MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO — The World Has Made Me The Man Of My Dreams (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Say what you will about bassist, songwriter, singer, bandleader, and arranger Meshell Ndegeocello, any box you attempt to put her into is not possibly big enough to hold her creativity and restless, unwieldy aesthetic vision. On "The Sloganeer: Paradise," a tune in which she equates the bland, complicit nature of blindly living modern life with committing suicide, she sings: "To know me is to know I love with/My imagination." It's a summation of her entire career thus far, and this album furthers that notion exponentially. The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams is Ndegeocello's debut for Decca; it is wilder than Cookie: An Anthropological Mixtape, or her last recording, The Spirit Music Jamia: Dance of the Infidel. The latter set was a project that indulged her love of postmodern jazz and engaged in improvisation. She directed an ensemble that included Oliver Lake, Don Byron, Jack DeJohnette, Kenny Garrett, Ron Blake, Brandon Ross, Lalah Hathaway, Cassandra Wilson, and others. It walked a line between tight song-oriented material and longer jam-based tunes, and she didn't really sing on it. That's remedied here, and her sultry, smoky voice is heard on virtually every cut. Musically, this albums walks through walls. There are funky soul tunes whose backdrops are full of psychedelic music that would make the latter-day Jimi Hendrix smile in delight (think the material from Cry of Love). There are jazz-oriented tunes that slip toward pop, folk, and whole-tone folk songs. The lyrical content engages spiritual concerns and carnal love more often than not in the same song. And while she once more employs a wildly diverse collection of collaborators that include everyone from Ross and Lake to Pat Metheny, Oumou Sangare, Robert Glasper, Mike Severson, Daniel Jones, Doyle Bramhall, David Gilmore (not the one from Pink Floyd), James Newton, and Graham Haynes, she also cut two songs ("Evolution" and the bonus cut "Soul Spaceship"), playing all the instruments herself. So what does it sound like? The future arriving fully formed on the doorstep. It opens provocatively enough with noted American Muslim teacher and Islamic scholar Shiek Hamza Yusuf reciting the predictions of Mohammed to a backwash of Ross' guitar and ambient sounds. (Yusuf was the man who appeared with George W. Bush after 9/11 and denounced the attacks and all religious violence, and is working for a return to Islamic sciences as well as assisting Western governments in understanding Islamic culture and Muslims.) It moves into a rock & roll dreamscape called "Sloganeering: Paradise" awash in keyboards, a drummer playing drum and bass breaks that would make Prince jealous. "Evolution" is a spaced-out psychedelic dirge with few lyrics and a sound field worthy of Hendrix (and indeed her guitar playing is influenced in that direction). The sci-fi jazz of "Virgo," with Lake, Newton, and trombonist George McMullen, hovers and floats in vanguard space before turning into a dreamy pop song with acoustic guitars, synth washes, and samples but is held together with a gorgeous melody and vocal performance (and contains a funky little solo by Lake on alto saxophone). "Shirk" is a gorgeous spiritual duet between Sangare and Ndegeocello with Hervé Sambe and Metheny on acoustic guitars. Metheny also appears on "Article," the following cut with a guest appearance by Thandiswa Mazwai singing with Ndegéocello, but this time out she pops that bass of hers in response. It's a dizzying cut with shifting rhythms and textures, and call-and-response vocals that feel more like counterpoint as different sonic and textural motifs move across the front of the tune. All this and the record is just over halfway. The deep spirituality at work here has been present in Ndegeocello's work arguably since the beginning, but it has become more pronounced in recent years. That said, the beautiful and poetic expressions of desire as it encounters both flesh and the divine are soulful, without pretension or artifice. "Michelle Johnson" is a freewheeling exploration of electronic outer realms, tough guitar, and bass-heavy funk, with killer drum kit work by Deantoni Parks and hand percussion by Gilmar Gomes. The sonic treatments by Scott Mann and Chad Royce are all structure to fill the space around the artist's basslines and expressive belly-deep voice -- and you can be the judge as to which Michelle Johnson she's speaking of here. "Solomon" is among the most beautiful songs this woman has ever written. It is presented in a painterly way, illustrated and framed inside a warm bubbly electronic backdrop that gives way to languid melody, a spine-moving bassline that grooves low and slow on this futuristic soul lullaby. The official album closes with the completely out-to-lunch "Relief: A Stripper Classic," which is the true missing link between urban soul, heavy metal, and slow, downtempo funk -- all of it with a pronounced hook and refrain. "Soul Spaceship" is the place where Sly Stone, Amp Fiddler, and Millie Jackson meet in a big bass sci-fi wonderland presided over by Rick James and Teena Marie! The basslines and synth lines are huge, drum machines abound and skitter, and all the while Ndegéocello and Sy Smith make a beautifully grooving mess with the vocals. Ultimately, The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams, with its irony, sincerity, seeming contradiction, and elliptical paradox, is the most expansive, complex record yet released by this always provocative artist. It will take more than a single listen to warm up to, but once you actually take it in, it will be one of her recordings you go back to over and again because while it gives up its secrets slowly, it gives the listener something new each time too. Wild, visionary, and marvelously tough, this is a groover that will turn you inside out.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1    Haditha 1:31
Engineer – Erik Dyba
Guitar – Brandon Ross
Mixed By – Fran Cathcart
Programmed By [Additional] – Neil McLellan
Voice – Hamza Yusuf
2    The Sloganeer: Paradise 5:05
Drums – Deantoni Parks
Engineer – Stephen Joseph
Guitar – Mike Severson
Mixed By – Neil McLellan
Producer [Additional] – Chad Royce, Scott Mann
3    Evolution 3:45
Engineer – Erik Dyba
Mixed By – Bob Power
Vocals [Additional] – Daniel Jones
4    Virgo 2:52
Engineer – Erik Dyba
Flute – James Newton
Guitar [Additional] – Scott Mann
Keyboards [Additional] – Scott Mann
Mixed By – Chad Royce, Scott Mann
Percussion [Additional] – Chad Royce
Saxophone – Oliver Lake
Trombone – George McMullen
5    Lovely Lovely 3:28
Engineer – Erik Dyba
Flute – James Newton
Guitar – Hervé Sambe, Rhamis Kent
Percussion – Gilmar Gomes
6    Elliptical 5:35
Cornet – Graham Haynes
Engineer – Erik Dyba
Guitar – Brandon Ross
Mixed By – Erik Dyba
Percussion – Davi Vieira
Programmed By – Amatus-Sami
Vocals – Sy Smith
7    Shirk 2:53
Engineer – Erik Dyba
Guitar – Hervé Sambe, Pat Metheny
Mixed By – Eric Elterman
Vocals – Oumou Sangare
8    Article 3 3:33
Drums – Deantoni Parks
Engineer – Erik Dyba
Guitar – Pat Metheny
Mixed By – Fran Cathcart
Percussion – Davi Vieira
Vocals – Thandiswa Mazwai
9    Michelle Johnson 5:03
Drums – Deantoni Parks
Engineer – Erik Dyba
Guitar – David Gilmore, Doyle Bramhall, Hervé Sambe
Keyboards – Daniel Jones
Keyboards [Additional] – Chad Royce, Scott Mann
Mixed By – Bob Power
Mixed By [Additional] – Chad Royce, Scott Mann
Percussion – Gilmar Gomes
Vocals – Sy Smith
10    Headline 1:53
Drums – Deantoni Parks
Engineer – Erik Dyba
Keyboards – Jason Lindner
Mixed By [Additional] – Fran Cathcart
Producer [Additional] – Fran Cathcart
11    Solomon 4:04
Drum Programming [Additional] – Chad Royce
Drums – Rhamis Kent
Engineer – Eric Elterman, Erik Dyba
Mixed By – Chad Royce, Scott Mann
Voice – Jack Bean
12    Relief: A Stripper Classic 4:28
Bass – Mark Kelley
Drum Programming [Additional] – Chad Royce
Engineer – Stephen Joseph
Guitar – Mike Severson
Keyboards [Additional] – Chad Royce, Scott Mann
Mixed By – Chad Royce, Scott Mann
Piano – Robert Glasper
Synthesizer – Daniel Jones
Vocals – Sy Smith
– BONUS TRACKS –
13    Soul Spaceship    4:35
Credits :
    Bass – Meshell Ndegeocello
    Drums – Meshell Ndegeocello
    Guitar – Meshell Ndegeocello
    Keyboards – Meshell Ndegeocello
    Producer – Chad Royce, Erik Dyba, Meshell Ndegeocello, Scott Mann
    Vocals – Meshell Ndegeocello

