The Road to You: Recorded Live in Europe

Performer: Pat Metheny
Engineer: Rob Eaton
Producer: Pat Metheny
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel: Pat Metheny (acoustic & electric guitars, guitar synthesizers); Pedro Aznar (vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion, saxophone, steel drums, vibraphone, marimba, Melodica); Armando Marcal (vocals, percussion, timbales, congas); Lyle Mays (piano, keyboards); Steve Rodby (acoustic & electric bass); Paul Wertico (drums, percussion). All songs written or co-written by Pat Metheny. "The Road To You" won the 1994 Grammy Award for "Contemporary Jazz Performance." Pat Metheny: Pedro Aznar (vocals, acoustic guitar, melodica, saxophone, marimba, steel drum, percussion); Pat Metheny (guitars, guitar synthesizer); Lyle Mays (piano, keyboards); Steve Rodby (acoustic bass, electric bass); Paul Wertico (drums, percussion); Armando Marsal (congas, timbales, percussion). One the thing the Pat Metheny Group has always been known for is being able to pull off everything it can do on record in front of a live audience. THE ROAD TO YOU captures Metheny and his men on a European tour playing for ecstatic fans that even sing along to the guitarist's enchanting melodies. For their enthusiasm they are treated to explosive performances of many of Metheny's best works. Longtime members Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, and Paul Wertico and multi-instrumentalists Armando Marsal and Pedro Aznar round out the group. All of the group's "hits" are here, including the blistering "Have You Heard," which opens the show with a first-of-many jaw-dropping solos by the leader. The dramatic "First Circle" makes for an exciting live piece as Aznar's vocal work and May's delicate piano styling offer many pleasing moments. The crowd erupts at the first notes of the favorite "Last Train Home, " long a Metheny chestnut. The grandest moments, however, come with the exhilarating "Beat 70" and the stunning closer "Third Wind." Also included are some new compositions like the eclectic "Half Life Of Absolution" and Metheny's tender acoustic piece "Solo From 'More Travels'."

Entertainment Weekly (7/23/93, p.61) - "...Metheny unleashes some gritty, angsty playing but mostly leans into his trademarked, fleet-fingered lyricism. Traipsing among Latin, jazz, and folk ideas, Metheny's stuff goes down easy but has musicality deep in the bones..." - Rating: B+ Q (9/93, p.88) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...A landmark Pat Metheny Group album even by this group's unfalteringly high standards..." Down Beat (11/93, p.42) - 3.5 Stars - Good Plus - "...Metheny delivers four new works and breathes new life into some...of his crowd pleasers...."

Jazz guitar innovator Pat Metheny first appeared in the mid-'70s as a prodigy in Gary Burton's band, and soon thereafter he was leading his own group. He is among the few jazz artists who've become household names--his music has appeal well beyond the typical jazz audience, yet his artistic integrity is unquestionable, and he has used his success to pursue many less-commercial side projects. Ever the explorer, Metheny has been a pioneer of the guitar synthesizer, a champion of the avant garde, and a unifier of musical styles, incorporating rock, folk, world music, and even country influences into his unique musical paradigm.

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