Pat Metheny

[Bassist4Life]

I'm looking for some new music to listen to. I thought that I'd give Metheny a try. I've never really listened to his stuff before.

Metheny fans, what is his most upbeat album with an electric bass player?

Thanks,
Joe

[Bassist4Life]

I know I'm being picky, but I tend to like to listen to smaller ensembles like trios and quartets.

Joe

[jeff schmidt]

I love Pat Metheny's music - huge influence on me - so personally - no offense - I find Metheny himself so much more facinating than ANY bassist he's played with.

The only time I even noticed the bass in any Metheny music outside of Bright Sized Life was at the end of the Speaking of Now DVD where Richard Bona played a killer be-bop solo on 5 string. But Richard's mostly percussion and vocals on that release. I'm not a fan of PMG stuff.

Some of my personal metheny favs -

Trio 99/00 is awesome if you dig the trio sound. Pat actually makes Giant Steps beautiful.

Similar to 99/00 in sound is Question And Answer -with Dave Holland on upright - killer.

The original version of both of those is 80/81 - it foreshadows them both AND -

Song X - if you dig the Ornette thing (i do) .

And also in the Avant/free world is "Quartet" - you just have to hear that - lots of improv and free playing by the core PMG members.

Don't let the lack of electric bass keep you from spending time with Pat's music - particularly these releases - there's lots of lessons about playing melodically and OUT if you're into it.

[Bassist4Life]

Originally Posted by jeff schmidt

I love Pat Metheny's music - huge influence on me - so personally - no offense - I find Metheny himself so much more facinating than ANY bassist he's played with.

The only time I even noticed the bass in any Metheny music outside of Bright Sized Life was at the end of the Speaking of Now DVD where Richard Bona played a killer be-bop solo on 5 string. But Richard's mostly percussion and vocals on that release. I'm not a fan of PMG stuff.

Some of my personal metheny favs -

Trio 99/00 is awesome if you dig the trio sound. Pat actually makes Giant Steps beautiful.

Similar to 99/00 in sound is Question And Answer -with Dave Holland on upright - killer.

The original version of both of those is 80/81 - it foreshadows them both AND -

Song X - if you dig the Ornette thing (i do) .

And also in the Avant/free world is "Quartet" - you just have to hear that - lots of improv and free playing by the core PMG members.

Don't let the lack of electric bass keep you from spending time with Pat's music - particularly these releases - there's lots of lessons about playing melodically and OUT if you're into it.

Wow! Thanks Jeff. I really appreciate you taking the time to outline your favorites for me. No offense taken concerning Pat's use of bassist vs. his talent. I thought maybe I could find the best of both worlds; for example, something like a Dave Weckl/Tom Kennedy combination.

I look forward to checking out your suggestions. Thanks again.

Joe

[Bassist4Life]

I really dig the Trio CD, but I'm lovin' the Live Trio CD even more. This is the kinda' stuff I was looking for. I will check out some of the other titles later.

Thanks again,
Joe

[KJung]

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

I'm looking for some new music to listen to. I thought that I'd give Metheny a try. I've never really listened to his stuff before.

Metheny fans, what is his most upbeat album with an electric bass player?

Thanks,
Joe

From you description above, the three albums it seems you would enjoy most are:

Bright Size Life... with Jaco

The Pat Metheny Group (the 'White Album') with Mark Eagan.... a classic up there with Romantic Warrior and Blow by Blow.... totally 'genre defining' when it came out.

American Garage..... the White Album follow up, again with Mark Eagan.... not up to the level of the White Album, but a similar feel.

I would also put Offramp on the list, with the amazing, classic 'James'.

Ken

PS Jeff's list is the totally other side of Metheny.... quite difficult to listen to harmonically, but amazing. My list is more from the 'post fusion' era, and is more focused on the small ensemble work with the electric bass.

[Bassist4Life]

Originally Posted by Joshua

In any event, if upbeat and electric are your criteria, I'd recommend Bright Size Life w/Jaco or Pat Metheny Group (the self titled one) w/Mark Egan. Neither is particularly representative of where Pat seems to currently be musically, but both are great discs that meet your criteria.

Joshua,

Good stuff! I'm checking it out right now. I appreciate your suggestion. I didn't even know that Jaco did a recording with Metheny. Cool.

