Pat Metheny Group (album)
Pat Metheny Group is the first album by the Pat Metheny Group, released in 1978. It features Pat Metheny on guitars, Lyle Mays on piano and synthesizer, Mark Egan on electric bass, and Danny Gottlieb on drums.
Pat Metheny Group | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1978 | |||
Recorded | January 1978 | |||
Studio | Talent Studio, Oslo, Norway | |||
Genre | Jazz fusion | |||
Length | 41:28 | |||
Label | ECM | |||
Producer | Manfred Eicher | |||
Pat Metheny chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
All About Jazz | (positive)[2] |
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | [3] |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
Many elements that became defining traits of the band's overall sound were in place on the first album, namely Metheny's incorporation of several different guitars and Mays's fusion of electronic and acoustic keyboards to create a fuller, more harmonically sophisticated foundation for the melodies and solos. This is particularly evidenced on the track, "Phase Dance", where Metheny introduces the main melody on an acoustic guitar and then switches to an electric to play one of the improvisational solos, with Mays providing the foundation on keyboards before playing the other solo. "Phase Dance" quickly became a signature song for the Group, most often played in concert as an introductory piece. The track 'Jaco' is a tribute to the bass player Jaco Pastorius.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays, except where noted.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "San Lorenzo" | 10:14 |
2. | "Phase Dance" | 8:18 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Jaco" | Metheny | 5:34 |
2. | "Aprilwind" | Metheny | 2:09 |
3. | "April Joy" | Metheny | 8:14 |
4. | "Lone Jack" | 6:41 |
Personnel
- Pat Metheny – 6-and 12-string electric and acoustic guitars
- Lyle Mays – piano, Oberheim synthesizer, autoharp
- Mark Egan – fretless electric bass
- Danny Gottlieb – drums
Charts
Album – Billboard
Year | Chart | Position |
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1978 | Billboard Jazz Albums | 5 |
1978 | Billboard Pop Albums | 123 |
References
- Yanow, Scott. "Pat Metheny Group - Pat Metheny Group | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
- Tipp, Jayson (1 February 1997). "Pat Metheny Group: Pat Metheny Group". allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
- Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 139. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
- Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.