Guitarist Pat Metheny Redefines Jazz Boundaries

Author: Bryan McQuade and Michael Lackey

Since bursting onto the scene in 1974, guitarist Pat Metheny has been at the forefront of creativity and innovation in contemporary jazz. From his days as an 18-year- old music teacher at the University of Miami, to his work with the Pat Metheny Group's core members, keyboardist Lyle Mays and bassist Steve Rodby, Metheny has consistently redefined the boundaries of jazz music.

This trend continues with the most recent incarnation of the Group, on their "Speaking of Now" album and tour, which features Mexican-born drummer Antonio Sanchez, bassist/percussionist Richard Bona from Cameroon and Cuong Vu of Seattle, Wash., on trumpet. The third stop on the seven-month tour was at the Flynn Theater in Burlington, Vt., on March 1.

The sextet began their show promptly at 8 p.m., launching into a long block of music from "Speaking of Now." The pieces showcased Metheny's trademark smooth and funky improvisational sound, while revealing each band member's mastery of his own instrument.

Specifically, Metheny's trademark hollow body jazz guitar sound, driven by unique chord progressions and fast-paced strumming, dominated his solos, but did not outshine his band mates' brilliance. Often soloing on multiple keyboards simultaneously, Mays matched Metheny's intensity and, at points, even surpassed it.

The high point of many of the songs, however, was Sanchez's fierce drumming. He consistently provided a rock-solid foundation for the other musicians' solos, and when given the opportunity, he showed his undeniable mastery of the drumkit.

After his first solo, the audience fully understood Metheny's claim to have been "forever changed" by his drumming.

Finally, after an hour and a half of uninterrupted music, Metheny paused to introduce the members of the band. Expressing his respect for each musician's work, Metheny spent some time praising and joking about the trumpet player at the back of the stage, commenting that Vu was young enough to have been listening to the group since he was "really little."

Following the introductions, the group broke away from their traditional sound, and demonstrated the diversity of their repertoire. Metheny excitedly touted the next piece, "Scrap Metal," a recently completed composition. The song began abrasively, with Metheny's guitar screaming, Sanchez's drums pounding and Vu's trumpet wailing.

The band paused, after a minute of this introduction, leaving Vu playing alone. For several minutes, the trumpeter soloed while he also manipulated digital delay effects, resulting in a sound reminiscent of Miles Davis' trumpet on his landmark recording, "Bitches' Brew." The rest of the band rejoined the miraculous young Vu, in a free-form, avant-garde improvisation.

His next selection, a soft, solo acoustic number, entitled "Farmer's Trust," co-authored by Mays, revealed the diversity of Metheny's guitar skill. The delightfully simple song was followed by another unique number, which featured Bona on thumb piano and vocals. This African-influenced prelude segued into a full-band piece in Metheny's traditional style.

Another high point of the concert was a tribute to the late bassist Jaco Pastorius, who had collaborated with Metheny on the "Bright Size Life" album. Metheny, Sanchez, and Bona gathered at one side of the stage and performed this album's title track, a fan favorite at Metheny concerts. The trio fed off one another, and eventually let Bona take over with a stirring bass solo in the Pastorius style.

Before the concert concluded, Metheny gave the crowd a taste of where the Group may be headed, with a piece that was more aligned with progressive rock than contemporary jazz. Recalling Rush in its 1970s heyday, Metheny and his bandmates roared through the piece's complex and intricate time signatures and chord progressions before fading to the electronic soundscapes of Lyle Mays' synthesizers.

Bidding the audience good night after a three-hour set, the band left the stage to a standing ovation, only to return moments later for an encore, which proved a satisfying closing to an amazing evening.