Q&A with Pat Metheny, circa 1999

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Fred Klinge

Posts: 100
Joined: Aug. 1 2013
From: Abita Springs, Louisiana

Q&A with Pat Metheny, circa 1999

I'm a huge Pat Metheny fan and an even bigger Vicente fan...forgive me if this has already been posted before. From an online Q&A session with Pat:

Question:

I read your post about the guitar trio project with McLaughlin and De Lucia. Maybe the styles of both guitarists are quite different from yours, but have you ever thought in doing a record with Vicente Amigo? He's a great fan of yours (remember, he dedicated a tune to you in his second record, "Querido Metheny"), his style is smoother than Paco's and he has more of a jazz touch than any other flamenco guitarist. I watched him live in Madrid two years ago, with his band full of percussionists, a flute, a trumpet, a second guitarist, two voices, a dancer... I think the Pat Metheny - Vicente Amigo project could be the definitive fusion group. What do you think of it? Thank you

Pat’s Answer:

i LOVE vicente amigo. everything about what he does, his touch, his sound, his ideas, all knock me out. one of my real favorites. that song on his album was one of the best compliments i have ever received.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2018 18:49:27

Sr. Martins

Posts: 3077
Joined: Apr. 4 2011

RE: Q&A with Pat Metheny, circa 1999 (in reply to Fred Klinge)

Throughout the years I've tried Pat Metheny a few times but without success. I know there are other forum members who also "don't get" him.

Since you enjoy Pat and Vicente, could you please point us towards some of his albums that you would recommend? Something that would show us the common ground between both artists would also be nice.

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"Ya no me conoce el sol, porque yo duermo de dia"

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2018 22:25:49

tele

Posts: 1464
Joined: Aug. 17 2012

RE: Q&A with Pat Metheny, circa 1999 (in reply to Fred Klinge)

Pat is a very talented artist but I categorize him with guys like Dimeola and Mclaughlin, so for me lot's of notes but of not much musical value, although his easy stuff is nice and relaxing. I probably should listen to all of his albums first though.
BUT his collaboration with Jim Hall (check out the album) resulted in genial music, also his performance with Jim can be seen on youtube.

I like Vicente Amigo alot but most of his music is just too smooth and beautiful, that's why I prefer his early albums.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2018 23:34:10

Fred Klinge

Posts: 100
Joined: Aug. 1 2013
From: Abita Springs, Louisiana

RE: Q&A with Pat Metheny, circa 1999 (in reply to Sr. Martins)

quote:

Since you enjoy Pat and Vicente, could you please point us towards some of his albums that you would recommend? Something that would show us the common ground between both artists would also be nice.

Sr. Martin...Pat Matheny has been a constantly evolving musician and I tend to prefer a lot of his early works, e.g., New Chatauqua and As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls are regulars in my listening rotation. Letter from Home and (Still) Life Talking are two from his "middle years" that I enjoy now and then. I really loved the album he did with Charlie Haden, Beyond the Missouri Sky. Pat has recorded a lot of albums I haven't cared for, but I admire his willingness to try new things. I guess I've always felt his playing has a lyrical quality and I'm a sucker for his quieter, beautiful ballads, e.g., Farmers Trust, Movin' On, etc.

I've been immersing myself in Flamenco for the past two years and I do hear some jazz-like moments from Vicente, Tomatito, and Gerardo Nunez. I think it's nice to see top players voice an appreciation for players in different genres.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 24 2018 0:08:10

Fred Klinge

Posts: 100
Joined: Aug. 1 2013
From: Abita Springs, Louisiana

RE: Q&A with Pat Metheny, circa 1999 (in reply to tele)

quote:

ORIGINAL: tele

Pat is a very talented artist but I categorize him with guys like Dimeola and Mclaughlin, so for me lot's of notes but of not much musical value, although his easy stuff is nice and relaxing. I probably should listen to all of his albums first though.
BUT his collaboration with Jim Hall (check out the album) resulted in genial music, also his performance with Jim can be seen on youtube.

I like Vicente Amigo alot but most of his music is just too smooth and beautiful, that's why I prefer his early albums.

I listened to a lot of jazz guitar for many years and I was always drawn to Pat's music as it seemed a bit more simple and accessible to me. Lyrical for want of a better descriptor. He certainly has his "many notes" moments, but he does tend to give notes time to breathe, more so than many other jazz guitarists.

