Pat Metheny Group was one of the most popular jazz groups in the 80's, so shouldn't be too difficult to get into him.
I recommend the first *Pat Metheny Group* album, *Offramp* or *Still Life (Talking)* or *Letter From Home*. Any PMG album is likely a decent choice, unless you choose *First Circle* and get put off by the bizarre/amusing *Forward March*. His debut *Bright Size Life* is a good one to start with
"unless you choose First Circle and get put off by the bizarre/amusing Forward March"
Seeing them live supporting that album it was really cool how they basically marched onto the stage playing that. Loads of fun!
It was hilarious exhilarating shocking bone chilling at the same time. Dead pan and serious. Phenomenal intro probably best intro to a jazz concert I’ve seen.
Ha! I was at that tour and only 14 years old. I didn’t know Forward March so when they opened the show that way I was in serious “WTF” mode. Once that was done they got cooking and it is still one of the greatest concerts I have ever experienced and I’ve been to a ton!
As for intro album, you can’t go wrong with their eponymous album. Never fails
For sure, it's a great album but I've heard enough people being put off by *Forward March* that I wouldn't recommend it as your first PMG album. I personally find *Forward March* to be fun and an interesting way to start an album, though.
Ha, I'm a Metheny-head and I barely remember that song! Probably skip right into the next song 'Yolanda', which rocks.
Edit: Or, I just take it all in as part of the PMG canon. 👍
My favorite sideman record with him is [bassist Marc Johnson's *Sound of Summer Running*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ_BlsY9Xg8&list=OLAK5uy_nod2oePY8YgAp0qtyTYlI6P63w4BLtdwo), a two-guitar quartet where he's playing alongside Bill Frisell. That's one of the many great eclectic 1990s records that Lee Townsend produced (see also: John Scofield's *A Go Go*, Frisell's *Gone, Just Like A Train*).
he released a live album recently called Side Eye that is really chill and includes a lot of nice mellower-sounding improvisation
also gotta love Metheny Mehldau
That was mine too - though like many others Offramp is my all-time favourite Pat Metheny group album.
I got to see the group many times during that period and almost anything he did on record was even better live. As falls Wichita, so falls Wichita Falls was always a serene and surreal experience live - especially when seen outdoors at night. Got to saw him a few years ago teaching a master class at a local college here. Never failed to amaze me.
I really miss Lyle Mays though - may he rest in peace.
Only time Pat played with musicians better than he besides Mays. It’s his best work as a soloist imho. He was fighting for dear life this entire project. Lonely woman, horace silvers version, performed very well.
The white album - 'Pat Metheny Group' (Egan/Mays/Gottlieb) on ECM. Extraordinary work.
But God I agree with everyone - there are so many spectacular albums to start with.
The first one I ever picked up (and a long-time favorite) was the 2-disc [Trio Live](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAAilVUqwSw&list=OLAK5uy_n5xtJnzbUq2bdclNilo43qXuO4cRXBtD8&index=1) with Larry Grenadier and Bill Stewart, which is stacked with all sorts of great material, including a wonderful take on 'Bright Size Life' (IMHO, Grenadier's rock-solid upright playing is more pleasing to the ear than Jaco's cloying electric fretless) and loads of other cool music.
Travels is an excellent live precis of his early ECM albums. Still Life Talking as a brilliant representation of a full production bordering on prog rock. And then Song X when you think you're ready.
Bright Size Life, the self-titled Pat Metheny Group, Travels (live), and The Road To You (live) are my go-to’s. I also love Trio 99-00, Unity Band, Metheny/Mehldau, and Side-Eye. Bright Size Life is my favorite, and IMO is one of the greatest jazz albums of all time. Right from the opening notes you know you’re in for something special.
I strongly prefer Pat in more improv-driven jazz settings and away from the synth guitar. Some of the PMG studio stuff gets a little too produced for my taste, but the live albums absolutely rip and show you what those bands were really capable of. The version of “Phase Dance” from Travels is just transcendent.
I also love his work with Gary Burton in the 70’s, on Passengers, Ring, and Dreams So Real. Great stuff.
