Jazz Articles about Pat Metheny

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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 In 2010, the cylinder has been replaced by digital software.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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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Pat Metheny w/ Dave Holland and Roy Haynes: Question and Answer

by Chris May
November 3, 2008

Question and Answer is the second in a glittering, altogether too infrequent series of albums guitarist Pat Metheny has recorded in acoustic trio settings, usually on the hoof and with little post-production, which act as a counterweight to his more elaborate work with larger line-ups. Recorded in 1989 and originally released on Geffen, it's been immaculately remastered for this Nonesuch reissue.

The first of Metheny's trio albums was Rejoicing (ECM, 1983), with bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Billy ...

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Pat Metheny & Anna Maria Jopek: Upojenie

by Chris May
November 2, 2008

An oddity this one, even within the variegated discography of Pat Metheny. It features the guitarist alongside Polish singer Anna Maria Jopek and a group of mostly Polish musicians, recorded in Warsaw during 2002. Half the set features lyricised and re-titled versions of Metheny compositions, sung in Polish; the other half are originals composed in the main by Jopek and her husband, Marcin Kydrynski, plus a couple of traditional Polish tunes. Originally released in Poland, where it has sold upwards ...