JAM: April/May 2002 Issue: For the Record

Pat Metheny Group
SPEAKING OF NOW
Warner Bros.
2-48025

Personnel: Pat Metheny, acoustic, electric and synth guitars; Lyle Mays, acoustic piano, keyboards; Steve Rodby, acoustic bass, cello; Antonio Sanchez, drums; Richard Bona, vocals, percussion; Cuong Vu, trumpet, vocals; David Samuels, percussion

Tracks: As It Is, Proof, Another Life, The Gathering Sky, You, On Her Way, A Place in the World, Afternoon, Wherever You Go

Recorded summer 2001 at Right Track Studio, New York, NY; Rob Eaton, engineer.

Speaking of Now is a celebration of life in all its surprising tapestry. Four years after Imaginary Day, Pat Metheny brings three new visionaries to the group to add artistry to nine musical works.

The additions of Vu, Bona, and Sanchez bring a lighter, playful tone to the recording, and they juxtapose seamlessly with the solid core of Metheny, Rodby, and co-composer Mays. There is the radio-friendly "Afternoon," the metric-challenged "As It Is," the grating raindrops-on-a-tin-pipe effect in "The Gathering Sky." But the hallmark density of the PMG remains. One listen to the lush runs by Mays in "Proof" or Metheny's muscular arpeggios in "On Her Way," and you realize you are listening to two masters of improvisational composition.

The album begins simply enough with a six-bar phrase in "As It Is." Or, make that five-bar, then four, then six, then four again, before shuffling into a hard-bop 4/4 with electric sitar, leading to eight-note-chords-as-melody piano exposition with exquisite cello counter-melody.

And that's just the first piece.

"Proof" is a romp in the park with Metheny's graceful solo pulled by a St. Bernard of a bass line. It starts with a wash of sound, followed by Mays' alternating cascades of sixteenth notes that can only be heard, not described, and Rodby's thunderous bass.

Cuong Vu's trumpet slows things to a languid, behind-the-beat pace of wondrous breath control as he slides into quarter-tone holds and on-tone crescendos, echoed in the final notes.

"Another Life" is reverent and gentle, a cathedral of reflection, sustenance, and sustained vocal harmonies -- a respite before "The Gathering Sky," itself a breathless push on a ferry-go-round rushing to beat an approaching shower, with synchronous bass and piano and unanticipated time signatures.

The prayerful "You" follows, with Bona's hushed vocals, Metheny's soft picking, and Mays' feather-touch stream of consciousness beneath.

"On Her Way" is a jolt of Java with slaps and skiffle by Sanchez, a jaw-dropping chromatic solo by Metheny, and accented vocals by Bona and Vu. Joyful to the last note.

"A Place in the World" is a ten-minute ride on an American Racer, propelled by Sanchez's "card in the bike spokes" cymbal work. The song has beautiful counter-phrasing by Rodby, perfectly spare note selection by Vu, triple-speed strumming by Metheny, and Mays' most melodic solo. The notes fly, as if trying to see how many can be played before sunset.

"Afternoon" is hummable in any language, and features to-the-shoulder string bends by Metheny, with an easy-on-the-ears, easy-on-the-mind melody.

The closing tune, "Wherever You Go," has precisely syncopated trap and cymbal work by Sanchez as a crisp foil over Metheny's round, multiple-octaved solo. Piano and vocals recap the melody over key changes into a blended symphony of texture and rhythm. The coda, a brief echo, is over as suddenly as walking out a door.

If Imaginary Day took the listener on a journey around the world, Speaking of Now brings you home to the backyard. The only thing better will be leaving the backyard briefly to see these artists at play, live.

-- Kim Gorman

RETURN TO APRIL/MAY 2002 MAIN INDEX

© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2002. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		Pat Metheny Group SPEAKING OF NOW Warner Bros. 2-48025 Personnel: Pat Metheny, acoustic, electric and synth guitars; Lyle Mays, acoustic piano, keyboards; Steve Rodby, acoustic bass, cello; Antonio Sanchez, drums; Richard Bona, vocals, percussion; Cuong Vu, trumpet, vocals; David Samuels, percussion Tracks: As It Is, Proof, Another Life, The Gathering Sky, You, On Her Way, A Place in the World, Afternoon, Wherever You Go Recorded summer 2001 at Right Track Studio, New York, NY; Rob Eaton, engineer. Speaking of Now is a celebration of life in all its surprising tapestry. Four years after Imaginary Day, Pat Metheny brings three new visionaries to the group to add artistry to nine musical works. The additions of Vu, Bona, and Sanchez bring a lighter, playful tone to the recording, and they juxtapose seamlessly with the solid core of Metheny, Rodby, and co-composer Mays. There is the radio-friendly "Afternoon," the metric-challenged "As It Is," the grating raindrops-on-a-tin-pipe effect in "The Gathering Sky." But the hallmark density of the PMG remains. One listen to the lush runs by Mays in "Proof" or Metheny's muscular arpeggios in "On Her Way," and you realize you are listening to two masters of improvisational composition. The album begins simply enough with a six-bar phrase in "As It Is." Or, make that five-bar, then four, then six, then four again, before shuffling into a hard-bop 4/4 with electric sitar, leading to eight-note-chords-as-melody piano exposition with exquisite cello counter-melody. And that's just the first piece. "Proof" is a romp in the park with Metheny's graceful solo pulled by a St. Bernard of a bass line. It starts with a wash of sound, followed by Mays' alternating cascades of sixteenth notes that can only be heard, not described, and Rodby's thunderous bass. Cuong Vu's trumpet slows things to a languid, behind-the-beat pace of wondrous breath control as he slides into quarter-tone holds and on-tone crescendos, echoed in the final notes. "Another Life" is reverent and gentle, a cathedral of reflection, sustenance, and sustained vocal harmonies -- a respite before "The Gathering Sky," itself a breathless push on a ferry-go-round rushing to beat an approaching shower, with synchronous bass and piano and unanticipated time signatures. The prayerful "You" follows, with Bona's hushed vocals, Metheny's soft picking, and Mays' feather-touch stream of consciousness beneath. "On Her Way" is a jolt of Java with slaps and skiffle by Sanchez, a jaw-dropping chromatic solo by Metheny, and accented vocals by Bona and Vu. Joyful to the last note. "A Place in the World" is a ten-minute ride on an American Racer, propelled by Sanchez's "card in the bike spokes" cymbal work. The song has beautiful counter-phrasing by Rodby, perfectly spare note selection by Vu, triple-speed strumming by Metheny, and Mays' most melodic solo. The notes fly, as if trying to see how many can be played before sunset. "Afternoon" is hummable in any language, and features to-the-shoulder string bends by Metheny, with an easy-on-the-ears, easy-on-the-mind melody. The closing tune, "Wherever You Go," has precisely syncopated trap and cymbal work by Sanchez as a crisp foil over Metheny's round, multiple-octaved solo. Piano and vocals recap the melody over key changes into a blended symphony of texture and rhythm. The coda, a brief echo, is over as suddenly as walking out a door. If Imaginary Day took the listener on a journey around the world, Speaking of Now brings you home to the backyard. The only thing better will be leaving the backyard briefly to see these artists at play, live. -- Kim Gorman RETURN TO APRIL/MAY 2002 MAIN INDEX © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2002. All rights reserved.