CHARLIE HADEN & PAT METHENY – Beyond The Missouri Sky (Short Stories) (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue) lossless

Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny have been good friends since the 1970s, so it comes as a bit of a surprise that Beyond the Missouri Sky should be their first duet album together. Both musicians are from small towns in Missouri, which leads Metheny to speculate in the liner notes if this similarity of childhood ambience might have something to do with the two players' obvious love and affinity for each other. Whatever the answer, the result of this logical pairing is a rather somber and moody one. Metheny has a dark tone on his electric guitar, and on Beyond the Missouri Sky, where he plays acoustic, his sound is similarly deep and rounded. Metheny has called Haden one of the greatest improvisers of all time, and although this may be hyperbolic exaggeration from a longtime friend, Haden has at least earned the right to defend the claim. On Beyond the Missouri Sky, his playing is as sensitive and beautiful as always. Although one can understand the vibe that Haden and Metheny were going for, the preponderance of slow and mid-tempo material can wear on the listener. When they eschew the dirge-like tempos, as on the fantastic "The Precious Jewel," the results are just as atmospheric and are, in fact, even more evocative of the Midwestern landscapes that are featured so prominently in the album art. With Metheny setting up a strummy rhythm, Haden plays the stately melody with impeccable tone. This track, one of many, also showcases Metheny overdubbing different guitars to thicken out the sound of the performance. The results are similar, at least in spirit, to Bill Frisell's recordings in the latter half of the 1990s. Although many Metheny and Haden compositions that are featured on this record, it is their readings of older material that are most effective. The Jimmy Webb classic "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" is wonderfully nostalgic, as Metheny uses subtle guitar and synth washes to pad a beautiful duet performance, and the traditional "He's Gone Away" is the greatest lullaby that never was. Overall, Beyond the Missouri Sky is a fine record when the material is happening, but a bit of a chore when it is not. If Haden and Metheny had gone with the more Americana theme throughout, instead of interspersing that rootsy feel with post-bop, it would have been a much stronger record. Daniel Gioffre
Tracklist :
1. Waltz for Ruth (4:29)
 Charlie Haden
2. Our Spanish Love Song (5:42)
 Charlie Haden
3. Message to a Friend (6:14)
 Pat Metheny
4. Two for the Road (5:18)
 Leslie Bricusse / Henry Mancini
5. First Song (for Ruth) (6:41)
 Charlie Haden
6. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (4:06)
 Jimmy Webb
7. The Precious Jewel (3:48)
 Roy Acuff
8. He's Gone Away (4:18)
 Traditional
9. The Moon Song (6:59)
 Johnny Mandel
10. Tears of Rain (5:32)
 Pat Metheny
11. Cinema Paradiso (love theme) (3:37)
 Andrea Morricone / Ennio Morricone
12. Cinema Paradiso (main theme) (4:27)
 Ennio Morricone
13. Spiritual (8:24)
 Charlie Haden
Credits :
Acoustic Guitar [Acoustic Guitars], Instruments [All Other Instruments] – Pat Metheny
Bass – Charlie Haden

