Pat Metheny Group News

[Rudy]

From the Pat Metheny Group Listener Network, two news items, including a new album, a new label affiliation and a world tour. Noticed that Detroit is the second stop on the tour, and if you go to Metheny's website, you can get a special Ticketmaster presale password.

Source: http://www.patmethenygroup.com

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The new record by the Pat Metheny Group is called “The Way Up”.

“ The Way Up” is a single continuous 68 minute composition written by guitarist Metheny and longtime collaborator/pianist Lyle Mays to feature the latest PMG lineup;

Pat Metheny - acoustic, electric, synth and slide guitars
Lyle Mays - acoustic piano, keyboards
Steve Rodby - acoustic and electric bass, cello
Cuong Vu - trumpet, voice
Gregoire Maret - harmonica
Antonio Sanchez - drums

Says Metheny “This is our most ambitious undertaking ever as a group - and we have never been so excited about a project. This record takes every aspect of the band to a new level.”

The new record by the Pat Metheny Group will be released on January 11, 2005 by Nonesuch Records with a world tour to immediately follow.

Stay tuned to the PMGLN for more details!!

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PAT METHENY GROUP 2005 WORLD TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

The United States and Far East dates of The Way Up tour by the Pat Metheny Group have been announced. Check Travels for the complete list. Special PMGLN pre-sale opportunities and priority ticket purchases have been coordinated for select events. For more information on how and when to purchase tickets prior to the public on sale dates, click here.

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METHENY/NONESUCH ALLIANCE ANNOUNCED

With the restructuring of the new Warner Music Group now complete comes exciting news from guitarist Pat Metheny and his longtime production entity Metheny Group Productions. As of now, Metheny’s records will be marketed and handled by Nonesuch Records, long one of the most diverse, interesting and prestigious in the music world. Metheny says, "With Nonesuch moving over to Warner Brothers Records, it created a perfect situation for this dream scenario to happen."

This new alliance brings the 16 time Grammy winning guitarist back in collaboration with Nonesuch president Robert Hurwitz who had been extremely important in the early development of Metheny’s career during their joint respective tenures at ECM records during the 1970’s and 80’s. “I have so much respect for Bob.” says Metheny. “He was the guy in charge of how all of our ECM records were released and developed here in America during a very important musical period for us. He has always been a person that I could count on for valuable information and opinions about the way our musical path was unfolding. Even during the years we weren’t in direct contact, I have remained a huge fan and follower of what he has created over there and made it a point to make regular stops by his office for inspiration. What other label can have John Adams and Steve Reich side by side with Wilco and Youssou N’Dour? The wide ranging musicality of what he’s got going on over there makes it a perfect fit for what I aspire to myself as a musician."

In addition to presenting Metheny’s new music, the entire Metheny catalog from 1985 through the present will gradually become available on Nonesuch. “This all coincides with the return of the Geffen catalog of recordings (1986’s “Song X” through 1996’s “Quartet”) to our control. That means that we can look at each record on a case by case basis and figure out what to do with them. Some may benefit from remastering, some may find additional material being added.”

The first recording from Metheny Group Productions on Nonesuch will be a new Pat Metheny Group record on January 11th, 2005.

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[Captain Bacardi]

A 68-minute composition? Man, it'd better be good! Too bad Austin isn't on the tour schedule, which is a bit surprising since he's here almost every year. An interesting lineup. Harmonica? Hmmm....



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

If it is like other tours, I suspect he will start with these dates and add on more toward the end of next year. I think he came to Detroit twice for "Speaking Of Now". I'm determined to make it to one of his nearby shows.

 

[Harry]

A 68-minute composition? Man, it'd better be good!

At 68 minutes, it's a good thing we're not in the "LP age". Back then it would've taken three or four sides to present such an opus.

Harry

 

[Rudy]

Good point! Four sides, and most likely would have had breaks in it at the most inopportune time. I have a couple of albums that squeeze in between 20-25 minutes on a side (Genesis "Trick Of The Tail" does it), but it's hard to get a good pressing. (I had to get a Mobile Fidelity pressing of "Trick" for that reason--the Atco sounded compressed and pinched.)

I do hope the CD has track markers in it though. One of the earliest CDs I played was Glenn Gould's rerecording of the Goldberg Variations, and the entire CD was all one track. Drove my friend nuts since he had to fast-forward to get to certain variations he wanted to hear. Likewise, one of Prince's CDs was not track-indexed, as he intended everyone to hear it from end to end. (Might have been "Lovesexy".)

