Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Pat Metheny: Trio > Live

280

Pat Metheny: Trio > Live

By

Sign in to view read count
Pat Metheny: Trio > Live
This two-disc release documents performances from the 2000 world tour of the Pat Metheny Trio, featuring Larry Grenadier on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. Like the trio's spectacular studio release from earlier this year, the live album draws on material that spans Metheny's career. The opener takes us back to the first track on Metheny's first record, "Bright Size Life." Grenadier's upright puts a new spin on a tune first played by the late Jaco Pastorius. "Unity Village," which Metheny played as solo piece on Bright Size Life, is heard here with the full trio. Listening to the harmonic nuances in this beautiful tune, one is reminded how developed Metheny's compositional talents were way back in 1976.

Leaping ahead about 15 years, Metheny puts "Question and Answer" through its paces for nearly 20 minutes, switching to guitar synth for the extended outro. "All the Things You Are" and "Giant Steps" are straight-up acoustic jazz, while "Faith Healer" is one of Metheny's scorching avant-metal synth experiments. "Counting Texas," the finale, finds Metheny sounding like a mad banjo player on fretless 12-string guitar. "Into the Dream," which Metheny played with Jim Hall on that duo's 1999 Telarc release, features the harp-like sounds of the 42-string guitar.

Metheny's mainstream work gains a certain edge in this stripped-down setting. The Metheny Group tunes "James" and "So May It Secretly Begin" are reborn as burning trio improvisations. "Night Turns Into Day" is a stunning acoustic feature that highlights Metheny's absolute mastery of tone production. And remember "The Bat" from 80/81 ? It's back, as a sweetly cascading trio ballad.

When Metheny lets loose on his mid-tempo blues "Soul Cowboy," things truly get scary. At times one isn't even sure what instrument he's playing. Certainly such phrases can't be produced on a guitar, can they? Particularly on the rounds of trading with Bill Stewart toward the end of the tune, Metheny's chops and rhythmic trickery seem to enter another realm, one that should send hordes of mortal guitarists back to the woodshed. It's fitting, somehow, that on this relatively straight-ahead record, the sparks really begin to fly when the blues are being played.

Along with the trio's earlier studio effort, these discs showcase Metheny and his music in perhaps the most comprehensive and satisfying manner to date. Just strip away all the crossover trappings and we see Metheny for what he really is: the meanest mutha on two legs.

Track Listing

CD1: Bright Size Life; Question And Answer; Giant Steps; Into The Dream; So May It Secretly Begin; The Bat; All The Things You Are. CD2: James; Unity Village; Soul Cowboy; Night Turns Into Day; Faith Healer; Counting Texas.

Personnel

Pat Metheny
guitar

Pat Metheny: guitars; Larry Grenadier: bass; Bill Stewart: drums.

Album information

Title: Trio > Live | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Warner Bros.

Comments

Tags

Concerts

Mar 28 Thu
Apr 3 Wed
Apr 7 Sun
Apr 9 Tue

For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.