Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Gary Burton / Pat Metheny / Steve Swallow / Antonio Sanc...

667

Gary Burton / Pat Metheny / Steve Swallow / Antonio Sanchez: Quartet Live

By

Sign in to view read count
Gary Burton / Pat Metheny / Steve Swallow / Antonio Sanchez: Quartet Live
It's rare that a group can reunite to create what it had decades ago while remaining completely fresh and relevant. When guitarist Pat Metheny regrouped the Gary Burton Quartet—his training ground, beginning in his late-teens, from 1974- 1977—as one of his By Invitation performances at the 2005 Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, it was clear that this was something that couldn't be a one-shot deal. The quartet—featuring original members Steve Swallow (electric bass) and Burton (vibes) alongside drummer Antonio Sanchez (a newcomer to the group, but an ever-present partner with Metheny since the guitarist's Speaking of Now (Warner Bros., 2002))—was simply having too much fun. Regrouping a couple years later for a lengthy tour, the resulting Quartet Live not only documents the tour, it's the live album Burton never put out—but should have—back in the day.



More than a look back at the three ECM albums that Metheny recorded with Burton— Ring (1974), Dreams So Real (1976) and Passengers (1977)—Quartet Live recaptures the decade from 1967-77 where Burton's groups always included a guitarist, from Larry Coryell, Samuel T Brown and Jerry Hahn to Mick Goodrick and, finally, Metheny.



While Metheny has grown tremendously since those early days, becoming a modern icon in his own right, Quartet Live proves the timeless nature of Burton's always astute musical choices, ranging from Keith Jarrett's delicate ballad, "Coral" and the dark-hued grace of Metheny's "B and G (Midwestern Night's Dream)" and Carla Bley's "Olhos de Gato," to the fiery energy of the guitarist's "Missouri Uncompromised," Bley's equally burning "Syndrome" and Swallow's lithely swinging classic, "Falling Grace." There's even a rare Burton tune included, the quirky blues "Walter L," and a nod to Duke Ellington with the Latinesque "Fleurette Africaine (Little African Flower)" and longtime duet partner Chick Corea, with the lengthy opening workout of "Sea Journey."



The nearly 80-minute set also demonstrates how close to perfection Burton's groups from that era were. Sanchez may not have been around at the time (he was not yet three when Ring was recorded), but he fits like a glove, weighing heavily on the cymbals just as Bob Moses and Danny Gottlieb did, but still injecting his own distinctive strength into the mix. Swallow's electric bass tone is richer and fuller than it was back in the day, combining with Sanchez to provide a weightier bottom end without diminishing the wonderfully ethereal, mellifluous and lyrical combination of guitar and vibes.



If there's one misstep with Quartet Live it's a small one. The inclusion of Metheny's enduring "Question and Answer"—as ever a feature for the guitarist's horn-like guitar synth at its climax—seems slightly out of place with the more rarified ambience of the rest of the disc. Still, there's nothing wrong with a little modernistic heat to finish off the set, and while it's perhaps not the perfect choice, it does absolutely nothing to mar the exhilaration of hearing Burton, Metheny and Swallow reunite for a set of music that hasn't aged a day in 30+ years.

Visit Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Steve Swallow and Antonio Sanchez on the web.

Track Listing

Sea Journey; Olhos de Gato; Falling Grace; Coral; Walter L.; B and G (Midwestern Night's Dream); Missouri Uncompromised; Fleurette Africaine (Little African Flower); Hullo, Bolinas; Syndrome; Question and Answer.

Personnel

Gary Burton
vibraphone

Gary Burton: vibes; Pat Metheny: guitar; Steve Swallow: electric bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums.

Album information

Title: Quartet Live | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: Concord Music Group

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.