rich and resonant. Roy Haynes is just a national musical treasure. He adds shades and colors. More musical than percussive, though he can be that as well. This is definitely a must have recording. ~ Amazon.com Listen / Buy @ itunes Musicians: Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, Roy Haynes	Tracks: Solar Question and Answer H&H Never Too Far Away Law Years Change of Heart All The Things You Are Old Folks Three Flights Up
1989 – LETTER FROM HOME
(Nonesuch)	By far, this is probably one of the finest albums PMG have recorded in its extensive career. I wouldn't be surprised if this work turns out to be a true contemporary jazz classic a few years down the line. Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays deliver powerful solos, some may say too long but personally I can't get enough of them. Technically perfect, they sound "easy" in a very complex set up, musically speaking. "Beat 70" displays one of the best Pat's solos I've ever heard. Lyle plays wonderfully in many tracks but "Better Days Ahead" stands out. Even when this is one of the most "commercial" albums PMG have conceived, there's an ethereal aura surrounding the songs. "Spring Ain't Here" and "Slip Away" are clearly vivid examples of that. Pedro Aznar's voice is a major contribution to achieve it as well as the rock solid work of Paul Wertico, Steve Rodby and Armando Marcal in the rhythm section. ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico, Armando Marcal, Pedro Aznar Podcast	Tracks: Have You Heard Every Summer Night Better Days Ahead Spring Ain't Here 45/8 5-5-7 Beat 70 Dream Of The Return Are We There Yet Vidala Slip Away Letter From Home
1987 – STILL LIFE (TALKING)
(Nonesuch)	I'd give this CD 100 stars if I could. I have to write a review because this CD is absolutely stunning. I don't particularly like jazz. Everything else in my CD collection is classic rock, old school goth or alternative British bands, but Pat Metheny's work is so exquisite irrespective of categories, anyone who appreciates deeply moving, lush, rhymthic, beautiful music will be more than pleased. This album was my introduction to Metheny, flipping through radio stations in 1989 I heard it... like a gush of audio ecstasy flooding through my speakers "Minuano (Six Eight)". This song is so overwhelming. It's not just an audio experience but a complete sensory experience. The only thing that excels his CDs is seeing the entire group live. I can't tell you how overjoyed I feel when I know the Pat Metheny Group is coming to town. Pat's audience is a mixture of every shade, lifestyle, age... because brilliance is appreciated by all who hear it. I own quite a number of his albums, but if you're looking for a good place to start this is the one! Metheny's music on your worst day makes you so happy to be alive. ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico, Armando Marcal, Mark Ledford, David Blamires Podcast	Tracks: Minuando (Six Eight) So May It Secretly Begin Last Train Home (It's Just) Talk Third Wind Distance In Her Family
1986 – SONG X [TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY EDITION]
(Nonesuch)	The Texas-born alto saxophonist, composer, and free jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman influenced generations of musicians, including a guitarist from Missouri named Pat Metheny. Two decades after their 1985 recording, this remastered and remixed edition – with Coleman’s son Denardo and Jack DeJohnette both on drums, with long time bassist Charlie Haden – sounds fresher than ever. The original eight tracks, from the bluesy, midtempo "Mob Job," laced with Coleman’s eerie violin strains, and the crying ballad "Kathelin Gray" to the interlocking title track, all exhibit the quantum physics approach to melody, rhythm, harmony and improvisation Coleman calls Harmolodics. The additional, six unreleased selections from the Coleman canon include "The Good Life," a Latin-tinged number, the hyper-bopped "Word From Bird," Compute," and the melodically dark shadows of "The Veil." As Metheny wrote in the liner notes, "This twentieth-anniversary edition of record feels like an improvement and reveals a more complete picture of our efforts." ~ Amazon.com Listen / Buy @ iTunes Musicians: Pat Metheny, Ornette Coleman, Charlie Haden, Jack DeJohnette, Denardo Coleman	Tracks: Police People All of Us Good Life Word From Bird Compute Veil Song X Mob Job Endangered Species Video Games Kathelin Gray Trigonometry Song X Duo Long Time No See
