Customer Reviews

Quartet Live!

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gary Burton has been playing with Vibes-Guitar Quartets for literally decades now, so this format should not come as a surprise to any longtime fan. Nor should the high quality of musicianship coming from this particular band (Gary Burton on Vibes, Pat Metheny on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass and newcomer Antonio Sanchez on drums). I will say that despite this I was still surprised at how great this album is. This is a sort of reunion of one of the older Gary Burton quartets, with Metheny and Swallow, but I cant think of any previous Burton quartet album that has come out better. From start to finish, we are treated to a really great show.

Gary Burton is one of the most gifted improvisers of all time. He displays such a spectacular melodic and rhythmic sense in everything he does. this album is no exception. If you have ever heard and liked Burton before, you will like him here certainly. Metheny is another musician of prodigious talent, though I have found his more recent work less consistent. I bought 'Tokyo Day Trip' expecting to be wowed (especially with Christian McBride playing bass and Sanchez on drums)and I wasn't. It sounded dry to me, and identical all his other recent albums. Although that album has grown on me in the months since I bought, I couldn't help but wonder if some of the passion that had made his earlier performances so amazing (see 80/81 or his recording with Ornette Coleman 'Song X') was gone. I can happily say that if it was gone, it has come back strongly for this recording. His solos are tasteful, but exciting and his comping is perfectly timed. The last member from the earlier quartets is bassist Steve Swallow, who although rarely in the spotlight does a fine job throughout.

The new member is drummer Antonio Sanchez. I have followed him for last year or two with great interest. He is one of the more interesting newer drummer on the scene. His beats are always very complicated, sometimes busy, but he never overpowers the rest of the band. In this setting he excels, keeping the fast songs exciting, the slow songs mellow and lending one or two fabulous solos (he has an extended solo on 'Missouri Uncompromised' which is great).

the band fits together well, interacting as if by telepathy. They are never in each other's way, as is often the case in mediocre bands, but instead move freely around each other without ever losing the core of the song. Whether on a fast tune (Syndrome) or a slower one (Fleurette Africaine) they could not sound more together. The old Gary Burton Quartet standards have never sounded better (this may be my new favorite iteration of 'Falling Grace').

A week ago, in anticipation of its release, I tried to listen to the samples on this Amazon page. What I heard was like the old Burton quartet played two or three times as fast. Luckily this is an issue not with the music, but with the amazon samples, which must have been sped up somehow. In reality this is a great release. If you've been a fan, you'll love this. If your new, I suspect you'll love it as well.

This much-anticipated quartet gathering, the New Quartet Live Album with Burton, Metheny, Swallow and Sanchez, is simply great! I love the flow of songs and the 4 sound wonderful together and sport-on. Pat has 3 songs; Gary has 1 song, as does Chick Corea - Neville Potter, Keith Jarrett and Duke Ellington. Carla Bley has 2 songs, as does Steve Swallow. Altogether there are 11 songs and IMO, Missouri Uncompromised is Super as is Little African Flower. The Album ends with Question and Answer and @ 13:02 in Length it is really performed smoking Hot! Pat plays his guitar synth on Q & A and I think it caps off the album really well and in my view, he sensitively plays his guitar synth to the scale of Yoshi's. The sound quality is excellent and the album was recorded in June of 2007 at Yoshi's in Oakland, CA. This new and hot Quartet Live album is highly recommended!

This album is sort of a time machine. In the cd booklet Pat, Gary & Steve say that things have changed over the years and they evolved as a players, but the feeling is the same as in the times of those tracks. I thought it wasn't possible!

Pat solos (improvisations) are the best in the last 10 years. It's like he returned to lyrical playing of early days (70s & 80s). I have all of Pat albums and even though I always thought of him as the best player and composer in the world (well Lyle Mays is here too), I felt that his improvisations in the last decade has gone too technical. But on this album he returns to his lyrical playing and the only thing i can say is: "Well, that's Pat!"

