Metheny / Mehldau

Pat Metheny

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 12, 2006)
• Original Release Date: September 12, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B000GQLAZW
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,959 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This is a dream pairing: Pat Metheny, the Baby Boomer guitar god whose musical palette embraces everything from Ornette Coleman to contemporary jazz, teams with pianist Brad Mehldau, the brooding Gen X prince of the piano on the verge of becoming himself. After admiring each other for years, they're now on the same label, and this dynamic duel extends their mutual admiration into a very personal and simpatico release that recalls the intimacy of that 1960s Jim Hall/Bill Evans masterpiece, Undercurrent. Save for Mehldau's bandmates drummer Jeff Ballard and bassist Larry Grenadier forming a quartet on the bop-mazed "Ring of Life" and the Afro-Caribbean cadences of "Say the Brother's Name," it's two for the road on the rest of the recording. When you hear selections like "Unrequited," "Ahmid-6," and "Make Peace," you know that this CD is only the start of something big from these two artists. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Product Description

For Brad Mehldau, this collaboration started at that "life-changing moment" when, as a 13-year-old, a friend played him "Are You Going With Me" from the Pat Methany Group's 1982 live double-album, Travels. Years later, Pat Methany heard "Chill" from saxophonist Joshua Redman's 1994 album Moodswing that featured Brad Mehldau on piano. Since, the two artists have forged an artistic partnership based on shared inspiration, not just mutual admiration. This album features music by both Methany and Mehldau, and was recorded at Right Track Studio (NYC) in December of 2005.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A combo which works., May 23, 2007

By	power (London, UK) - See all my reviews

The immediate question here is does this seemingly musical marriage made in heaven live up to expectation?
The answer is a resounding yes for the alchemy between these players is evident from the first note.
Curiously their paths have crossed over the past ten years without there being the opportunity to play together.
Metheny first heard of Mehldau via saxophonist Joshua Redman (whose father the great tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman sadly passed away this week)who was about to take on the young pianist, while Mehldau was a long-time admirer of Metheny since he started listening to music.
What impresses here is the sheer ease with which the two play and in such a sophisticated and engaging manner.
The freshness of 'Say the Brother's name', one of two terrific quartet numbers with the infectious accompaniment of Larry Grenadier and Jeff Ballard, finds Metheny's guitar at its most euphoric since the historical trio sessions with Roy Haynes and Dave Holland from 1989.
Compositionally Metheny takes the lion's share with seven pieces while Mehldau adds three of his own.
One would ideally have liked a double album where the quartet had an entire disc devoted to its ensemble playing and it is only this slight imbalance between duo and quartet that makes this recording marginally short of a full five stars.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good stuff, February 16, 2007

By	Baz (Manchester, England) - See all my reviews

I wonder if the folks who give this album less than five stars are listening to the same ablum as I have for the past week commuting to work and back... Obviously not. I've lost count of the number of times I've listened to this and there's still plenty to discover and get the juices flowing. One thing seems clear; both guys bring their own superb musicianship and individuality to the album and the whole is without doubt greater than the sum of the parts - and minus any gratuitous noodling or empty virtuosity (perish the thought). Just great jazz from two of the best. One of my albums for the desert island. Very highly recommended. More, please...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Metheny / Mehldau, March 5, 2007

By	Willie L. Martin Jr "Willie" (Back in the States Baby!) - See all my reviews

Probably one of the most important "straight ahead" jazz cds out on the market. I'm actually starting to gain a new found respect for this type of jazz. Now I understand what my dad was trying to tell me. I told him that "Smooth Jazz" is just as good as "Straight ahead" jazz. That's like comparing apples and oranges. Completely different in rhythm and emotion. Thanks dad for the music education. :)