Pat Metheny, one of the most versatile guitarists of
the day, demonstrates once again his penchant for harmonic
richness, even minus a full band. This is another of
Metheny's solo projects, the last being New Chautauqua,
an underrated gem. One Quiet Night finds
Metheny returning to his Lee's Summit, Missouri roots,
where he was influenced by the likes of Miles Davis and a
host of jazz and European classical musicians.
The title track begins quietly and then moves into a
face-paced, fret-wrenching speed where Metheny hits
just about ever note imaginable before he slows back
down to gather his thoughts to conclude with an apparent
sigh from the energy of the piece.
Metheny tackles the popular Norah Jones song
“Don't Know Why” in a manner that simply begs to
have Jones' voice overlaid on top. One can only imagine how such a collaboration would have
yielded an entirely different result, yet retained a vibe similar to the original.
On “Peace Memory,” Metheny exercises frets while
playing around the melody. This cut, in all its emotional
attire, is indeed peaceful and melodic. But at the same time it's mysterious and
dark, with an edge that commands reflection.
Fans know Metheny is constantly stretching boundaries--never satisfied with creating art for art's
sake--consistently attempting to stretch his limits and challenge
himself. Let's face it, solo projects entail a considerable amount
of risk and few artists venture
there for that reason.
“Ferry Cross the Mersey” begins with a deep tone
and moves circuitously into a melody that sounds as if
birds are chirping and communicating with each other.
The clarity and tranquility of this piece reflects the
overall project, which has a calming effect.
For fans who relish Pat Metheny Group acoustics, this
disc, being a solo project, does not capture those sentiments,
nor is it intended to do so. However, for those who
enjoy melodic, smooth, and acoustic Metheny, this is the
one. The guitarist is very skillful at allowing his audience the
flexibility to go where it wants to as he provides the visual/
aural landscape.
Overall, One Quiet Night is just that: a serene, peaceful
journey with Metheny as guide. Every so often, an
artist feels compelled to create music in his own
words that gives the audience a more detailed perspective
of his location. This Metheny performance speaks to the audience in a tranquil manner,
acoustically and melodically.
Warner Bros. on the web: www.wbjazz.com.
This review first appeared in All About Jazz: Los Angeles
~ Eddie Becton