Gary and Steve, on the other hand are standard in their masterful playing and things just flow around in space....

Somehow, I would have liked Danny Gottlieb on drums even though Antonio kicks ...! ;o)

Anyway, a great album of a great musicians and of a great music and feeling!

Cheers! ;o)

Gary Burton had a top-notch group out on tour in 2007 -- Pat Metheny, Steve Swallow, and Antonio Sanchez. They all played with Pat Metheny previously ("Like Minds", "I Can See Your House From Here" & "Day Trip") but a Montreal festival got them all together for the first time, and resulted in a tour. You can't put down any of the playing or any of the songs (by Chick COrea, Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, Keith Jarrett, Gary Burton, Pat Metheny and Duke Ellington), but there is a sameness to the songs. So while the CD is good, it doesn't stand out enough. Metheny uses the guitar synth to welcome effect in "Question And Answer". This continues Metheny's welcome streak of playing jazzier stuff. Fans of Burton or Metheny will want to get this disc.

Unlike the other reviewers, I found this CD disappointing. I saw the live performance in Keswick, PA a short while ago, and it was great. This CD captures many of the pieces that were performed, but the recording quality is lacking. The first number by Chick Corea is enjoyable until you get to Steve Swallow's bass solo -- which is almost inaudible. What a shame. The recording balance is off during other parts of the CD as well. And two of the pieces that I enjoyed the most at the live performance are not on the CD: (i) Pat playing his Picasso guitar in a duet with Gary, and (ii) Pat and Gary in another duet where Pat vigorously strums an acoustic guitar for the entire piece (I don't know the names of either of these pieces).

Oh well, the CD brings back fond memories of the live concert, but it's not great.

I don't have the recording yet, but just saw this group three days ago in Northampton, MA and couldn't have been more impressed. I LOVED drummer Antonio Sanchez. Being a drummer myself, I can't say I have ever seen or heard a drummer who so closely echoed live what I was thinking/feeling as I listened. If I could play that well, that is how I would play.

All the way around, brilliant, world-class musicians at their best.

Bravo!

Those musician create a special sound that never gets dull. I admire also their virtuosity, but it is not just virtuosity only. They play real nice inovative music.

I've had this album for quite a while, but it's only recently that I really listened closely to it. I love many of Gary Burton's earlier Group albums, but I have kind of lost touch with his art in the past several years. I am a fan of Pat Metheny's music, though he goes in so many directions that it's a little hard to keep up!

As I listen as I write this, I'm nearly in musical ecstasy. I'm transported back to Gary's groups with Swallow, Goodrick, Coryell, Metheny, Bob Moses, and many others. As much as I've loved those albums featuring Metheny, this one points out how much he's matured over the years. Pat spins out solo after melodic solo that just take my breath away. Check out "Olhos de Gato" and "Falling Grace" for a couple of examples. What an exciting player, especially when supported by this fine, sensitive rhythm section. Gary himself isn't jumping out of the speakers the way he sometimes does, but I feel that he might during another listening session. Not to say that his playing isn't fine and refined; he plays beautifully. He sounds like the leader and benevolent Godfather, and he lets his progeny play to their fullest.

I could go on, but I'll leave it here, only to say that if you like this kind of "chamber jazz" like I do, this is a really fine modern example. Get it!

The combination of musicians sets this up to be a winner. The set list gives good distribution of compositions by Gary, Pat and Steve, with Antonio riding on his incredible skills. I agree with the growing swell of accolades that characterizes him as among the best (if not THE best) drummers currently on the jazz scene.

The CD overall is solid listening, but perhaps most suited to those that actively keep up with one or more of these musicians.

That CD is recommended Audio Family High End Audio Pages

Gary Burton / Quartet Live (Concord Jazz, 2009): Gary Burton - vibraphone, Pat Metheny - guitar, Steve Swallow - bass, Antonio Sanchez - drums.

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