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  1. #1

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    Hello folks,

    I've tried a few of Pat Metheny's albums and I always find myself coming back to my favourite one, Bright Size Life from 1976. I've yet to find any others that come anywhere near to it for me. I feel alot of the later ones go in a very different direction.

    I was wondering if you guys could tel me which of his albums are closest in style to Bright Size Life? It's somewhat difficult to know as he has a somewhat extensive discography and I'd really like to find some in the same line as this album.

    So, yeah, basically which of his albums would a person who loves Bright Size Life be most likely to enjoy?

    Also, while I'm here.. which other Metheny albums would you recommend in general? Which are held in high regard on here?

    Many thanks,

    JPF

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  3. #2

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    I imagine if you dig the general BSL writng style and trio vibe, you'd dig Watercolors, and maybe to a lesser extent (but I think still great) Rejoicing, 80/81 (adds sax) even trio 9->00...

  4. #3

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    For me, the vibe of Watercolors is similar, even though the instrumentation/personnel is different. Probably cause it's a Manfred Eicher production.

    If you're looking for 'trio kicking ass' then probably Question & Answer.

  5. #4

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    Day Trip is another Metheny trio album of original tunes that's worth checking out.

  6. #5

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    The first few ECM albums- Pat Metheny Group, American Garage. Not exactly the same in approach, especially with the addition of keyboards, but closer than his later work is. BSL is not my favorite PM album, but it was a bold statement- a signpost, even- and heralded a sea change in jazz. It's an important recording. They got away from standards, from the bebop/post-bop/hard bop language. An almost cinematic approach (just listening to Midwestern Night's Dream as I type this).

  7. #6

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    there's nothing else like "BSL" in Pat's catalog. that's why that album is so special. "Trio 99>00" is a fantastic recording but that trio has a vibe and sound of it's own. i love all of Pat's early ECM recordings. they all have that 70's midwestern thing going on. "Pat Metheny Group", "American Garage", "Watercolors", "Travels" and "Offramp" are all amazing recordings worth checking out!

  8. #7

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    i also forgot to mention this: the closest thing to Pat's "BSL" recording is actually a Gary Burton album called "Passengers". it was recorded in 1976 and features 3 of Pat's early tunes (including "Midwestern Night's Dream") as well as Steve Swallow and Eberhard Weber on bass and Danny Gottlieb on drums
    Last edited by jbromusic; 09-17-2020 at 10:57 AM.

  9. #8

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    1/2 of Rejoicing until the gtr synth kicks in.

    plus previous suggestions in this thread.

  10. #9

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    First half of Rejoicing is some of my favorite Metheny playing... Passengers has some fine stuff too...

  11. #10

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    I'm not too keen on the PM Group stuff either .. Apart from BSL .. I like his duet with Haden (Missoury Sky), The Trio Live (2001) recording and Day Trips is also ok

    Q&A somehow never hit it of with me, but saw that lineup live, which was absolutely mindblowing

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lobomov
    I'm not too keen on the PM Group stuff either .. Apart from BSL .. I like his duet with Haden (Missoury Sky), The Trio Live (2001) recording and Day Trips is also ok

    Q&A somehow never hit it of with me, but saw that lineup live, which was absolutely mindblowing
    wow! I would have loved to see them live. Hearing Roy Haynes on Q&A was a life changing experience for me, but, I wish the recorded was mixed better, Dave Holland is way too low!

    I never really spent time listening to PMG when I was younger, but over the past couple years I have come to really, really love some of their albums, while there are others that leave me cold. The ones I keep coming back to are Speaking of Now, Still Life (Talking) and Letter From Home.

    Also, not sure if this is common knowledge yet, but Pat is releasing a follow up to "Secret Story", Gil Goldstein broke the news on his podcast with Gilad Hekselman.

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by JoePassFan
    Hello folks,

    I've tried a few of Pat Metheny's albums and I always find myself coming back to my favourite one, Bright Size Life from 1976. I've yet to find any others that come anywhere near to it for me. I feel alot of the later ones go in a very different direction.

    I was wondering if you guys could tel me which of his albums are closest in style to Bright Size Life? It's somewhat difficult to know as he has a somewhat extensive discography and I'd really like to find some in the same line as this album.

    So, yeah, basically which of his albums would a person who loves Bright Size Life be most likely to enjoy?

    Also, while I'm here.. which other Metheny albums would you recommend in general? Which are held in high regard on here?

    Many thanks,

    JPF
    Question and Answer


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  14. #13

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    To me, a lot of what makes that album special is Jaco. His tone and playing are at least as important IMHO as Metheny’s.