I'm still soaking in a lot of flamenco guitar music and I'm also drawn to the earlier works of Vicente, i.e., Un Momento en el Sonido, Vivencias Imaginadas, and Cuidad de las Ideas. Same with Tomatito...really dig Rosas del Amor and Paseo de los Castanos. Gerardo Nunez Jucal blows my mind...incredible stuff. Sanlucar's Tauromagia is brilliant as well.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 24 2018 0:27:14

JasonM

Posts: 2054
Joined: Dec. 8 2005
From: Baltimore

RE: Q&A with Pat Metheny, circa 1999 (in reply to Fred Klinge)

Other than their professed bromance for each other, Pat and Vicente only have a love for ballads in common. Yeah Vicente uses some 251's in a couple of his rumbas, but I don't hear influences, I think they just like each others music.

I've never been a huge Methany fan for similar reasons mentioned above but I totally respect him. I like to hear him play bebop (when he does). I heard from Rick Beato (a jazz YouTuber) that Pat started teaching jazz guitar when he arrived at Berkeley as a student - he was already better than anyone there.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 24 2018 14:16:54

Ricardo

Posts: 14799
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Q&A with Pat Metheny, circa 1999 (in reply to Fred Klinge)

I got the Pat Metheny DVD years ago, mainly because his name was popular and Vicente liked him of course. I really couldn’t get into it but at one point he describes his music as “one big evolving song....” and that is exactly what it sounds like to me. I really am the opposite of everybody else out there in terms of what I like vs how stuff gets criticized....for example I found metheny non melodic and at the end of the day he holds back a lot of what he could play expression wise and makes faces instead which I just don’t get...an acoustic number left me like pulling my hair out. Guys like Dimeola and Mclaughlin while they play some fast licks they have great memorable melodies as the “heads” to their fusion tunes. Honestly they dont’ play fast all the time either so I never understood that arguement....the acoustic stuff sounds like a lot of notes only because the rhythms they choose have to keep going, there was not band to keep the compas alive so they could hold a single note. It would be like seeing a percussion show and being like “oh that drummer does too many 16th notes....’ that just makes no sense as a critique...only guitar players get criticized for playing notes...and that is because it is hard to do that’s all.

I had the pleasure of meeting Joey Heredia in LA recently....that guy plays amazing drums on one of my all time favorite fusion records Frank Gambale live at the Baked Potato. Now Gambale has these amazing melodies and cool sounding chords and stuff then his solos sound more like Holdsworth except he is picking everything....but it’s great too and he really has great expression and even though I would never want to develop that style I greatly prefer players that give their all in comparison to guys like Metheny and Scofield that just play 2 notes and make a face.

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CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 24 2018 18:47:47

Pgh_flamenco

Posts: 1506
Joined: Dec. 5 2007
From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

RE: Q&A with Pat Metheny, circa 1999 (in reply to Ricardo)

quote:

I really couldn’t get into it but at one point he describes his music as “one big evolving song....” and that is exactly what it sounds like to me.

This is a good description of a lot of the songs I've heard Metheny play. It's unfortunate that his music is generally pretty vague and a bit spacey. One of my aunts encouraged me to listen to Metheny starting in the late 1970's so I've known about him for a long time. I just never enjoyed his music.

IIRC Vicente called him "Pant Asini" in an interview years ago. Like Pat's music Vicente's admiration of him is confusing. Too bad Vicente didn't admire Dimebag Darrel. He would have created some really aggressive buleria instead of the overly-slick productions he keeps putting out.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 24 2018 19:27:34

JasonM

Posts: 2054
Joined: Dec. 8 2005
From: Baltimore

RE: Q&A with Pat Metheny, circa 1999 (in reply to Ricardo)

Alright I am listening to Frank Gambale LIVE! - I assume this is the album.

Edit: Ok I see what you mean here. Once My brain adjust to the 80's vibe there is some good stuff here. Digging the keyboard player.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 24 2018 22:20:34

Echi

Posts: 1132
Joined: Jan. 11 2013

RE: Q&A with Pat Metheny, circa 1999 (in reply to Fred Klinge)

I think the greatest Vicente’s merit is to have introduced a very recognisable style, very lyrical and musical.
Somehow a different sound than Paco, whereas in those days Tomatito and others were clearly following Paco’s tracks.
Pat Metheny is also among the most recognisable jazz fusion players also among people not loving jazz.
In this I can see an analogy: it’s like an attempt to play difficult music with a simple language.
I generally enjoy listening Vicente even though his style is so recognisable that it’s difficult to be surprised anymore by his music...He is technically impressive though.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 25 2018 11:02:56