MILTON NASCIMENTO — Angelus (1993) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The list of prominent North American and British fans of Milton Nascimento continues to grow almost exponentially -- and as a result, his first album for Warner Bros, recorded in Rio, New York, Pittsburgh and L.A., has a longer guest list than ever before. On the jazz side, Wayne Shorter reunites with his Brazilian soulmate on two tracks, his beam-of-light soprano soaring brightly, and a quintet containing Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, and Robertinho Silva sails magnificently through two early Nascimento classics: "Vera Cruz" and "Novena" (his first song ever). On the rock side, Nascimento pays homage to the Beatles -- who are as powerful an influence on his album conceptions and sound as anyone -- with a drawn-out, orchestrally backed "Hello Goodbye," and Peter Gabriel lends his voice to the lovely "Qualquer Coisa a Haver Com o Paraiso." Another worthwhile experiment is the convincing transformation of James Taylor's "Only a Dream in Rio," with Taylor's distinctive voice on hand with both English and Portuguese lyrics. But the state of Nascimento's songwriting imagination remains in a moderate slump, made glaringly evident by the inclusion of so much superior early music. Having made his mark as a great songwriter, Nascimento had evolved into a gifted, meticulous record maker, and alas, we have a far, far greater quantity of the latter than the former these days. Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist :
1. Seis Horas da Tarde (Nascimento) 4:12
Saxophone [Tenor] – Wayne Shorter
2. Estrelada (Borges, Nascimento) 5:01
Vocals – Jon Anderson
3. De Um Modo Geral... (Lopes, Nascimento) 5:37
Saxophone [Tenor] – Wayne Shorter
4. Angelus (Nascimento) 2:35
Percussion – Naná Vasconcelos
5. Coisas de Minas (Lopes, Nascimento) 5:27
6. Hello Goodbye (Lennon, McCartney) 4:30
7. Sofro Calado (Faria, Nascimento) 1:11
Arranged By – Robertinho Silva
8. Clube da Esquina, No. 2 (Borges, Borges, Nascimento) 5:51
9. Meu Veneno (Gullar, Nascimento) 3:45
Percussion – Naná Vasconcelos
10. Only a Dream in Rio (Taylor) 6:30
Percussion – Naná Vasconcelos
Vocals, Guitar – James Taylor
11. Qualquer Coisa a Haver Com O Paraiso (Nascimento, Venturini) 6:59
Vocals – Peter Gabriel
12. Vera Cruz (Borges, Nascimento) 6:34
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Guitar – Pat Metheny
Percussion – Robertinho Silva
Piano – Herbie Hancock
13. Novena (Borges, Nascimento) 5:03
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Guitar – Pat Metheny
Percussion – Robertinho Silva
Piano – Herbie Hancock
14. Amor Amigo (Brant, Nascimento) 4:19
Guitar – Pat Metheny
Piano – Herbie Hancock
15. Sofro Calado (Faria, Nascimento) 2:25
Piano – Milton Nascimento

CASSANDRA WILSON — Traveling Miles (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A tribute album by Cassandra Wilson to Miles Davis seems like a very logical idea, but this CD is actually less than one would expect. Wilson's deep voice gives a downbeat feel to the music, her lyrics for such Davis-associated songs as "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down," "Seven Steps to Heaven," "ESP," "Tutu," and "Blue in Green" are forgettable, and her interpretations smooth down most of the melodies, robbing them of their personality. Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" and "Someday My Prince Will Come" fare better, but most of the set (which includes three unrelated originals) is as boring as Cassandra Wilson's voice. Despite the presence of some notable all-stars (including Steve Coleman, Stefon Harris, Regina Carter, and Pat Metheny), this is a misfire. Scott Yanow

Tracklist :

1. Run the Voodoo Down – 4:36 

(Miles Davis, Cassandra Wilson) 

2. Traveling Miles – 4:52

(Wilson) 

3. Right Here Right Now – 5:57

(Marvin Sewell, Wilson)

4. Time After Time – 4:08

(Rob Hyman, Cyndi Lauper)

5. When The Sun Goes Down – 6:05

(Wilson)

6. Seven Steps" – 6:44

(Victor Feldman, Davis) 