Joe

[VJP]

Just echoing what everyone else said. Metheny's music isn't the place to go for chops oriented electric bass playing. But it is some of the best music out there.

For classic Metheny Group ( unbelievabley singable melodies, great ensemble play, great arrangements) my faves are First Circle and Letter From Home.

And Steve Rodby is just the perfect guy for that group.

[jerry]

I'm pretty much a fan of Metheny's whole catalog, but I like Ken's picks for starters. The classic late 70's Pat Metheny Group still sounds fresh to me, Mark Egan was really coming into his own on those. I recently did a revisit to that era of the band, and loved it. [ Grain of salt warning....Maybe because I was around when they came out and saw that version of the band a few times...my point of view my be prejudiced.] I'm also a big Eberhard Weber fan and dig the Watercolors album a lot........80/81 with Haden and Brecker.....man I can go on.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by jerry

I'm pretty much a fan of Metheny's whole catalog, but I like Ken's picks for starters. The classic late 70's Pat Metheny Group still sounds fresh to me, Mark Egan was really coming into his own on those. I recently did a revisit to that era of the band, and loved it. [ Grain of salt warning....Maybe because I was around when they came out and saw that version of the band a few times...my point of view my be prejudiced.] I'm also a big Eberhard Weber fan and dig the Watercolors album a lot........80/81 with Haden and Brecker.....man I can go on.

I also saw that era band on the first tour, and it really had an impact on my playing, etc.

I forgot all about Watercolors. I LOVE that disc, although Eberhard's intonation on the disc is 'interesting' Great tunes and great playing.

I remember attending an ECM festival in St. Louis in the 70's and seeing Eberhard and his band, Gary Burton with Metheny and Gottlieb on drums, Ralph Towner, John Abecrombie, etc., etc. It was an intense show that lasted about 6 hours. Totally smokin'. That was a good era for 'electic jazz'

[metalguy2]

Pat Metheny is pretty awesome. Although his version of Giant Steps was kinda boring compared to the original. Just my opinion.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Hey Joe, my opinion doesn't match your searching criteria, but "Minuano (Six-Eight)" from "Still Life (Talking)" is art in its purest form to me. I think this song is one of the perfect examples to show why Pat Metheny is who he is. There are lots of jazz guitarists that can play like him for sure, but not anybody can create such a beautiful piece of music.

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by jeff schmidt

I love Pat Metheny's music - huge influence on me - so personally - no offense - I find Metheny himself so much more facinating than ANY bassist he's played with.

Jaco and Bona are pretty damn good though and Steve Rodby may not be flashy but he lays it down and he's a fabulous arranger and producer.

Bright Size Life is probably my favorite still though he's developed far beyond how he played on that CD...Jaco plays incredibly on that CD though he was stoned out of his mind...

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by metalguy2

Pat Metheny is pretty awesome. Although his version of Giant Steps was kinda boring compared to the original. Just my opinion.

Who's isn't ?

[jeff schmidt]

Originally Posted by metalguy2

Pat Metheny is pretty awesome. Although his version of Giant Steps was kinda boring compared to the original. Just my opinion.

HA!

I guess that speaks to a larger lesson in this WHOLE thread - Metheny has been able to make so much varied music that even when 2 people say they are "Pat Fans" - they are often fans for totally different reasons.

All hail Pat!

[jzucker]

Jeff,

What do you think of Tony Grey? He's transcribed a lot of Metheny.

[jim777]

Every note of Bright Size Life is genius. Every time I hear it, I have to stop what I'm doing. And Pat and Jaco were just kids; an absolutely astounding collection in all respects.

[SamJ]

I love Still Life Talking a lot, the bass in most of the songs is upright, but the guitar work is out of this world.. Pat Matheny is a truly amazing musician.

[peteroberts]

my favorite Pat record is Secret Story, there's both electric and upright, Will Lee and Steve Rodby, it's a wonderful album. Big band, big sound.

I'm also a big fan of the trio '99->00 and the first few PMG records.

[Mark Wilson]

I'm still partial to Pat and Jaco playing with Joni Mitchell. Killer stuff.

In France they kiss on main street is my favourite.


-mark