I have listened through a couple times now and am quite digging this CD. Whenever you hear a composer(s) run through another context it can show up weaknesses or dependence on a certain voice or tone but these songs are all so strong they can take the change to the big band sound and still have you humming along...I Recommend if you like PMG sound.
This is an great example of "Big Bands" which are normally associated with earlier musical jazz eras, BUT!!! the musicians are modern,current and very good. Methany is very Good.
Very clever adaption of Metheny's style of music. Worth downloading if you are a Metheny fan !
Beautiful arrangements and top-notch musicianship.
Very strong album, some of the arrangements are not quite as strong as others, but the overall effect is good. The band is very tight and the solos are top-notch.
EMu can get these guys so its off to Kowloon for some replicas. Me no want egg-roll.
This is an Ol' College Try. The musicianship sounds top notch, but the arrangements are essentially note-for-note transcriptions simply swapping instrumentation and I don't much like the result. Take "First Circle" for example. The emotion and feeling from the original is totally lost and it just sounds bizarre. These aren't Big Band tunes and no matter how good the Big Band, it ain't got the swing and it don't mean a thing. Real Metheny fans might download 1 track as a test but be prepared to realize that these tracks don't improve on the originals nor do they introduce anything new to the music. Stay away.
These big band arrangements of Metheny songs are successful, in part, because the ensemble's rhythmic integration is excellent: they all play together in tempo, with no slackers (ie. trombones)lagging behind. Excellent musicians playing music they clearly revere. Arrangements that retain most of Metheny's original music: the arranger doesn't attempt to "fix" what's not broken.
although not actually pat & Lyle on their familair groove machine this album does its best to transend the genre into a full 19 piece band. you will definetlly enjoy this album if you are a metheny nut! some of the tunes that stand out are:It's just talk,First Circle, Minuano[with all the groove of the original].Dream of the return,and the popular weather channel tune,Have you heard.
Would love to have actual Metheny/Mays on eMu but this is just as good as the originals and emphasizes/confirms their "orchestral" approach.