7. Someday My Prince Will Come – 3:53

(Frank Churchill, Larry Morey) 

8. Never Broken – 5:13

 (Wayne Shorter, Wilson)

9. Resurrection Blues (Tutu) – 6:11 

(Marcus Miller, Wilson) 

10. Sky & Sea (Blue in Green) – 5:24 

 (Davis, Wilson) 

11. Piper – 5:03

 (Wilson) 

12. Voodoo Reprise – 4:15.

(Davis, Wilson, Angelique Kidjo)

Credits :

Cassandra Wilson – vocals, acoustic guitar

Doug Wamble – acoustic guitar

Eric Lewis – piano

Jeffrey Haynes, Kevin Breit – acoustic, electric, resophonic & e-bow guitars, electric mandolin, mandocello, bazouki

Lonnie Plaxico – acoustic bass

Marcus Baylor – drums, percussion

Marvin Sewell – acoustic, classical & electric guitars, bazouki

Mino Cinelu – percussion

Perry Wilson – drums

Vincent Henry – harmonica

Dave Holland – bass

Olu Dara – cornet

Steve Coleman – alto sax

Pat Metheny – classical guitar

Angelique Kidjo – vocals

Regina Carter – violin

Stefon Harris – vibraphone 

JACO PASTORIUS | PAT METHENY | PAUL BLEY | BRUCE DITMAS — Jaco (1974-1995) Unofficial Release | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although listeners often think of Jaco Pastorius' first solo album as 1976's Jaco on Epic, producer/keyboardist Paul Bley actually gave Pastorius his first official chance at professional recording two years earlier. Coincidentally titled Jaco (originally titled Pastorious/Metheny/Ditmas/Bley), this spontaneous set is also significant for being among guitarist Pat Metheny's first recordings; completing the quartet are Bley on electric piano and drummer Bruce Ditmas. The music consists of three songs by Bley, five from Carla Bley, and "Blood" by Annette Peacock. Pastorius sounds quite powerful, but Metheny's tone is kind of bizarre, very distorted, and not at all distinctive at this point. The recording quality is a bit shaky throughout the electronic set, and the group does not quite live up to its potential, but Pastorius shows that he was already an innovative player, making this an LP of historic interest. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Vashkar (Carla Bley) - 9:55
2 Poconos (Paul Bley) - 1:00
3 Donkey (Carla Bley) - 6:28
4 Vampira (Paul Bley) - 7:15
5 Overtoned (Carla Bley) - 1:04
6 Jaco (Paul Bley) - 3:45
7 Batterie (Carla Bley) - 5:12
8 King Korn (Carla Bley) - 0:29
9 Blood (Annette Peacock) - 1:28
Credits :
Jaco Pastorius - Bass Guitar
Pat Metheny - Guitar
Bruce Ditmas - Drums
Paul Bley - Electric Piano

PAT METHENY | ORNETTE COLEMAN - Song X : Twentieth Anniversary (1986-2005) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Guitarist Pat Metheny had long expressed admiration for Ornette Coleman's music, had recorded his compositions, and had worked extensively with bassist Charlie Haden, so a collaboration was not totally unexpected, though who would have guessed that it would be on the Geffen label? Metheny's almost rock star status has worked against him in other partnerships from time to time (notably, his overbearing playing on his project with Derek Bailey, The Sign of 4), but here he happily sublimates his showier instincts and works as sympathetic co-leader, deferring to Coleman's experience and genius. The music itself bears strong similarities to that of Coleman's Prime Time ensembles wherein all players solo at once, bracketed by the themes of the piece. Metheny often manages to be a quite expressive second voice, racing along beside the master saxophonist, offering alternative strategies and never showboating. The tandem percussion team of Jack DeJohnette and Coleman's son Denardo are ferocious when need be, and Charlie Haden is his standard exemplary self. Metheny fans owe it to themselves to listen to some of his most exploratory and least "pastel" playing and, in fact, the album also contains some of Coleman's best work since the mid-'70s. Brian Olewnick
Tracklist :
1    Police People 4:57
Written-By – O. Coleman
Written-By [Improv Form] – P. Metheny
2    All Of Us 0:15
Written-By – O. Coleman
3    The Good Life 3:25
Written-By – O. Coleman
4    Word From Bird 3:48
Written-By – O. Coleman
5    Compute 2:03
Written-By – O. Coleman
6    The Veil 3:42
Written-By – O. Coleman
7    Song X 5:34
Written-By – O. Coleman
8    Mob Job 4:11
Written-By – O. Coleman
9    Endangered Species 13:18
Written-By – O. Coleman, P. Metheny
10    Video Games 5:20
Written-By – O. Coleman
11    Kathelin Gray 4:31
Written-By – O. Coleman, P. Metheny
12    Trigonometry 5:05
Written-By – O. Coleman, P. Metheny
13    Song X Duo 3:07
Written-By – O. Coleman, P. Metheny
14    Long Time No See 7:38
Written-By – O. Coleman
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Ornette Coleman
Bass – Charlie Haden
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Drums, Percussion – Denardo Coleman
Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer [Guitar Synth] – Pat Metheny
Producer – Pat Metheny
Remastered By – Ted Jensen
Violin – Ornette Coleman (pistas: 8)

