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Rating: The cover prominently features the names of the musicians who participate, in 1978, in what can be defined as the first studio album of the Pat Metheny Group. Self-titled.
The names are Pat, Lyle Mays (keyboards), Mark Egan (bass), and Gottlieb (drums). It should be noted that it's a group of young excited guys (Pat is only 23 years old) and the energy can be felt in almost every one of the 6 tracks that make up the CD.
Pat is already experienced: he has several years of collaboration with the Gary Burton group under his belt, 6 months of live performances with his new formation. He thus believes he has what it takes to lead his own group. The atmospheres he has in mind are primarily of a jazz matrix. With the support of Mays, and here we are at the first true creative collaboration of the duo, a sound, a mood begins to take shape, already recognizable and personal.
It all opens with "San Lorenzo", a lively suite lasting over 10 minutes, with clear references (especially in the central part) to Weather Report. "Phase Dance" is lively and energetic. It lasts more than 8 minutes and is still performed live today. This piece in particular has a very fast rhythm and is a historic example of Pat's style. The intro and the finale of "Jaco," the third piece of the album (a tribute to bassist Pastorius, who Pat met in Weather Report and with whom he developed a good rapport), are magically obsessive, exploding into a floral melody that highlights a sinuous bass line. Delightful. "April wind" has a mystical, acoustic, and distant sound that refers a bit to Watercolors from 1977, and serves as an intro to the incredible, memorabilia of garage jazz sound "April Joy". A true classic, where in the initial part Pat unleashes a whirlwind and energetic improvisation, develops the theme in perfect harmony with the group until the middle part, softer and reflective, slow and cared for by Mays, in a breath of warm and enveloping melody. Pat resumes gradually to embroider on this modern hymn to spring, until the delicate final shading.
And now? How to define the closing piece of PMG "Lone Jack"? It's an absolute masterpiece, a timeless classic, performed in countless live shows (and revisited in a "contemporary" version for the Trio 99/00), exceptionally cheerful, positive, and energetic. Played at a truly impressive speed, Pat’s striations with his Gibson are remarkable. Spectacular are the free phases of the young American guitarist and Mays' solo, gradually integrated into a majestic phrasing. By the end of the track, the instruments are probably scorching. The piece lasts 6 minutes but could last double without ever becoming heavy.
The album is a strong signal of the new and amazing PMG that shakes the stale mood of those years giving vitality to a genre in a stalemate. An impressive example of skill and innovation (see the Oberheim played by Mays) of the sound that is still offered today. A note on the back cover: it drives me crazy. There's a photo of four guys, long-haired and a bit embarrassed, dressed grotesquely. They are indeed the protagonists of this excellent album.
And this is just the beginning.
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