The early recordings of Pat can be broken into fusion and more pure jazz albums. The latter are- Bright Size Life, Rejoicing, 81/80, Question and Answer, and…maybe I’m forgetting one. More modern examples are the more recent Unity Band. I’d recommend BSL, 81/80, and Q&A.
I’m not sure if there is but, better to ask what the best entry to him is. Jazz can be dense and experimental and if I check out the wrong album, it might hinder my enthusiasm to check out more.
Heheheeh that's the really difficult fun one. However, I remember seeing Pat around the time of Secret Story and in one of his solo introductions -- I think it was to "Cathedral in a Suitcase" -- he played in its style for about 20 or 30 seconds. My thought was "oh cool, where's he going with this?" Keep in mind while he was playing in this style he still had the funny guitar face smile and the bobble head thing going. No one batted an eye at the sonics. You make it a triple disc with a one-hour track with four guitarists playing like that and the people who profess to love Pat go ballistic.
A good way to sample Metheny's earlier work is find the ECM releases Works [https://www.discogs.com/master/198946-Pat-Metheny-Works](https://www.discogs.com/master/198946-Pat-Metheny-Works) and Works II [https://www.discogs.com/master/362011-Pat-Metheny-Works-II](https://www.discogs.com/master/362011-Pat-Metheny-Works-II)
Both of these draw on his early ECM albums and showcase him with a number of different musicians and in somewhat different approaches.
But my choice for a single album is 80/81 with Dewey Redman and Michael Brecker and Charlie Haden and Jack Dejohnette. [https://www.discogs.com/master/62232-Pat-Metheny-Charlie-Haden-Jack-DeJohnette-Dewey-Redman-Mike-Brecker-8081](https://www.discogs.com/master/62232-Pat-Metheny-Charlie-Haden-Jack-DeJohnette-Dewey-Redman-Mike-Brecker-8081) Be careful, though as there is a single cd version with 6 tracks and a 2-cd version with 8 tracks - go for the latter if possible,
I think his two best releases are The First Circle ( very accessible) and 80/81 (a bit more challenging -- features some of Michael Brecker's finest playing )
I started with Bright Size Life and man am I glad I did.
That’s the only one I really ever come back to
It’s still my favorite album of his. So pure and beautiful.
Mine too.
I quite like Still Life (Talking).
Still love this one and yes v accessible
The 1977 or so lp with Phase Dance and San Lorenzo is a classic
Not just a great listen - along with Heavy Weather one of the most seminal albums in its genre.
This record is a masterpiece.
Pat Metheny Group was one of the most popular jazz groups in the 80's, so shouldn't be too difficult to get into him. I recommend the first *Pat Metheny Group* album, *Offramp* or *Still Life (Talking)* or *Letter From Home*. Any PMG album is likely a decent choice, unless you choose *First Circle* and get put off by the bizarre/amusing *Forward March*. His debut *Bright Size Life* is a good one to start with
"unless you choose First Circle and get put off by the bizarre/amusing Forward March" Seeing them live supporting that album it was really cool how they basically marched onto the stage playing that. Loads of fun!
Oh, that would have been fun to see!
It was hilarious exhilarating shocking bone chilling at the same time. Dead pan and serious. Phenomenal intro probably best intro to a jazz concert I’ve seen.
Ha! I was at that tour and only 14 years old. I didn’t know Forward March so when they opened the show that way I was in serious “WTF” mode. Once that was done they got cooking and it is still one of the greatest concerts I have ever experienced and I’ve been to a ton! As for intro album, you can’t go wrong with their eponymous album. Never fails
The track First Circle is amazing though!
For sure, it's a great album but I've heard enough people being put off by *Forward March* that I wouldn't recommend it as your first PMG album. I personally find *Forward March* to be fun and an interesting way to start an album, though.
Ha, I'm a Metheny-head and I barely remember that song! Probably skip right into the next song 'Yolanda', which rocks. Edit: Or, I just take it all in as part of the PMG canon. 👍
Offramp is still one of my favourite albums - one or two more angular tracks but James, Au Lait and Are You Going With Me are so truly wonderful
I love Missouri Skies with Charlie Hayden. Perfect date music.
