Bebop Spoken There

Ron Carter quoting Sonny Rollins: ''What we call jazz - that's keeping the world in equilibrium. I don't care what kind of music you like out here today. It all comes from jazz.'' (DownBeat August, 2026)

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18799 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 663 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Aug. 12) 32.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

From This Moment On

August

Sun 16: Vintage Explosion @ Cliffe Park, Roker, Sunderland SR6 8DB. 5:00-10:30pm. £44.00 (inc. bf).

Mon 17: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00.
Thu 20: Edson Angus Quartet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 20: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 21: Andrzej Baranek Trio @ The Lit & Phil. 1:00pm. £8.00. Andrzej Baranek (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: David Gray Flextet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 21: Errol Linton & His Band + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Excellent blues double bill.

Sat 22: Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham Alumni All Stars + Swing Manouche @ Darlington Market Place. From 1:00pm. Free. The All Stars (1:00pm); The Alumni (2:00-4:00pm); Swing Manouche (4:15pm).

Sunday, February 21, 2021

Album review: Pat Metheny - Road to the Sun

Four Paths of Light: Jason Vieaux (solo guitar); Pat Metheny (composer).

Road to the Sun: The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet - John Dearman (7-string guitar); Matthew Greif, William Kanengiser, Scott Tennant (guitars) + Pat Metheny (composer all tracks & guitar tracks 2 & 4).

Für Alina: Pat Metheny (42-string guitar).

A  one for guitar buffs and Metheny fans in particular. Although the universally regarded number one guitarist is only featured exclusively on the bonus track he did compose all of the music which is presented in the form of two suites. 

Four Paths of Light, not surprisingly, consists of four parts played on classical guitar by Jason Vieaux one of the composer's favourite guitarists - a feeling that I'm sure is mutual.

Road to the Sun comprises six parts played by the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet with Metheny sitting in on a couple of them. It's all played perfectly by probably some of the best players on the planet - no doubt D'Addario strings are happy with the performance of their products.

However, as a non-guitarist I longed for another instrument to offer contrast which, in itself, would have further enhanced the performance.

The final track features the great man himself playing his 42-stringer which is more strings than the other 5 guitars put together. The D'Addario plant must have been working overtime!

It has quite an ethereal sound on this one track, Für Alina, although I'm not sure if he was firing on all 42.

Lance

Available March 5 on Modern Recordings/BMG.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

What a stupid review.

Lance said...

I know! Just can't get the staff these days. However, if you would care to write a review you're more than welcome to do so.

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