JOHN ZORN - Tap : Book Of Angels Volume 20 (Pat Metheny) (2013) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Ever curious, courageous and endlessly creative, virtuoso guitarist and musical mastermind Pat Metheny takes on John Zorn’s Masada songbook to create some of the most soulful and adventurous sounds yet heard in the Book of Angels series. Turn up the volume and revel in the breadth of imagination in these remarkable arrangements featuring Pat on a huge arsenal of instruments, and the powerful Antonio Sanchez on drums. Pat Metheny continues to surprise and experiment with new musical frontiers well into the 21st century. Released in coordination with Nonesuch, this is a match made in Heaven—essential! TZADIK
Tracklist :
1    Mastema    7:19
2    Albim    9:07
3    Tharsis    5:54
4    Sariel    11:09
5    Phanuel    10:55
6    Hurmiz 6:12
Vocals – Maya Jasmine Willow Metheny
Credits :
Composed By, Liner Notes, Executive-Producer – John Zorn
Drums – Antonio Sanchez
Producer, Arranged By, Liner Notes, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Baritone Guitar, Sitar [Guitar], Tiple, Bass, Piano, Marimba [Orchestrionic], Bells [Orchestra], Bandoneon, Percussion, Electronics, Flugelhorn, Recorded By – Pat Metheny

TRILOK GURTU - Crazy Saints (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Percussionist Trilok Gurtu comes from a long line of respected Indian classical musicians, but he's best known for his genre-blending fusions of world music and jazz. Crazy Saints is one of his most complex and challenging releases to date, enlisting the aid of jazz legends like guitarist Pat Metheny and Joe Zawinul to create a thoroughly modern sound that moves from razor sharp ensemble work to dizzying solos. The most effective songs are those that mine Gurtu's myriad world music influences, including "Manini" and "Blessing in Disguise," both of which are blessed with the haunting vocal ululations of Indian music legend Shobha Gurtu, the drummer's mother. The genteel balladry of "Ballad for 2 Musicians" and the excessive ambient noodling of "The Other Tune" may tax the patience of those with a lower tolerance for modern jazz wankery. But ultimately songs like the title track, which marries blistering beats in quirky time signatures with heavenly vocals and dazzling instrumental interplay, make the album a fine foray into jazz/world fusion.  by Bret Love
Tracklist
1 Manini 7:06
Written-By – Goyone, Gurtu
2 Tillana 4:12
Arranged By – Goyone, Gurtu
Written-By – Traditional
3 Ballad For 2 Musicians 6:08
Written-By – Zawinul
4 The Other Tune 7:39
Written-By – Zawinul
5 Blessing In Disguise 9:26
Written-By – Gurtu
6 Crazy Saints 8:19
Written-By – Goyone, Gurtu
7 No Discrimination 3:38
Written-By – Gurtu
Credits
Bass – Marc Bertaux (tracks: 1, 6)
Bass Clarinet, Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone – Louis Sclavis (tracks: 2, 5, 7)
Cello – Ernst Reijseger (tracks: 2, 5)
Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer – Pat Metheny (tracks: 1, 6)
Keyboards, Piano, Programmed By [Keyboard Programming] – Joe Zawinul (tracks: 3, 4)
Piano, Keyboards – Daniel Goyone (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7)
Producer, Drums, Tabla, Voice, Dhol [Dol], Kanjira, Percussion – Trilok Gurtu
Voice – Shobha Gurtu (tracks: 1, 5, 6)

TRILOK GURTU - The Trilok Gurtu Collection (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trilok Gurtu's percussion work has powered a number of great albums that effectively fuse world music with jazz, allowing for both tight performance and free improvisation. This collection is therefore a gem, selecting ten cuts from six albums. Both an excellent overview and a wonderful place to begin acquainting yourself with Gurtu's music, and thus an essential addition to any jazz or world music collection. by Steven McDonald
Tracklist :
1     Once I Wished a Tree Upside Down 8'03
Jan Garbarek
2     Cherry Town 5'14
Trilok Gurtu
3     Watapa 7'49
Trilok Gurtu
4     Bad Boys 8'39
Andy Emler
5     Believe 6'25
Trilok Gurtu
6     Ballad for 2 Musicians 6'08
Joe Zawinul
7     Manini 7'06
Daniel Goyone / Trilok Gurtu
8     Baba 8'31
Trilok Gurtu
9     Shobharock 7'37
Trilok Gurtu
10     Om 7'13
Traditional
Credits :
Drums, Tabla, Percussion, Voice – Trilok Gurtu
Guitar – Pat Metheny, Ralph Towner
Keyboards, Piano – Joe Zawinul
Percussion – Nana Vasconcelos
Soprano Saxophone – Bill Evans
Trumpet – Don Cherry
Violin – Mark Feldman, L. Shankar
Voice – Shobha Gurtu

