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Amazon.co.uk Review
It's as calming as you might expect, with Pat investigating a more esoteric tuning mode and playing pure, with no overdubs. His lone axe is given a big, reverb-soaked sound, acting like a virtual orchestra in a cavernous space. The bass strings resonate with a plump power, silvery high-string phrases dancing above.
Metheny deliberately avoids any flashy fingerpicking, concentrating on gentle plucks, savouring the scrape, rub and click of his strings and allowing gaps for thought. He's completely relaxed and spontaneous, sustaining a mellow mood throughout. Around the midway mark of "Time Goes On" and Keith Jarrett's "My Song", the ideas seem to get cut adrift, yearning for bold gestures or emphatic statements. One problem is that Metheny doesn't vary the sound zones that he's exploring.
On "Peace Memory", ascending lines never quite reach their conclusion, but climb back up from the bottom again, then "Over on 4th Street" introduces a vigorous strum, underpinned by seeping bass notes. "I Will Find the Way" rejoices in singing harmonics, producing a luminous stasis that's in sharp contrast with "Ferry Cross the Mersey", which is certainly an unexpected song-choice for Metheny. --Martin Longley
Review
Though this lovely record is nowhere near as left field as some of those projects, it's miles away from the airbrushed sheen of the Pat Metheny Group. One Quiet Night finds Pat on his own with a baritone guitar (basically an acoustic guitar in an extended 'Nashville' tuning). Recorded mostly at home, solo with a single mic (the first time he's done a truly 'solo' record), it's an unsurprisingly intimate, hushed affair. There are a few covers; Keith Jarrett's 'My Song", Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why" and most suprisingly, Gerry and the Pacemakers' "Ferry Cross The Mersey'. The rest are Metheny originals; some improvised, some familiar ("Last Train Home").
The mood is reminiscent of the countrified pastoralism of the early New Chautauqua and Beyond the Missouri Sky, Pat's collaboration with bassist Charlie Haden. Like fellow guitarist Bill Frisell, there's always been a lot of country and folk in his playing, though this isn't a genre 'Americana' record in the way that some of Frisell's recent efforts have been. This is more like Chet Atkins playing Paul Bley (or maybe the other way round).
What's unique aboutMetheny is his simultaneous ability to keep thousands of wannabe guitarists fixed intently on each chord substitution, while actually making music that communicates and, more importantly, provokes emotional response. His reading of "Ferry Cross the Mersey" is a case in point. Subtle shifts and modulations bring out new beauties and tensions in what is essentially a pretty simple tune, while his careful deployment of the extended range of his instrument results in an almost pianistic range. Whatever, it's lovely.
Late at night, with the rain beating against the windows, this is the kind of record that can send you to bed feeling that all's right with the world. In times like these, that's no bad thing. --Peter Marsh
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Customer Reviews
The beauty of this CD is how it can distract and soothe your mind from the ethic overload of daily life.
This is the perfect CD to place in your sound system when you are having friends over for a meal and you want to create a warm and friendly ambiance.
The music is elegant and not pretentious. A great CD.
This has now become my perfect 'wind down' album at the end of the day.
Deserves a much wider audience and greater acclaim. A truly breathtaking album.
This was essentially a couple of rehersal tracks augmented by a handful of... Read more
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