Pat Metheny Travels CD

Pat Metheny Group: Pat Metheny (synthesizer, guitar); Lyle Mays (autoharp, piano, organ, synthesizer); Steve Rodby (synthesizer, acoustic & electric basses); Dan Gottlieb (drums).
Additional personnel: Nana Vasconcelos (vocals, berimbau, percussion).
Recorded live in Dallas, Texas; Nacogdoches, Texas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Hartford, Connecticut; Sacramento, California in July, October and November 1982.
Personnel: Pat Metheny (guitar, 12-string guitar, classical guitar, guitar synthesizer); Naná Vasconcelos (vocals, berimbau, drums, percussion); Lyle Mays (autoharp, piano, organ, keyboards, synthesizer, Synclavier); Steve Rodby (bass synthesizer, acoustic bass, electric bass); Dan Gottlieb (drums, snare drum); Danny Gottlieb (drums).
Recording information: Dallas, TX (07/19/1982-11/??/1982); Hartford, CT (07/19/1982-11/??/1982); Nacogdoches, TX (07/19/1982-11/??/1982); Philadelphia, PA (07/19/1982-11/??/1982); Sacramento, CA (07/19/1982-11/??/1982).
Photographers: Milan Horacek; Ron Pownall; Dieter Jahnig; Dieter Rehm.
Now well into its gliding Brazilian-tinged mode, the Pat Metheny Group hits the road, as this two-CD set catches the band live in Dallas, Philadelphia, Hartford, Sacramento, and Nacogdoches, TX. Percussionist Naná Vasconcelos is still listed as a "special guest," but ever since Wichita Falls, he had not only been a part of the group, he was the transforming element in the Metheny "sound," adding his various shakers, effects and ethereal vocals. Sidekick Lyle Mays gets deeper into floating, glistening synthesizer textures, but he is still able to take formidable and touching solos on acoustic grand piano. Still experimenting with new hardware, Metheny's work on a detuned guitar synthesizer gives the live "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls" an exotic Balinese-like sound. Other highlights are the hard Brazilian grooves on "Straight On Red" and "Song for Bilbao," as well as the trademark Metheny glide of "Are You Going With Me?" -- and the brief title track has a winning, guileless simplicity much like that of Keith Jarrett in a prayerful mood. If you liked the popular Offramp, you'll fall for Travels, too, but get the former album first. ~ Richard S. Ginell
A double album that flirts with rock, folk, country and Latin - but is emphatically a jazz album. Metheny is equipped with probably his best ever live group; Steve Rodby, Dan Gottlieb, Nana Vasconcelos, and his right arm, keyboard virtuoso Lyle Mays. The recording exudes warmth, and often improves on tracks already issued on studio albums; for example, 'Phase Dance' is played with more verve and 'Song For Bilbao' sounds more passionate in a live context. The diamond in the mine, however, is the shortest piece - the glorious and delicate title track - worth the price of the album alone.Record Collector (magazine) (p.106) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Metheny used these dates to channel his Brazilian muse, effectively utilising guitar synthesizers to give the group an increasingly electronic, but always innovative and satisfying, arrangement."