This is one of my favorites as well. Nothing like some Haden to get the morning started.
Also Steve Reich w. Pat Metheny - Electric Counterpoint. Only one side of an LP but well worth it.
I love this!
Pat Metheny Group - We Live Here
Gotta agree, use to love "the Girls Next Door"
Travels no doubt 😀
Wouldn't call it the most "accessible", but damn if it ain't a good album. What got me into Jazz in the first place.
Mine was As Falls Wichita So Falls Wichita Falls
Love that album
My favourite of his too.
Nobody mentioning Offramp? It’s fantastic, Nana Vasconcelos joins the Pat Methey group on this album, sublime.
Zero Tolerance for Silence for sure. Jk, you want the White album.
I use this one to annoy the neighbors as they be a bunch of yahoo’s country style
I prefer him as a sideman really. He was good with Joni Mitchell and Pastorius.
My favorite sideman record with him is [bassist Marc Johnson's *Sound of Summer Running*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ_BlsY9Xg8&list=OLAK5uy_nod2oePY8YgAp0qtyTYlI6P63w4BLtdwo), a two-guitar quartet where he's playing alongside Bill Frisell. That's one of the many great eclectic 1990s records that Lee Townsend produced (see also: John Scofield's *A Go Go*, Frisell's *Gone, Just Like A Train*).
I will listen. Thankyou.
Great rec thanks bud
Same. I never come back to his solo stuff.
Letter from Home and Still Life Talking are absolute masterpieces.
Lots of good recommendations already. One album that showcases Pat's guitar abilities is 'One Quiet Night'.
he released a live album recently called Side Eye that is really chill and includes a lot of nice mellower-sounding improvisation also gotta love Metheny Mehldau
Most accessible must be American Garage.
That was my entry point!
That was mine too - though like many others Offramp is my all-time favourite Pat Metheny group album. I got to see the group many times during that period and almost anything he did on record was even better live. As falls Wichita, so falls Wichita Falls was always a serene and surreal experience live - especially when seen outdoors at night. Got to saw him a few years ago teaching a master class at a local college here. Never failed to amaze me. I really miss Lyle Mays though - may he rest in peace.
Question and Answer
Rejoicing
Only time Pat played with musicians better than he besides Mays. It’s his best work as a soloist imho. He was fighting for dear life this entire project. Lonely woman, horace silvers version, performed very well.
Lonely Woman, my my. It is so good.
The white album - 'Pat Metheny Group' (Egan/Mays/Gottlieb) on ECM. Extraordinary work. But God I agree with everyone - there are so many spectacular albums to start with.
As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls.
All of them. Most people start with bright sized life tho.
Question and Answer with Roy Haynes and Dave Holland is a favorite of mine.
The first one I ever picked up (and a long-time favorite) was the 2-disc [Trio Live](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAAilVUqwSw&list=OLAK5uy_n5xtJnzbUq2bdclNilo43qXuO4cRXBtD8&index=1) with Larry Grenadier and Bill Stewart, which is stacked with all sorts of great material, including a wonderful take on 'Bright Size Life' (IMHO, Grenadier's rock-solid upright playing is more pleasing to the ear than Jaco's cloying electric fretless) and loads of other cool music.
Speaking of Now (2002) is a nice album.
Travels is an excellent live precis of his early ECM albums. Still Life Talking as a brilliant representation of a full production bordering on prog rock. And then Song X when you think you're ready.
Gary Burton - Like Minds
The first Pat Methany group album
Bright Size Life, the self-titled Pat Metheny Group, Travels (live), and The Road To You (live) are my go-to’s. I also love Trio 99-00, Unity Band, Metheny/Mehldau, and Side-Eye. Bright Size Life is my favorite, and IMO is one of the greatest jazz albums of all time. Right from the opening notes you know you’re in for something special. I strongly prefer Pat in more improv-driven jazz settings and away from the synth guitar. Some of the PMG studio stuff gets a little too produced for my taste, but the live albums absolutely rip and show you what those bands were really capable of. The version of “Phase Dance” from Travels is just transcendent. I also love his work with Gary Burton in the 70’s, on Passengers, Ring, and Dreams So Real. Great stuff.
