PAT METHENY GROUP PART 1: Imaginary Day

With the death of Lyle Mays last week the Jazz was dealt a huge blow.  Lyle was Pat Metheny's right hand musician who helped produced many group related albums.  Lyle's keyboard playing was some of the best.  From his quiet sound to heavy orchestrated pieces weaving around the band and Pat Metheny specifically and made some memorable pieces.  Lyle would make my jaw drop in every piece he was a part of.  I would rewind the each song just to hear what he was playing.  Since I have no trained musical ear but it was great to listen to.

In 1997 I was already a Pat Metheny and Pat Metheny Group fan.  I have all the albums and the CD's.  I would listen to the previous album and wait till something new and exciting Pat would put out.  When he put out Quartet in 1996 I was wowed by a group of four musicians putting out an album that felt like 10 people played on it.  It's vast sound was something that you felt like you were in the studio with a mini orchestra.  I wondered how they could top that and with Pat Metheny and his group, they could do with ease.

When it was announced that he and the group was working on a new album in 1997 I was getting excited to see what he would do next.  It was also noted that he and Metheny Group productions changed record labels from Geffen to Warner Brothers.  So to start fresh with a new label got me thinking.  Would Pat Metheny Group change direction?  Would He add more people to the Metheny Group fold.  He has done that before where he added a percussionist and another wordless vocalist.
That is what I like about what Pat Metheny does.

Pat is ever changing and Imaginary Day shows that his creative juices are always flowing.  In turn he wants you to think outside the box as well.  Not only in his creative artwork (see below) but with the music he plays or for that matter the guitar he plays.  In years past he has some signature guitars that are very trademark him.  Sure when you hear the guitar play you know that his music and album playing.  on Imaginary Day he really lets loose on a few tunes that really make you think on what he does.

The first make you think moment is the second song on the album. He plays an array of guitars including an acoustic sitar guitar.  I personally never heard of one, but it sounds great.  Next is a guitar that makes it's debut and seen live your curious how he learned to play it and how it was made.  What I'm talking about is a 42 string Pikasso guitar.  Look it up it looks like a cross between a harp and and a guitar.  It's beautiful sound made me and the rest of the crowd who watch him play it very silent.

The third to last piece of music is a song called "Roots of Coincidence."  It's a song that does not really have any signature sound that we would expect from Pat Metheny at all.  It's full of break-beats and electronica and weird sounds that you would expect from a rock band.  It was funny enough nominated for a Grammy in the Rock Instrumental category and confused us fans and critics alike.  When Seen live it was two twelve string electric guitars cranked up to the max. By the reaction of the crowd it was a hit.  Metheny's vast influences shine through here.

See you can figure out his code

When I think of great Metheny albums I would mention this one.  It's a great one.  It's got great songs.  The music and musicianship is stellar and awesome music that makes Metheny's trademark sound is all here.  He takes risks, but these pay off and what a great album Imaginary Day is and includes the late great Lyle Mays and some great people who have played with Metheny before.  Metheny is one of the best guitarist in Jazz and this album proves it.  Enjoy!