Jazz Articles about Pat Metheny

Pat Metheny: Orchestrion

by Nenad Georgievski
February 4, 2010

In Pat Metheny's career, stylistic shifts and sudden breaks from the norm occur more often than not. Even though it is evident that he is rooted in jazz, his music encompasses so much more. With the exception of few records, Metheny has been playing it pretty safe for some time now, sticking to his own personal vision of variations on the Americana/jazz theme. Pat Metheny Group's The Way Up (Nonesuch, 2005) and his jazz trio's Day Trip ...

Pat Metheny: Pat Metheny: Orchestrion

by Doug Collette
January 31, 2010

Orchestrion is no doubt going to be tremendously popular with Pat Metheny's devoted fan base, and anyone else who takes the opportunity to see the man on his upcoming tour. As one of the guitarist/composer's grandest projects, it will attract more than a few of those casually acquainted with Metheny's fame, curiosity piqued by the unusual concept behind the recording; the CD is enclosed in a triple-fold digipak with an array of color photos, no doubt intended to startle.

No ...

Pat Metheny: Orchestrion

by Chris May
January 20, 2010

In a career waymarked by innovation and the unexpected, guitarist Pat Metheny, at age 55, has pulled another surprise out of the pack. This time it's his use of an orchestrion, a steam age contraption which plays a battery of real instruments--wind, percussion, fretboard and keyboard--blown or struck by mechanical devices. In the nineteenth century, orchestrions were usually activated by cylinders resembling oversized piano rolls. In 2010, the cylinder has been replaced by digital software. On Orchestrion, Metheny is the ...

Orchestrion

by John Kelman
January 19, 2010

The first question that has likely crossed the minds of many who've heard about guitarist Pat Metheny's Orchestrion is: why? Metheny has already published plenty of information about this unique project at his website, but it still doesn't get to the real heart of the matter. Orchestrion is a solo album in the truest sense of the word, with Metheny the only human player, and the only improvisational component over the album's five detailed compositions. The rest of the music—a ...

Pat Metheny: One Quiet Night

by John Kelman
October 18, 2009

Guitarist Pat Metheny has, over the past couple years, been reissuing his Geffen-era albums, with and without his flagship Pat Metheny Group. These Nonesuch releases have all benefited from improved sonics and, in the case of Song X (1985), a well-needed remix and the addition of six tracks, completely altering the arc of this classic collaboration with Ornette Coleman. Metheny's reissue of One Quiet Night (2003)--his final release for Warner Bros. before the label dropped its jazz imprint and the ...

The Creative Genius of Pat Metheny

by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
November 20, 2008

There may not be another contemporary composer whose music better reflects the time in which we live, yet remains so misunderstood. Imitators may have watered, and smoothed down his rich, complex and innovative art form, but the creative genius of Pat Metheny lies deep beneath the surface, a place of heartfelt passion and beauty, of melodic depth and spirit. But that's not all that is important about Metheny. He is a humanitarian and a significant supporter of the ...

Pat Metheny & Anna Maria Jopek: Upojenie

by John Kelman
November 3, 2008

A cult favorite amongst Pat Metheny fans, Upojenie--originally released by “Anna Maria Jopek & Friends with Pat Metheny" in the singer's native country of Poland by Warner Music in 2002--has been long overdue for greater international availability. The Nonesuch edition hasn't been remastered (it doesn't need it), but will still be of interest to Metheny fans for the inclusion of three bonus tracks (one studio, two live) that flesh it out to nearly 75 minutes. In contrast ...