Still, it's just a matter of dumping it onto the hard drive and dropping in some track markers where needed in CD Architect. Only takes me a few minutes.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I remember when Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays did their first duo album As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls, where the title track was almost 21 minutes and took up an entire side. There wasn't much room left for the little clear space between the end of the track and the label. My tonearm used to pop up almost immediately after the song was over.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

I remember that--I still think I have that one on ECM vinyl. Just getting up to turn over "First Circle" right now, in fact.

One interesting thing about the Metheny news is that all of those Geffen recordings will be back under his control for reissues. And he mentions that they could get a remastering and maybe even an additional track or two. I'd love to see some of those on high-res DVD-Audio or DualDisc (with a DVD-A side). Some of his stuff would sound good in surround too, I think. Now if he could get back control of his ECM recordings (which are under BMG's umbrella now)...

 

[jimac51]

Rudy-ECM ended their relationship with BMG many years ago(1996?) and went to Polygram,and eventually Universal. As far as I know,this is not a control issue-it is strictly a distribution situation. ECM controls what comes out,what stays in print, catalog material is reissued,etc. A handful of albums by Metheny,Keith Jarrett and a couple of others( Chick Corea, John Ambercrombie?) probably pay the bills for the rest of the stuff(a large portion is still in print) but kudos have to be given to Manfred Eicher and his Edition of Contemporary Music,celebrating its 35th year in 2004. And let's see-the US distribution went from Polydor to WEA then to BMG,next to Polygram and now Universal-only EMI and the new BONY(Sony/BMG)is left. Mac

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Just getting up to turn over "First Circle" right now, in fact.

Are you bypassing that goofy opening tune?


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

Are you bypassing that goofy opening tune?

Oh, for sure. Album starts with the second track! I still haven't figured out if that first track is supposed to be a tongue-in-cheek, or just a bad attempt at playing band instruments?

Reminds me, though, that it's contageous. Mike Metheny's latest CD has a final track that, lest I spoil any surprise, is definitely influenced by Jonathan & Darlene Edwards. (And in the liner notes, Mike reminds us that he came from the same gene pool that brought the world "Zero Tolerance For Silence". )

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I still haven't figured out if that first track is supposed to be a tongue-in-cheek, or just a bad attempt at playing band instruments?

I saw their concert before this album was released and they played this "tune", and after it was over there was just some polite applause while everybody was looking at each other in the audience with a "what the hell was that?" look.

I didn't know Mike Metheny was still recording. What label is he on now?



Capt. Bacardi
NP: Zappa - Bongo Fury

 

[Rudy]

He's self-releasing now.

http://www.mikemetheny.com/recordings.html

His first LP was on a small label, he had the next two on Impulse!, two more on another smaller label, and now this one. Nice, personable fellow actually--whole family's that way. He and his mother Lois used to hang out on Compuserve with us, and keep us up to date on her "other son". He still mails out a postcard whenever something's going on in KC. He writes for the KC JAM (Jazz Ambassadors Magazine), and is big on the local scene down there.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

He's self-releasing now.

His first LP was on a small label, he had the next two on Impulse!, two more on another smaller label, and now this one. Nice, personable fellow actually--whole family's that way.

I've heard that about them. I have Kaleidoscope on LP. I need to find Day In - Night Out since Pat's on it. This new one sounds nice from what I've heard from the samples. You know, I've never heard a bad version of "The Flintstones", and his version sounds pretty hip with that big band.

BTW, there is a Mike Matheny as well - he's the St. Louis Cardinals catcher. I read on Pat's site that he's had a lot of questions from fans on that one.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

I don't have that "KC Potpourri" CD yet (sounds good though!), but do have "Close Enough For Love" which is really nice...and the one with the funny last song on it.

"Day In - Night Out" is worth finding. Pat's only on one (or maybe two) tracks. It was on CD for a year or two--Mike said the last time he heard of one selling on eBay it went for a couple bucks, but I paid maybe $20 for the one I got. And I still kept the LP. I guess they're out there if you're willing to look. (I set up a saved search at eBay.)

He's one of the few musicians I know who play the EVI. I'm surprised Herb Alpert never tried it on a recording.