JOSHUA REDMAN - Wish (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Joshua Redman's sophomore effort found him leading a piano-less quartet that also included guitar great Pat Metheny and half of Ornette Coleman's trailblazing late-'50s/early-'60s quartet: acoustic bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Billy Higgins. With such company, Redman could have delivered a strong avant-garde or free jazz album; Haden and Higgins had played an important role in jazz's avant-garde because of their association with Coleman, and Metheny had himself joined forces with Coleman on their thrilling Song X session of 1985. But Wish isn't avant-garde; instead, it's a mostly inside post-bop date that emphasizes the lyrical and the introspective. The musicians swing hard and fast on Charlie Parker's "Moose the Mooche," but things become very reflective on pieces like Redman's "The Undeserving Many" and Metheny's "We Had a Sister." One of the nice things about Redman is his ability to provide jazz interpretations of rock and R&B songs. While neo-conservatives ignore them and many NAC artists simply provide boring, predictable, note-for-note covers, Redman isn't afraid to dig into them and show their jazz potential. In Redman's hands, Stevie Wonder's "Make Sure You're Sure" becomes a haunting jazz-noir statement, while Eric Clapton's ballad "Tears in Heaven" is changed from moving pop/rock to moving pop-jazz. The latter, in fact, could be called "smooth jazz with substance." Some of bop's neo-conservatives disliked the fact that Redman was playing with two of Coleman's former sidemen and a fusion icon like Metheny, but then, Redman never claimed to be a purist. Although Wish isn't innovative, it's an appealing CD from an improviser who is willing to enter a variety of musical situations. by Alex Henderson 

Tracklist: :

1. Turnaround 6:24

(Ornette Coleman)

2. Soul Dance 6:34

(Joshua Redman)

3. Make Sure You’re Sure 5:24

(Stevie Wonder)

4. The Deserving Many 5:39

(Joshua Redman)

5. We Had a Sister 5:46

(Pat Metheny)

6. Moose the Mooche 3:32

(Charlie Parker)

7. Tears in Heaven 3:21

(Eric Clapton)

8. Whittlin’ 5:21

(Pat Metheny)

9. Wish (live) 7:26

(Joshua Redman)

10. Blues for Pat (live) 12:08

(Charlie Haden)

Credits :

Joshua Redman – Sax 

Pat Metheny – Guitar 

Charlie Haden – Bass

Bill Higgins – Drums.

PAT METHENY GROUP — Pat Metheny Group (1978) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The first recording by the Pat Metheny Group features the innovative guitarist along with keyboardist Lyle Mays, bassist Mark Egan, and drummer Dan Gottlieb. The music is quite distinctive, floating rather than swinging, electric but not rockish, and full of folkish melodies. The best known of these six Metheny-Mays originals are "Phase Dance" and "Jaco." This music grows in interest with each listen. Scott Yanow

Tracklist:

1. San Lorenzo (10:16)

2. Phase Dance (8:25)

3. Jaco (5:40)

4. Aprilwind (2:09)

5. April Joy (8:15)

6. Lone Jack (6:43)

Credits:

    Pat Metheny - 6 and 12-string electric and acoustic guitars

    Lyle Mays - piano, Oberheim synthesizer, autoharp

    Mark Egan - fretless electric bass

    Danny Gottlieb - drums 

PAT METHENY GROUP — Travels (1983) 2CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Now well into its gliding Brazilian-tinged mode, the Pat Metheny Group hits the road, as this two-CD set catches the band live in Dallas, Philadelphia, Hartford, Sacramento, and Nacogdoches, TX. Percussionist Naná Vasconcelos is still listed as a "special guest," but ever since Wichita Falls, he had not only been a part of the group, he was the transforming element in the Metheny "sound," adding his various shakers, effects and ethereal vocals. Sidekick Lyle Mays gets deeper into floating, glistening synthesizer textures, but he is still able to take formidable and touching solos on acoustic grand piano. Still experimenting with new hardware, Metheny's work on a detuned guitar synthesizer gives the live "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls" an exotic Balinese-like sound. Other highlights are the hard Brazilian grooves on "Straight On Red" and "Song for Bilbao," as well as the trademark Metheny glide of "Are You Going With Me?" -- and the brief title track has a winning, guileless simplicity much like that of Keith Jarrett in a prayerful mood. If you liked the popular Offramp, you'll fall for Travels, too, but get the former album first. Richard S. Ginell

Tracklist 1:

1. Are You Going With Me? (9:18)

2. The Fields, The Sky (7:46)

3. Goodbye (8:16)

4. Phase Dance (8:03)

5. Straight On Red (7:26)

6. Farmer's Trust (6:25)

Tracklist 2:

1. Extradition (5:44)

2. Goin' Ahead - As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls (16:22)

3. Travels (5:03)

4. Song For Bilbao (8:26)

5. San Lorenzo (13:35)

Musicians

Pat Metheny - Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Guitar synthesizer

Lyle Mays - Piano, synthesizers, Electric Organ, Autoharp, Synclavier

Steve Rodby - Acoustic and Electric Bass, Bass synthesizer

Dan Gottlieb - Drums

Naná Vasconcelos - Percussion, Voice, Berimbau

PAT METHENY — Watercolors (1977) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Pat Metheny emerges on his second album, Watercolors, as an ECM impressionist, generally conforming to the label's overall sound while still asserting his own personality. As the title suggests, there are several mood pieces here that are suspended in the air without rhythmic underpinning, a harbinger for the new age invasion still in the future. Metheny's softly focused, asymmetrical guitar style, with echoes of apparent influences as disparate as Jim Hall, George Benson, Jerry Garcia, and various country guitarists, is quite distinctive even at this early juncture. Metheny's long-running partnership with keyboardist Lyle Mays also begins here, with Mays mostly on acoustic piano but also providing a few mild synthesizer washes. Danny Gottlieb is on drums, and ECM regular Eberhard Weber handles the bass. This is essentially the first album by the Pat Metheny Group per se, although the band had yet to find its direction in this somewhat diffuse showing. Richard S. Ginell

