Search - Pat Metheny :: Rarum Xiv: Selected Recordings (Dig)

The best from the best

Gavin Wilson | 02/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"ECM was my favourite record label in the 1970s, and Pat Metheny my favourite artist on that label (until his shock departure to Geffen), so this greatest-hits compilation is an important album for me, particularly as Pat selected the tracks himself. I've owned his ECM records for many a year -- some in both LP and CD formats -- so I wasn't expecting anything more than a new, remastered light to be shone on old treasures. The key questions for me, before getting the CD from Amazon, were: 1. Why only a single CD, when Messrs Jarrett and Garbarek got a double CD compilation?
2. What tracks would Pat choose?
3. What would the remastered tracks sound like? (The follow-up question is: why isn't ECM releasing its back-catalogue highlights on SACD and/or DVD-audio?) Only Manfred Eicher, the genius behind ECM, can answer Q1. My guess is that Garbarek and Jarrett were rewarded for the intense loyalty they have shown to the ECM label from the start. The loss to Geffen in the mid-80s of a guitarist who had the potential to be ECM's biggest-ever star must have been a terrible shock for the German record company. (I wouldn't be surprised if this event helped trigger Eicher's move into more classical territory with Arvo Part etc.) Presumably David Geffen appealed to Metheny's US patriotism and his bank balance. But Pat's copious liner notes for this compilation -- the longest I've seen in the :rarum series -- do not hint at any bad blood between Metheny and ECM. Metheny is no literary giant, but his notes repeatedly say how much he still enjoys playing many of the tunes selected here. (His anecdote which ends with "We still laugh about that one" is wonderfully mundane, by the way.)

As for Q2, the track selection is, for me, 95% immaculate. I would loved to have Offramp's 'Au Lait' and First Circle's 'Praise', but you have to discard so many masterpieces when the record company gives you just 75 minutes of CD space.(The selection is better incidentally than the 'Works' compilation released in the mid-80s on both CD and LP, which restricted editors to just 50 minutes.)

Q3. The sound quality has improved with digital remastering, but not to the highest standards now being set by SACD with 5.1. As a great fan of ECM's 'chamber music' sound in the 1970s, I have to say that its failure to maintain its sonic lead is my biggest disappointment about the label. ECM LPs used to cost a bit more than other LPs, because they were made from better, heavier label, and more effort was put into production and sonic fidelity. The advent of CD all but eliminated ECM's advantage, and ECM has been caught napping by the arrival of the new SACD and DVD-audio formats, which represent the current ultimate in sound quality. But that's just me being perfectionist. Whether you're a committed Metheny fan or a new recruit, you're in for a treat with this package."

Good selection of great material

FePe | Denmark | 05/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pat Metheny's guitar voice is a characteristic one - when you hear it, you know it's him. He has a rather melodic technique, which is suited for many groups, notably the Pat Metheny Group. Metheny has written 11 pages of background information about the various groups setups, a section for each song included in this :rarum release.This release is not different from the other releases in the series. The colors are the same, and the method of selecting the material is also the same - the best of the best groups, or the songs which shows the artist from most possible sides. The first song "Bright Size Life" is from the album of the same name, recorded in 1995 with legendary Jaco Pastorious and Bob Moses. "New Chautauqua" is a solo tune with a country-style way of playing to it. The fourth, "Airstream", is a Pat Metheny Group song, and it has the usual 80s sound. "Everyday (I Thank You)" is from the album "80/81" with Jack DeJohnette, and the airy Mike Brecker. Metheny's guitar really suits the soundscape very nice. "Are You Going With Me?" is a unusual jazz tune, very flowing with the synthesizer constantly laying the ground and giving a cool solo.As the other :rarum releases, this one gives the broad view of the artist in question. For listeners new to Pat Metheny, there's much to find in these nine songs, but if you are a hardcore fan of Metheny, there's nothing new. It's only the ECM records that are included of course, the years from 1975 through 1985, and that naturally excludes some of the newer Pat Metheny. But knowing the history of an artist is a good way of learning more about him or her, so buying this release first and then a recent album is a good idea."

Pat Metheny - The First 10 Years!!!

Louie Bourland | Garden Grove CA | 02/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Guitarist Pat Metheny's compilation for ECM Records "Rarum: Selected Recordings" series is an exquisite collection of his first ten years as a solo artist (1975-1985). All nine tracks on this CD were selected by Pat himself and he also provides informative details behind each track in the CD booklet.
During his time with ECM records (as well as now), Pat was constantly experimenting with new sounds and styles showcasing his versitility. That versilility comes through in every track in this compilation. Many of the tracks such as "Bright Size Life", "New Chautauqua", "Phase Dance" and "Are You Going With Me?" have since become Metheny classics while others such as "Every Day I Thank You" and "Airstream" are up there as some of his best works.
While a few key tracks from this period are missing, this is an outstanding overview of Pat Metheny's years with the ECM label. Pat did an excellent job with the track selection and liner notes. This music sounds as fresh and new as when it was originally released and is an essential addition from an essential guitar pioneer."