First and foremost, let's establish one thing. This review has absolutely nothing to do with my friend and fellow Blogcritic Mark Saleski, who is known to anyone who reads this site regularly as a somewhat big Pat Metheny fan.
I've actually been listening to Metheny for quite some time myself. Though I admit that up until recently viewing this marvelous concert captured on DVD by the folks at Eagle Rock, that I'd lost track of Metheny for a number of years. But before we get to that, and at the risk of possibly angering Saleski and a few of our other music scribes like Pico, I've got a few words to say about jazz in general these days.
The vast majority of what I hear that passes for jazz today turns me off for two reasons, which can more specifically be tied to two of its sub-genres. One, is the human sominex variety of jazz popularized by such practitioners as Kenny G. It's certainly well played enough. But, for the most part, it has all the soul of a ride in an elevator, or a trip to the dentist's office — which ironically, but not coincidentally are two of the places you'll most commonly hear it.
The other is what I refer to as the "virtuosity without an apparent point" sub-genre. This is where you get some virtuoso musicians in a room and have them all go at it in various turns of hundred miles an hour soloing. Sure these guys can play their asses off (well most of them anyway), but where is the emotion and the nuance? It's a little more exciting than the sleepy background sort of music of Kenny G's ilk to be sure. But most of these type of records (and yes, I do know there are exceptions) have exactly the same "no-soul" sort of quotient about them, precisely because it all sounds so clinical.
This is why I always liked Pat Metheny.
Clearly, the guy can play. But he also knows exactly where every note does and does not belong, and more importantly why they do in terms of how they relate to the actual composition. Nothing is wasted. Metheny understands his scales and his arpeggios as good, if not better, than anyone. But he also knows a thing or two about songwriting — something missing in a lot of today's so-called modern jazz.
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Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
nice review glen. if you liked this dvd, there's no way you'd be disappointed with Imaginary Day, the cd.
for the guitar freaks out there, Metheny played "Into The Dream" on a custom, Linda Manzer-built Pikasso guitar.
i'm saving up my pennies and hope to own one before i'm, oh..80 or so.
2 - Glen Boyd
Thanx Mark. I was a little ambivalent about this DVD going in. But pretty much from the get-go, I found myself instantly recognizing the signature sound of Metheny's guitar (and Mays keyboards) and remembering just what it was I liked so much about these guys. I'll definitely be getting the CD too.
-Glen
3 - Pico
Well done, Glen. As good as PM's records are, his live shows are where he really shines.
I hear ya about the the types of jazz ("jazz") that's not a lot of fun to listen to. There's a whole lot of musicians out there other than Pat who fall into neither category, though. Just read more Saleski (and Mike West) reviews to find out about them :&)
4 - Glen Boyd
Saleski, West, and you as well Pico. You three are definitely my "go-to" guys for jazz. Getting a stamp of approval from two out of the three of you on the review was kinda cool too. So thanx for that!
-Glen
5 - Tom Johnson
Glad you wrote this, Glen. Imaginary Day was my "in point" for Metheny and was my only PM album for years. I love this album, but for some dumb reason have held off checking out this DVD (it's actually been out since 2001, but just got re-released at a lower price.) I guess now's the time. Ordered!
6 - Mark Saleski
also glad that glen mentioned both Offramp and the Wichita Falls records because they're two really cool-sounding albums. very tough to slap a category on.