Tracklist :

1 - Watercolors

2 - Icefire

3 - Oasis

4 - Lakes

5 - River Quay

6 - Suite: I. Florida Greeting Song

7 - Suite: II. Legend Of The Fountain

8 - Sea Song

Credits:

Pat Metheny - guitar, 12-string guitar, 15-string harpguitar

Lyle Mays - piano

Eberhard Weber - bass

Dan Gottlieb - drums

PAT METHENY - Bright Size Life (1976) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Pat Metheny's debut studio album is a good one, a trio date that finds him already laying down the distinctively cottony, slightly withdrawn tone and asymmetrical phrasing that would serve him well through most of the swerves in direction ahead. His original material, all of it lovely, bears the bracing air of his Midwestern upbringing, with titles like "Missouri Uncompromised," "Midwestern Nights Dream," and "Omaha Celebration." There is also a sole harbinger of radical matters way down the road with the inclusion of a loose-jointed treatment of Ornette Coleman's "Round Trip/Broadway Blues," proving that Song X did not come from totally out of the blue. Besides being Metheny's debut, this LP also features one of the earliest recordings of Jaco Pastorius, a fully formed, well-matched contrapuntal force on electric bass, though content to leave the spotlight mostly to Metheny. Bob Moses, who like Metheny played in the Gary Burton Quintet at the time, is the drummer, and he can mix it up, too. by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist:
1 Bright Size Life 4:43
2 Sirabhorn 5:25
3 Unity Village 3:38
4 Missouri Uncompromised 4:19
5 Midwestern Nights Dream 5:58
6 Unquity Road 3:33
7 Omaha Celebration 4:16
8 Round Trip/Broadway Blues 4:58
Credits:
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Drums – Bob Moses
Guitar, Bass – Pat Metheny
Producer – Manfred Eicher

GARY BURTON QUARTET WITH EBERHARD WEBER - Passengers (1977) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Guitarist Pat Metheny was a member of vibraphonist Gary Burton's group from 1974-1976, but although he had recorded with Burton twice previously, both of those dates also included guitarist Mick Goodrick. This particular set puts more of a focus on Metheny in a quintet that includes drummer Danny Gottlieb and both Steve Swallow and Eberhard Weber on bass. Metheny contributed three of the six selections, which are joined by a song apiece from Swallow, Weber, and Chick Corea ("Sea Journey"). Although none of the individual songs caught on, the attractive sound of the post-bop unit and an opportunity to hear Pat Metheny in his formative period make this an LP worth exploring.  by Scott Yanow 
Track Listing
 1 Sea Journey 9:15
Chick Corea 
 2 Nacada 4:11  
Pat Metheny
 3 The Whopper 5:28
Pat Metheny 
 4 B&G (Midwestern Night Dreams) 8:23
Pat Metheny
 5 Yellow Fields 6:58
Eberhard Weber
6 Claude and Betty 6:16
Steve Swallow
Credits
Bass – Eberhard Weber
Bass Guitar – Steve Swallow
Drums – Dan Gottlieb
Electric Guitar – Pat Metheny
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Vibraphone [Vibraharp] – Gary Burton

MICHAEL BRECKER - Michael Brecker (1987) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Although he had been a major tenor saxophonist in the studios for nearly 20 years and was quite popular for his work with the Brecker Brothers, this MCA/Impulse set was Michael Brecker's first as a leader. Playing in a quintet with guitarist Pat Metheny, keyboardist Kenny Kirkland, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummer Jack DeJohnette, Brecker performs three of his originals, two by producer Don Grolnick, and Mike Stern's "Choices." The music in general is straight-ahead but far from predictable; the tricky material really challenges the musicians and Michael Brecker is in consistently brilliant form, constantly stretching himself. Highly recommended.  by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Sea Glass 5:49
Michael Brecker
2 Syzygy 9:44
Michael Brecker
3 Choices 8:06
Mike Stern
4 Nothing Personal 5:29
Don Grolnick
5 Cost of Living 7:49
Don Grolnick
6 Original Rays 9:04
Michael Brecker / Don Grolnick / Mike Stern
Bonus Tracks
7 My One and Only Love 8:16
Robert Mellin / Guy Wood
Credits:
Bass – Charlie Haden
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Guitar – Pat Metheny
Keyboards – Kenny Kirkland
Saxophone, Electronic Wind Instrument [EWI] – Michael Brecker

MICHAEL BRECKER - Tales from the Hudson (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Michael Brecker, a major influence on today's young saxophonists, shows off his own influences a bit throughout this fine modern straight-ahead set. Brecker sounds surprisingly like Stanley Turrentine on parts of "Midnight Voyage," and otherwise displays his roots in Ernie Watts and John Coltrane. With the exception of Don Grolnick's "Willie T.," the music on the CD is comprised of group originals (five by the leader) and falls into the 1990s mainstream of jazz. While the tenor saxophonist has plenty of blowing space (really letting loose on the exciting closer, "Cabin Fever"), Pat Metheny is mostly pretty restrained (in a Jim Hall bag) except for his wild solo on guitar synth during "Song for Bilbao." Pianist Joey Calderazzo starts out sounding a bit like McCoy Tyner on "Slings and Arrows" before his own musical personality is revealed. When Tyner himself plays on "Song for Bilbao" (one of two guest appearances), one can certainly tell the difference between master and pupil. All of Michael Brecker's recordings as a leader (as opposed to his cameos as a sideman on pop records) are easily recommended and show why he is considered a giant by many listeners. by Scott Yanow  