1985 – THE FALCON AND THE SNOWMAN
(EMI)	"His prolific output, indelible sound, and innate versatility would earmark Pat Metheny as an obvious candidate for film music, making this lone 1985 foray into film scoring remarkable for its singularity .... the choir and orchestra added to expand the music's sweep." - amazon.com Listen / Buy @ Amazon Listen / Buy @ iTunes Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico, Pedro Aznar, David Bowie	Tracks: Psalm 121/Flight Of The Falcon Daulton Lee Chris 'The Falcon' This Is Not America Extent Of The Lie The Level Of Deception Capture Epilogue (Psalm 121)
1984 – FIRST CIRCLE
(ECM)	There are few works of art, music or film out there of which I can honestly say I am simply at a loss for adequate words to describe. "First Circle" is a monumental work full of joyful energy and an indescribably heartfelt melodiousness which a true fan of music can never forget. s other reviewers have already stated, the title track "The First Circle" is certainly one of the greatest musical compositions and recordings of the past century. The power and passion of this piece, as it progresses gracefully from a series of simple handclaps to its explosive and magical climax, takes ones heart and soul on an unforgettable flight. Enough said...you simply have to hear this track to believe it. Followed immediately afterwards by a gorgeous guitar and synthesizer ballad "If I Could", the power of the title song is again multiplied. This is Metheny's first album to utilize vocals so predominately (although he experimented with them on other recordings such as "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls" and "Offramp"). The effect is stunning and the vocals, sung most of the time without words, become another essential ensemble instrument along with piano, synthesizers, guitars, drums and bass. "Praise" concludes the album with a renewed confidence and exultation. What a pleasure to listen to an artist like Pat Metheny who, at the top of his form, finds excitement in expressing musically the positive aspects of the human experience. ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen / Buy @ iTunes Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico, Pedro Aznar	Tracks: Forward March Yolanda, You Learn The First Circle If I Could Tell It All End Of The Game Mas Alla Praise
1983 – TRAVELS
(ECM)	Recorded less than a year after the magnificent 'Offramp', 'Travels' is proof that the PMG were on a creative high. Music was pouring from Metheny and Mays. Extraordinarily for a live album, over half the tracks were entirely new and have not been heard, before or since, on any studio album. Pat said in an interview soon after this album's release that he preferred this version of 'Are You Going With Me?' to the 'Offramp' original. Both have their merits. Both are brilliant. here are two delightfully simple tunes on this album -- 'Farmer's Trust' and 'Travels' -- which are gorgeously executed duets by Metheny and Mays, with the rest of the band in the background. They are almost love poems, a high point in the musical understanding between Mays and Metheny. If this album has any lows, or rather, any not-quite-so-highs, it is that the two tracks from the 'Pat Metheny Group' album -- 'Phase Dance' and 'San Lorenzo' -- add little to the originals. But they are not lesser versions, and they go a long way towards justifying this album's claim to be a representative compilation of the PMG's early works. It's almost impossible for any artist to create two masterpieces in succession, but the PMG achieved this with 'Offramp' and 'Travels.'~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Dan Gottlieb, Nana Vasconcelos	Tracks: Disc: 1 Are You Going With Me? The Fields, The Sky Goodbye Phase Dance Straight On Red Farmer's Trust Disc: 2 Extradition Goin' Ahead / As Falls Wichita... Travels Song For Bilbao San Lorenzo
1983 – REJOICING
(ECM)	"Rejoicing" makes a perfect companion to "Beyond the Missouri Sky." Haden and Metheny share a magnetism on the ground that can only be matched by Lyra and Orion in the night sky. Each tune shines with lyrical brilliance; be it in the softened freedom of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman," the dazzling blur of Metheny's clean runs on the title track, or the wailing synthguitar of "The Calling." Higgins on drums complements all the string action. Harmony, harmolodics, and eudemonics: the joy of the musicianship on this album uplifts the listener with its magic. ~ CD Universe Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Billy Higgins	Tracks: Lonely Woman Tears Inside Humpty Dumpty Blues For Pat Rejoicing Story From A Stranger The Calling Waiting For An Answer
