Metheny/Mehldau
Quartet

Second chapter of the ingenious duo Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau.

Quartet was released in February 2007, one year after the marvelous start of collaboration of the delectable duo. I begin with forced listening and as usual, I do nothing but listen to it again and again, never moving on to something else, until it gets into my bloodstream. The first impression is not good. It seems like too intellectual a work and no piece compels me to linger on it to immediately delve into its content. However, after the third or fourth round, it becomes listenable. I remain slightly unenthusiastic and think back to the previous work without Ballard (drums) and Grenadier (bass), which had a more intimate and innovative feel. True, the sound is complete, refined, but not brilliant. There is a dark thread running through it that suggests stagnation, a collage of pieces veering towards typical and cultured sounds, too cultured, losing the creative momentum I always expect from artists of this caliber. Analyzing the angles of each piece, you perceive something good here and there, but not everything is up to the level of the pleasing sounds of the past.

The musical research line is predictable, typical of Pat's sound with a few facets, little to be honest, in Mehldau's style. This work tastes like a collaborative endpoint, where the highest execution level is brushed, but the sense of "strained to the maximum" is evident, especially on a conceptual level. The two works might be considered together at this point, but the taste and value of the previous work are absolutely more incisive and convincing. Col the previous work the duo gave us a refined taste, whereas here they go heavy. 11 pieces, the last one is "Martha's Theme" a Pat's classic from 1995 revived for the occasion, thus tackling 10 original pieces. Not always original in the broad sense, full of jazz cultured, harsh and intellectual, with reserve ideas and an attention to affectations that at times suggest a concert-oriented goal. The material for a world tour is now available. There are pieces that will allow them to exhibit the improvisation goods and celebrate the level of contemporaneity of jazz portrayed at a level of utmost executive wisdom. But there's no innovation. Style, effective perception of intense sounds, and well-crafted melodies, but everything has been heard before. Or almost.

I move onto the breakdown of the pieces analyzing their contents.

1. "A Night Away" is the only piece of the album written by four hands. It has a refined sound, a good rhythm celebrating the concept of contemporary jazz, but it has nothing to say. There are no creative impulses, neither in the way of playing, nor in the phrasings, nor in the instrumentation. A piece that calls back to the classic and explores no territory.
2. "The Sound of Water" is territory for the display of the exotic sound of the Pikasso, the 42-string monster by luthier Manzer, for an oriental/arpeggiated atmosphere and a deep, aesthetic sound, softened in hardness by Mehldau’s interventions. Reminds "Tears of Rain" from 1996. A slow piece, an exercise in charming style that deceives with its lack of sound freshness. Fake alternative with floral and intricate piano passages. Challenging.
3. "Fear and Trembling" exposes a curious electric-acoustic guitar sound, at times reminiscent of the "Quartet" album from PMG in 1996. Certainly the most experimental piece of the album, with very high-pitched and heartrending sounds, it sometimes recalls Scofieldian jazz-rock. Difficult.
4. "Don’t Wait" is a romantic ballad that decidedly recalls the already heard sound from their previous work. Pat’s soft-free parentheses amidst a dainty and light melody. A filler piece that certainly doesn’t add depth to a so far disappointing album.
5. "Towards the Light" has PMG style "Imaginary Day" (1997) sounds with some acoustic and metallic nuance, more intrallazzo of Brad. Regression.
6. "Long Before" is one of the best pieces, amid ballad and musical poetry, with the gentle depth of typical Metheny’s imprint. Some passages are recognizable, but the musical theme is very pleasant with melancholic nuances. Finally, expressiveness and creative impulse are felt, though perfectly aligning with the previous work (which should be remembered as an excellent production).
7. "En La Tierra Que No Olvida" is a tango-jazz interlude, a curious and pleasant mixture. Indicative to support an album, by itself, poor in new ideas, thus it stands out and deserves a bit more attention. Spiritually up to par, I would say suitable as a "promotional sample."
8. "Santa Cruz Slacker" has a very "professional" sound, academic, intense, and dark, with meticulous jazz care for a perfectly successful instrumental interplay. A very adult, classy piece whose reading key on the starting theme is better understood after multiple listens. Intense and pleasant.
9. "Secret Beach" is another slow piece with the usual synth trumpet in the final part, for a piece lasting over 9 minutes, frankly excessive, exhausting, and targeted at the long solo, and it’s pure exaggerated aestheticism. This time it was to be avoided especially because it doesn’t seem decisive or particularly inspired. My very personal opinion: it’s time for Pat to abandon this sound, which has represented him for several years (late '80s early '90s) and has run its course.
10. "Silent Movie ballad" has fascinating sounds. Too bad this time, and this is the bitterest surprise of the whole CD, Pat re-proposes himself, masking the old piece "Renato's Theme" (from Passaggio per il Paradiso, 1995) in a new jazzed suite with a splash of elegant pianoism à la Mehldau. The main theme is reproposed in a well-known crescendo, with peripheral free passages, but that doesn’t fool the attentive listener. The minimal variants expressed aren’t enough to modify an exceptional piece, but where the artist’s creative shortage is highlighted. A tribute to himself?
11. Marta's Theme (from "Passagio per il Paradiso" 1995) in minimalist version, re-proposes Brad’s interpretation, with predictable interventions by Pat, but beyond the excellent piece in itself, there are no noteworthy highlights.

Therefore, a sort of continuity is felt, but, besides an infinitesimal attention to details, there’s less brightness, a dark and aggressive mood, a jazz hardened and philosophical. It will be the world tour to determine which pieces will create a connection with the audience and which will not.