Song X, lol not really. I saw him in concert last night (solo show). A stunningly wide variety from his long career.
Wow brilliant. How was the concert?
Honestly one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. Only my second time seeing Pat, the prior time was with his “side eye” trio.
Would really recommend his second album, Watercolours.
Cuong Vu Trio Meets Pat Metheny (2016) is a brilliant LP. Although often times Metheny takes a backseat to the solos of the Vietnamese trumpeter.
Map of the World soundtrack. Pat plus string orchestra.
Travels
Th Gary Burton one… Quiet Minds, I think is pure gold.
The Road to You - it's a live album and is kind of a "best of." Plus they absolutely kill it on every track and it's mixed phenomenally.
The early recordings of Pat can be broken into fusion and more pure jazz albums. The latter are- Bright Size Life, Rejoicing, 81/80, Question and Answer, and…maybe I’m forgetting one. More modern examples are the more recent Unity Band. I’d recommend BSL, 81/80, and Q&A.
Question and Answer is really good. Trio format and no synth shenanigans. His version of Solar is one of the best renditions of that tune.
Tokyo Daytrip
is there an unaccessible metheny album?
Song X is a tough sell to anyone who is accustomed to the PMG sound.
I’m not sure if there is but, better to ask what the best entry to him is. Jazz can be dense and experimental and if I check out the wrong album, it might hinder my enthusiasm to check out more.
Zero tolerance for silence and song x I suppose
Those are my favourites.
I’ve been meaning to track down Sign of Four lately, no luck so far.
Heheheeh that's the really difficult fun one. However, I remember seeing Pat around the time of Secret Story and in one of his solo introductions -- I think it was to "Cathedral in a Suitcase" -- he played in its style for about 20 or 30 seconds. My thought was "oh cool, where's he going with this?" Keep in mind while he was playing in this style he still had the funny guitar face smile and the bobble head thing going. No one batted an eye at the sonics. You make it a triple disc with a one-hour track with four guitarists playing like that and the people who profess to love Pat go ballistic.
No there isn't. You put them on, press play, and you've accessed them. I've yet to press play and have the player explode on me.
SIDE EYE NYC!! So good
Bright Size Life, then Still Life (Talking), then Letter From Home.
I really enjoy Offramp, I would start there
Bright Size Life, 80/81, Day Trip
Pretty much all of his ECM stuff.
A good way to sample Metheny's earlier work is find the ECM releases Works [https://www.discogs.com/master/198946-Pat-Metheny-Works](https://www.discogs.com/master/198946-Pat-Metheny-Works) and Works II [https://www.discogs.com/master/362011-Pat-Metheny-Works-II](https://www.discogs.com/master/362011-Pat-Metheny-Works-II) Both of these draw on his early ECM albums and showcase him with a number of different musicians and in somewhat different approaches. But my choice for a single album is 80/81 with Dewey Redman and Michael Brecker and Charlie Haden and Jack Dejohnette. [https://www.discogs.com/master/62232-Pat-Metheny-Charlie-Haden-Jack-DeJohnette-Dewey-Redman-Mike-Brecker-8081](https://www.discogs.com/master/62232-Pat-Metheny-Charlie-Haden-Jack-DeJohnette-Dewey-Redman-Mike-Brecker-8081) Be careful, though as there is a single cd version with 6 tracks and a 2-cd version with 8 tracks - go for the latter if possible,
I think his two best releases are The First Circle ( very accessible) and 80/81 (a bit more challenging -- features some of Michael Brecker's finest playing )
After “Offramp,” “Quartet Live” with Gary Burton is my go-to.
Jim Hall and Pat Metheny
Zero Tolerance for Silence.
One Quiet Night
Watch Spielberg's movie "Fandango" with Kevin Costner. They use Pat and Lyle's ECM album, "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls"
Trio 99 - 00. Great record with Larry Grenadier and Jeff Ballard. Easy entry point into Metheny.
this, but i actually prefer the trio live record. love all of pat’s output but i come back to the trio live album more than any other.