1981 – OFFRAMP
(ECM)	This 1982 recording by the Pat Metheny Group represented a crossroads for the guitarist, a creative expansion from his original concept in terms of acoustic and electric instrumentation, folksy roots material and modern jazz influences, American and third world sources. Having thus marked out the territory for a decade's worth of experimentation and growth, the Metheny Group cemented its standing on the cutting edge of contemporary jazz with Offramp. Lyle Mays' harmonica-like synth theme, Metheny's soaring, vocalized synth-guitar lead, some rich orchestral touches, and an easygoing blend of backbeat and chord changes made "Are You Going with Me?" one of Metheny's most enduring arrangements. Still, for every gentle, alluring set piece, such as the tangolike "Au Lait" or the rural vistas of "James," there was a visceral, emotive free-for-all like the title track, where Metheny unleashed wild, wailing synth guitar elisions over a loose, abstract pulse--anticipating the energy of the guitarist's collaboration with free jazz guru Ornette Coleman some four years hence on Song X. ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Dan Gottlieb, Nana Vasconcelos	Tracks: Barcarole Are You Going With Me? Au Lait Eighteen Offramp James The Bat Part II
1981 – 80/81
(ECM)	This recording is in my top ten of "must have" music. It is sublime on all levels. From the beautiful, emotive guitar-work of Pat Metheny, to the essential bass of Charlie Haden and tenor sax of Dewey Redman and Michael Brecker. And perhaps the highlight of the recording is the intricate yet effortless drumming of Jack DeJohnette. It stands out throughout the recordings, even prompting one of the artists to exclaim at the tail-end of the recording session of one of their songs, "Whooooieee, man, Jack DeJohnette!" You will treasure this album forever! ~ CD Universe Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Jack DeJohnette, Dewey Redman, Mike Brecker	Tracks: Two Folks Songs 80/81 The Bat Turnaround Open Pretty Scattered Every Day (I Thank You) Goin' Ahead
1981 – AS FALLS WICHITA, SO FALLS WICHITA FALLS
(ECM)	"Guitarist Pat Metheny and his longtime keyboard collaborator/alter ego Lyle Mays saw in their rural American roots a mystical connection to an entire world of sounds, and with As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls, they began the process of fashioning an idiomatic folk expression all their own. With the help of master percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, they create a whistlestop tour of musical outposts on the extended title track that is at once gothic and atmospheric in the manner of Weather Report, bucolic and harmonious like the Byrds--with echoes of small towns, strip malls, and lonely railyards, over expanses of wide-open space that reflect their familial origins and countless miles wandering the interstate on a string of college-town one-nighters. In the four square major modes of 'Ozark' and 'It's for You' you can hear the beige tinge of the American experience that melded with African American music to give the U.S. its musical depth and breadth, while 'September Fifteenth' is a prayerful, ruminative reflection on the spirit of their romantic forebear, pianist Bill Evans." - amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Nana Vasconcelos	Tracks: As Falls Wichita... Ozark September 15th "It's For You" Estupenda Graca
1980 – AMERICAN GARAGE
(ECM)	When I received a copy of this album to review, I was floored by the creative writing and playing. Now, Many years later I decided to replace my vinyl copy with the digital cousin. This collection still breathes the creative genius that the LP exuded years ago. Listen to the dynamics and the melodic stories that Pat metheny and Lyle Mays wrote for American Garage and you will have a good idea of many of the works that came later on. The title song is a rockin' tribute to the 60's bands that cut their teeth playing "Purple Haze" and "Light My Fire." The final word on this album is that it is a must to have for anybody who thinks that jazz can't rock! ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Mark Egan, Dan Gottlieb	Tracks: (Cross The) Heartland Airstream The Search American Garage The Epic