    This track of the short lived Trio of Doom reminds me a bit of BSL



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  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by JoePassFan
    Hello folks,

    I've tried a few of Pat Metheny's albums and I always find myself coming back to my favourite one, Bright Size Life from 1976. I've yet to find any others that come anywhere near to it for me. I feel alot of the later ones go in a very different direction.

    I was wondering if you guys could tel me which of his albums are closest in style to Bright Size Life? It's somewhat difficult to know as he has a somewhat extensive discography and I'd really like to find some in the same line as this album.

    So, yeah, basically which of his albums would a person who loves Bright Size Life be most likely to enjoy?

    Also, while I'm here.. which other Metheny albums would you recommend in general? Which are held in high regard on here?

    Many thanks,

    JPF
    BSL is unique just because of the presence of Jaco. I find Watercolors and the first PMG album to be similar in overall feel. The writing started changing with American Garage, and once Steve Rodby replaced Mark Egan, the sound of the band changed significantly. I'm probably in the minority here, but I really like that PMG line-up. Offramp, Still Life Talking and We Live Here are probably my favorites among all the PMG albums. Rejoicing, Q&A, Trio 99-00 are great.

    John

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by blille
    To me, a lot of what makes that album special is Jaco. His tone and playing are at least as important IMHO as Metheny’s.

    This track of the short lived Trio of Doom reminds me a bit of BSL



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    Funny you mention that. Metheny has talked about how the original Mahavishnu albums and tours blew him away and listening again to the tune Unquity Road from Bright Size Life I hear a possible nod to John McLaughlin:



  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by PMB
    Funny you mention that. Metheny has talked about how the original Mahavishnu albums and tours blew him away and listening again to the tune Unquity Road from Bright Size Life I hear a possible nod to John McLaughlin:


    Ha! I had no idea, thanks for sharing.


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  18. #17

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    I've always loved Pat from the period of time around and shortly after he worked with Mick. Gary's first offering where Pat was the solo guitarist sounds very much like the Pat of Bright Size.
    That sound is SO Mick and Swallow, who were still apparent as great influences during this time.
    David


  19. #18

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    What is interesting is that I can't think of any other major musician (let alone guitarists) who has such a wildly varied output with so many distinctly different sounds and approaches and yet also remains always instantly identifiable. That said, Trio>Live is the next one I would say not to miss if BSL is your favorite.

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by BeanSinger
    What is interesting is that I can't think of any other major musician (let alone guitarists) who has such a wildly varied output with so many distinctly different sounds and approaches and yet also remains always instantly identifiable.
    I would say David Bowie



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  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by BeanSinger
    What is interesting is that I can't think of any other major musician (let alone guitarists) who has such a wildly varied output with so many distinctly different sounds and approaches and yet also remains always instantly identifiable. That said, Trio>Live is the next one I would say not to miss if BSL is your favorite.
    Stravinsky

  22. #21

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    The Beatles (this is a fun game)

  23. #22

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    Miles Davis

  24. #23

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    Ben Monder, who played with Bowie and Binney. Sco, who played with Mingus, Miles, Phish, Martino... , Bill Frisell, who played with Fred Hersch, Marianne Faithful, Elvis Costello and Paul Motian...
    But maybe if you don't listen to them they're not identifiable.
    David

  25. #24

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    I didn't know Bill played with Marianne Faithful. But we can add John Zorn in full '80s mayhem mode and Yo-yo Ma to that list. Or, one of my favourite projects with him, Lily-O with Sam Amidon.

    More 'jazz' guitarists who fit the bill: Birelli Lagrene (Gypsy swing to fusion with Jaco), John MacLaughlin (early post-bop, Miles electric, Mahavishnu to Shakti), Julian Lage (Americana to free improv to swing to modern jazz.)

    Another general musicians around at the minute, Chris Thile (Bach to radiohead via bluegrass.)

    I like players who are versatile without losing their thing.

  26. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by BeanSinger
    What is interesting is that I can't think of any other major musician (let alone guitarists) who has such a wildly varied output with so many distinctly different sounds and approaches and yet also remains always instantly identifiable. That said, Trio>Live is the next one I would say not to miss if BSL is your favorite.
    That degree of genre-hopping is unusual, but maybe more common than you realize. Off the top of my head

    Miles Davis
    Herbie Hancock
    Gil Evans
    Zawinul
    Wayne Shorter
    John McLaughlin
    Michael Brecker
    Jaco.