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TRANSCRIPTIONS

Although this incredible guitarist is famous among jazz musicians and jazz listeners, there a strong probability that you've never heard about him. I'm here to repare that shortcoming !	Photo : (c)Sophie Le Roux
First of all, be sure that his music doesn't sound like old acoustic jazz of past years (even if this style is pleasant sometimes). Absolutely not !It is a great melodic and modern jazz with fantastic arragements.	Photo : (c)Sophie Le Roux
Then why Pat Metheny and not another one ? There are nurerous reasons for that. The first one is that incredible sound, so warm and so clean. This sound was synonymous to the Gibson ES-175 for many years. You can see this guitar on the previous pics. Now the guitar maker Ibanez endorsed him. This is the black guitar you can see on the right photo (despite the image trafic) but sounds like the Gibson one. By the way that's fingers which ARE the sound of a guitarist, not the guitar...
Moreover, Pat Metheny was the first guitarist who overcame a new instrument which took a high level in the Fusion music : the guitar synthesizer. Click on the opposite photo to discover this master piece of technology. Pat is using the system Roland. This guitar is interfaced with the most exciting and complex sampler ever built : the synclavier. The Pat Metheny Group is a massive user of samples in its music (instrumental parts recorded in a studio and played live by the synclavier).
To counterbalance the important use of synthesizers, Pat had the wonderful idea to double the melody played by the guitar with the voices of world known vocalists. It brings to the music a natural breath and a colour which was at the opposite of the heavy metal guitar sound played by most of guitar-heroes of the eighties. This particular atmosphere was (and still is) supported by a fantastic (the best I've ever heard) use of percussions.
Pat Metheny is born in the Missouri (in Lee's Summit village). He was very gifted in his youth and began studying music by playing horn in the school parties. He listened a lot of different musics : classic music, the Beatles... But everything exploded when he saw a live performance of Wes Montgomery. He worked as a fanatic the jazz guitar and became the youngest teacher (19 years old) of the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. Despite that, it was the vibraphonist Gary Burton who gave him his first chance. After hearing him in a live performance in Wichita, Gary Burton took him in his own group. On the photo we can see from left to right : Pat Metheny(gt), Gary Burton(vb), Steve Swallow(bs) et Dan Gottlieb(dr). This last one (childhood friend of Pat) followed the Pat Metheny Group during many years.
In 1976, he released his first album solo which won a great success in the jazz planet : Bright Size Life. Wonderfully accompanied by Bob Moses on the drums and an unknown bassist : Jaco Pastorius. Afterwards, he realised several great albums which reached a high level in the jazz charts, mostly the one made in collaboration with Lyle Mays on the keyboard (the alter-ego of Pat on kb)and the percussionist Nana Vasconcelos. This album called : As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls and propelled Pat as a guitar-hero. The keyboardist Lyle Mays is undissociable of the PMG sound and their musical friendship is close to perfection. On the photo, we can see from left to right : Nana Vasconcelos(pc), Lyle Mays(kb) and Pat.
In 1982, he released the album Offramp. It was the first time the synthesizer guitar could be heard. This album which was a commercial success, is also synonym of the end of the first Pat Metheny Group. The Live album Travels is a wonderful representation of this group but it is the last album with Dan Gottlieb and Nana Vasconcelos. On the other hand a new bassist is present on Travels and is still now the bassist of the PMG : Steve Rodby who replaced Mark Egan. From left to right : Nana(pc), Dan(dr), Pat(gt), Lyle(kb)et Steve(bs).
Then, the new PMG raised as the sun in the sky with the albums : First Circle, Still Life(talking) and Letter From Home (golden record). It is this formation I knew in 1994 when I saw the "More Travels" video and made me discover the jazz guitar and left Joe Satriani and Frank Gambale. On the photo we can see : Pedro Aznar (vocalist and multi-instrumentist), Armando Marçal(pc), Pat Metheny(gt), Steve Rodby(bs), Lyle Mays(kb) and a nex drummer : Paul Wertico. Naturally, they are all technic monsters but the music is absolutely not a technical demonstration, on the contrary ! A lot of jazz purists found that music too commercial. I say : how happy I an when I hear that style of commercial music !! Melodies are entrancing and the arrangments are, to my mind, the best we can hear in jazz-fusion. For all who want to discover the PMG, just listen to the album called : The Road To You (Live In Europe).
For those who are listening pop music (that I really love when it is melodic) or for those who don't play any instrument, there is a perfect album to get into the world of Jazz-Rock : We Live Here. At TV, some of the songs of this album were largely used in documentaries or advertising (even during the soccer french 98 world cup !). This album contains many rhythms whiwh are close to pop music with a lot of percussions and voices to bring a particular colour and this wonderful natural breath. On the photo which was taken during a live performance of the PMG, you may find an original detail : a toothbrush is used to maintain the guitar. When he was young, Pat broke the original strap and replaced by the toothbrush. It is still here...
Another particularity of our guitar-hero : his guitars ! He owns some very rare pieces which are sometimes some master-pieces. Mostly built by the instrument maker Linda Manzer, the famous one is with no doubt the Pikasso 42-strings ! There are strings everywhere ! There are three necks on the guitar and some strings sound as a sitar (resonance by sympathy). In addition to that guitar he owns a lot of instruments as the guitar Coral (guitar & sitar) or the mini-guitar Ibanez. You can see here the pikasso guitar during the Imaginary Day tour.
In parallel, Pat multiplicated the recordings with some of the finest jazz musicians on the planet. Recognized as one of the best, he could have recorded with most of his youth idols : Ornette Coleman, Charlie Haden, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, Jim Hall (that we see on the picture) and many others. Plying with the best musicians is completely in accordance with the behaviour of Pat when he doesn't play. Some could find that stupid but Pat is synonymous of no smoking, no alcohol, no drugs and is still working as much as he can to involve himself, remaining loyal to his motto : "listening and learning". This healthy behaviour in a world where drugs had been a curse is perfectly in harmony with his music (I know it is a little silly to say that but it is really a clean guy !)
For those who are listening to classical music, there is still an great album. "Secret Story", which was mentioned as one of the 5 jazz recordings of the century, drives you to the best wedding between classical, jazz and ethnic musics. This record is in my CD-player three times a week for three years, and I always find something new. The masterchief is Jeremy Lubbock and all the songs have been written by Metheny (as in most of his albums with the co-signature of Lyle Mays). Don't be surprised at the first listening, I am sure you will appreciate very quickly...
What's more ? His discography is enormous. Just have a look on the Metheny zone in a shop and you will understand ! Pat has always followed the technical progresses (internet, LaserDisc, DVD,...). You will find a lot of links in the Links page. If you are interested in having more pics or more transcriptions, feel free to E-Mail me. I will do my best to satisfy your request. The latest album (1997) is wonderful and contains typical influences as oriental or techno music (the techno song is really a great one !!) on the other hand, don't buy the albums Quartet or Zero Tolerance For Silence as first albums. It is an hard listening material. All other album is perfect... So happy listening on Metheny planet...	Photo : Massimiliano Pau

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Last update : 18/08/1998