1979 – NEW CHAUTAUQUA
(ECM)	Guitarist Pat Metheny is one of the few artists that can perform an entire album by himself and sound like whole orchestra on his own. NEW CHAUTAUQUA finds the modern guitar master employing a myriad of stringed instruments, in both solo works and multi-tracked collages, to great effect. Each piece is awash in Metheny's signature pastoral style, full of lush strummed chords and angular melodic lines. So complete is the guitarist's musical creation that it is difficult to distinguish the seams dividing his many instrumental voices, sounding as if he had played them all simultaneously. For the listener, this creates a sublime sonic experience. ~ tower.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny	Tracks: New Chautauqua Country Poem Long-Ago Child/Fallen Star Hermitage Sueno Con Mexico Daybreak
1978 – PAT METHENY GROUP
(ECM)	When the Pat Metheny Group released this debut album on ECM in 1978, the musicianship of Pat was already beginning to turn some heads. His previous trio album for ECM in 1976, featuring Jaco Pastoris (bass) and Bob Moses (drums), had forced the world of traditional jazz to take notice of this contemporary sound. There is not a drab track on this album, and Metheny is joined by an entirely new lineup of musicians: Lyle Mays (piano, autoharp, Oberheim synthesizer), Mark Egan (bass), and Dan Gottlieb (drums). The group really brought new life into the genre. The album starts off with "San Lorenzo", featuring some wonderful piano solos by Mays that will knock your socks off. "Phase Dance" is the most widely recognizable Metheny piece on here, with some great riffs by Pat threading throughout the piece. The track "Jaco" is not really very funky as one might expect, since it was a tribute to bassist Jaco Pastorius, but does show off Egan as a great bassist that knows how to groove to an upbeat. "Aprilwind" is a brief quiet piece that is fairly straightforward in the delivery department. "April Joy" features Pat gracing the guitar in a style we have all grown to love. And finally, "Lone Jack", a track that has a bop feel to it. Most of the tracks on this release have gone on to become standards in their own right. This album soldified Metheny's place as a gifted composer with an outstanding mastery of his guitar-craft. This is certainly one of the most important contemporary jazz albums ever released. ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Mark Egan, Dan Gottlieb	Tracks: San Lorenzo Phase Dance Jaco Aprilwind April Joy Lone Jack
1977 – WATERCOLORS
(ECM)	Pat Metheny was virtually defining a new musical form on this 1977 date, blending folk, country, and pop elements with jazz and creating a gentler, more intimate idiom than fusion had been. His distinctively chorused electric guitar often floats over the smooth textures created by his own acoustic six-stringer, Lyle Mays's piano, and Danny Gottlieb's discreet drumming, while Eberhard Weber's electric and acoustic bass lines rise to ricochet with the guitar leads. The song titles abound with watery images, and they're perfectly in keeping with this flowing music, which tends to a pale, even pastel, palette and an ethereal lightness. "River Quay," particularly, suggests the sound of the Pat Metheny Group that would come later. ~ Amazon.com Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Eberhard Weber, Danny Gottlieb	Tracks: Watercolors Icefire Oasis Lakes River Quay Suite: I. Florida Greeting Song II. Legend Of The Fountain Sea Song
1976 – BRIGHT SIZE LIFE
(ECM)	Larger ensembles may have provided Pat Metheny with his most visible successes, but he's repeatedly fired up his most fluid and personal playing in leaner trio settings, starting with this, his 1976 debut as a leader. Bob Moses brings both delicacy and effortless dynamics to his drumming, but it's the late Jaco Pastorius's lyrical electric bass that clinches the guitarist's coming-out party: with Metheny already displaying the liquid tone and exquisite touch that define his sound, old friend Pastorius radiates a sympathetic lyricism and unerring sense of swing. ~ Amazon.com essential recording Order CD Listen/Download Musicians: Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Bob Moses	Tracks: Bright Size Life Sirabhorn Unity Village Missouri Uncompromised Midwestern Nights Dream Unquity Road Omaha Celebration Round Trip/Broadway Blues