MICHAEL BRECKER - Time Is Of The Essence (1999) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Michael Brecker introduced a couple of new wrinkles to his sound on his sixth album, in the form of two new sidemen. Larry Goldings' organ makes for an unusual quartet -- also including Brecker on tenor sax, frequent guest Pat Metheny on guitar, and one of three different drummers -- in that there is no bass. As a result, Metheny often fills in that role when he isn' t soloing. Goldings' touch is light, in contrast to the more intense playing of Brecker and Metheny. But it is the second new sideman who makes a difference: Elvin Jones guests on drums on three tracks. Brecker had never shied away from announcing his influences, and with Jones behind the traps, especially on the opening track, "Arc of the Pendulum," and the closer, "Outrance" (both Brecker originals), he indulges his affection for John Coltrane, playing freely and aggressively across the rhythm. Jones, who gets a showcase solo in "Outrance," is unmistakable, and his support often makes Brecker sound like Coltrane. With Bill Stewart behind the drums, the group performs "Renaissance Man," a tribute to another major Brecker influence, Eddie Harris, and Brecker unabashedly recalls Harris there. The tunes, five by Brecker, two by Metheny, and one each by Goldings and producer George Whitty, are loosely structured and run from six to ten minutes each, so that the disc runs 70 minutes. Clearly, they could have gone longer: Several of them fade out, sometimes during a Brecker or Metheny solo, an oddity on a jazz album. by William Ruhlmann 

Tracklist:

1. Arc Of The Pendulum

2. Sound Off

3. Half Past Late

4. Timeline

5. The Morning Of This Night

6. Renaissance Man

7. Dr. Slate

8. As I Am

9. Outrance.

Credits:

Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone

Pat Metheny - guitar

Larry Goldings - organ

Elvin Jones, A. Stewart, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Bill Stewart – drums.

MICHAEL BRECKER - Nearness of You : The Ballad Book (2001) FLAC (tracks), lossless

The seven-time Grammy award-winning tenor saxophonist, Michael Brecker brings an all-star band together on this first ever ballad project titled Nearness of You: The Ballad Book. Accompanied by Herbie Hancock on piano, Pat Metheny on guitars, Charlie Haden on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and a special guest appearance by James Taylor, singing his sensational hit "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" and Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You," the tenor saxophonist creates rich resonant statements on 11 songs collected in two chapters and their epilogue. Brecker has updated these great songs with the addition of Pat Metheny's excellent production prowess on such great ballads as Joe Zawinul's "Midnight Mood" and the Kurt Weill-Ira Gershwin standard "My Ship." "Midnight Mood" is sensual and seductive, complete with a blithe piano solo by Herbie Hancock in the middle section. Hancock fills in the beauty of Brecker's saxophone lines on this arrangement that is partially based on guitarist Wes Montgomery's version. James Taylor sings one of the best renditions of his "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," and it's clearly due to the excellent musicians on this CD. Pat Metheny excels as a serious jazz artist with his well thought out treatment of "Nascente," which was inspired by Gil Evans' classic 1948 arrangement for Miles Davis on Miles Ahead. Michael Brecker has clearly maintained his status as one of the best tenor saxophonists on the jazz scene, and this, his eighth CD as a leader, is well within the musical excellence previously recorded. by Paula Edelstein 

MICHAEL BRECKER - Pilgrimage (2007) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Given the heartbreaking context in which this album was released -- this was the final recording by saxophonist Michael Brecker, who died of myelodysplastic syndrome and leukemia only a few months before its release -- there might be a certain temptation to cut it some slack for sentimental reasons. However, leniency is hardly needed. Leading a group comprised of jaw-dropping talents (pianists Herbie Hancock and Brad Mehldau, guitarist Pat Metheny, bassist John Patitucci, drummer Jack DeJohnette) and playing for the first time a program consisting entirely of original compositions, Brecker delivers an emotionally rich and startlingly powerful album of straight-ahead modern jazz that will stand as his musical epitaph and will effectively confound anyone who has ever been tempted to dismiss him as a mere jazz-pop fusioneer. It will also frustrate anyone looking for maudlin emotion or even any obvious product of existential angst; the only concession to sentiment here is on the title of a ballad, "When Can I Kiss You Again?," a quote from Brecker's teenage son during a period in his treatment when his family was not allowed to touch him. But even that track, with its unusual chord progression and sometimes rather arid solos, retains a core of tough-mindedness within the tenderness. Most of the rest of the program consists of uptempo and medium-tempo burners that swing with a powerful sense of urgency and life, and precious little foreshadowing of the tragedy that all involved knew was soon to come. This is a brilliant and inspiring album -- and would be whether or not it had anything to do with the death of one of the great figures in American jazz. This CD was nominated in 2007 for a Grammy award as Best Jazz Instrumental Album (Individual or Group), and Brecker's improvisation on "Anagram" was nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo. by Rick Anderson