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

LYLE MAYS — Street Dreams (1988) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lyle Mays' second solo album ventures even further afield than his acclaimed first record, into areas not associated with Mays nor his employer Pat Metheny. This time, the personnel list is far more varied, with several guest luminaries from the world of jazz-rock, as well as a big band and full chamber orchestra on some selections. Again, the main thrust of the album is bound up in a lengthy suite with new age atmospheric elements, juxtaposing fleet Brazilian grooves with a chamber orchestra, voluble Mays piano solos, and electronic interpolations by Mays and Frisell reminiscent of early classical electronic music. The solo "Chorinho" is a running classical exercise on electric keyboards, almost a contemporary Bachianas Brasileiras (to borrow Villa-Lobos' term) and a considerable feat of invention. The biggest surprise of all may well be "Possible Straight," a brief, straight-ahead piece of big band hard bop, and "Before You Can Go" seems to be the token emulation of the Metheny groove. There's a lot of inventive, mostly easygoing music here, though if one must choose, the level is not as consistently high as on Mays' first album. Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist :
1.    Feet First    4:24
Composed By, Arranged By – Lyle Mays
2.    August    5:02
Composed By, Arranged By – Lyle Mays
3.    Chorinho    4:17
Composed By, Arranged By – Lyle Mays
4.    Possible Straight    3:20
Composed By – Pat Metheny
5.    Hangtime    4:21
Composed By, Arranged By – Lyle Mays
6.    Before You Go    6:54
Composed By, Arranged By – Lyle Mays
7.    Newborn    1:35
Composed By, Arranged By – Lyle Mays
8-11.    Street Dreams    23:46
Composed By, Arranged By – Lyle Mays
Credits :
Bass – Marc Johnson (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 8 to 11), Steve Rodby (tracks: 1)
Bass Trombone – Dave Taylor (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 8 to 11)
Piano, Keyboards, Producer By – Lyle Mays
Conductor – Steve Rodby (tracks: 8 to 11)
Drums – Peter Erskine (tracks: 5, 8 to 11), Steve Gadd (tracks: 1), Steve Jordan (tracks: 4)
Executive-Producer – Pat Metheny
Guitar – Bill Frisell (tracks: 2, 5, 7, 8 to 11)
Percussion – Glen Velez (tracks: 8 to 11), Vicki Randle (tracks: 2, 8 to 11)
Speech [Spoken Words] – Emilia Barros (tracks: 8 to 11)
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Bob Malach (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 8 to 11), Bob Mintzer (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 8 to 11)