Quartet | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 1996 | |||
Recorded | May 1996 | |||
Studio | Right Track, New York City | |||
Genre | Jazz, jazz fusion | |||
Length | 66:01 | |||
Label | Geffen | |||
Producer | Pat Metheny | |||
Pat Metheny chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quartet (1996) is the eighth studio album by the Pat Metheny Group. The album features Pat Metheny on guitar, Lyle Mays on keyboards, Steve Rodby on bass, and Paul Wertico on drums. The approach for the album was to not write lengthy compositions before recording but instead use merely sketches and rely mostly on improvisation in a setting with just acoustic instruments, a departure from the usual thoroughly orchestrated sound using synthesizers and sequencing the Group is usually known for. The result is experimental, moody, and loose, even dark in some moments. The instrumentation relies mostly on acoustic instruments including various keyboard instruments such as the spinet piano, Harmonium, Fender Rhodes, autoharp and various guitars including the 42-string Pikasso guitar. The Roland GR-300 guitar synthesizer makes appearances on "Oceania" and "Language of Time".
With the exception of "When We Were Free" on the Group's final Songbook Tour, the Group itself never played these songs live. "When We Were Free" however has been played in various other trios and groups centered around Metheny including a version recorded on Day Trip . Michael Brecker recorded versions of "As I Am" (on Time Is of the Essence), "Seven Days" and "Sometimes I See" (on Nearness of You: The Ballad Book).
All tracks are written by Pat Metheny except where noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Introduction" | 0:56 | |
2. | "When We Were Free" | 5:39 | |
3. | "Montevideo" | Metheny, Mays, Rodby, Wertico | 2:55 |
4. | "Take Me There" | Metheny, Mays | 3:39 |
5. | "Seven Days" | 4:04 | |
6. | "Oceania" | Mays | 3:47 |
7. | "Dismantling Utopia" | Metheny, Mays, Rodby, Wertico | 6:52 |
8. | "Double Blind" | Mays | 4:15 |
9. | "Second Thought" | 2:50 | |
10. | "Mojave" | 3:37 | |
11. | "Badland" | Metheny, Mays, Rodby, Wertico | 7:31 |
12. | "Glacier" | Mays | 1:25 |
13. | "Language of Time" | Metheny, Mays | 7:33 |
14. | "Sometimes I See" | 6:01 | |
15. | "As I Am" | 5:04 |
Patrick Bruce Metheny is an American jazz guitarist and composer.
The Pat Metheny Group was an American jazz band founded in 1977 by guitarist and composer Pat Metheny, along with his core collaborating member, keyboardist and composer Lyle Mays. Other long-standing members included bassist and producer Steve Rodby, from 1981 to 2010, and drummer Paul Wertico, from 1983 to 2001, after which Antonio Sanchez became the percussionist from 2002 to 2010. Vocalist Pedro Aznar was also a long-time member, performing with the group from 1984 to 1993. In addition to a core quartet, the group was often joined by a variety of other instrumentalists expanding the size to six or eight musicians.
Offramp is the third studio album by the Pat Metheny Group, recorded in October 1981 and released on ECM May the following year. The performers are Pat Metheny; Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby and Danny Gottlieb in the rhythm section; and percussionist and singer Naná Vasconcelos.
Watercolors is the second album by American jazz guitarist Pat Metheny, recorded in February 1977 and released on ECM in June 1977. Metheny's quartet features rhythm section Lyle Mays, Eberhard Weber and Danny Gottlieb.
Pat Metheny Group is the debut album by the Pat Metheny Group, recorded in January 1978 and released on ECM in March that same year. The quartet features rhythm section Lyle Mays, Mark Egan, and Danny Gottlieb.
American Garage is the second studio album by the Pat Metheny Group, recorded in June 1979 and released on ECM in November 1979. The quartet features rhythm section Lyle Mays, Mark Egan and Dan Gottlieb.
As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls is an album by jazz guitarist Pat Metheny and jazz pianist Lyle Mays recorded in September 1980 and released on ECM April the following year. The trio features percussionist Naná Vasconcelos.
Speaking of Now is the tenth studio album by the Pat Metheny Group. It was released in 2002 by Warner Bros. The band was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album for the album in 2003.
The Way Up is the eleventh and final studio album by the Pat Metheny Group. It was released in 2005 and won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 2006. It is the last Pat Metheny album to feature long-time collaborator Lyle Mays.
Travels is a live double album by the Pat Metheny Group recorded in July, October, and November 1982 and released on ECM the following year. The quintet features pianist Lyle Mays and rhythm section Steve Rodby and Dan Gottlieb, with guest Nana Vasconcelos.
First Circle is the fourth studio album by the Pat Metheny Group recorded over four day in February 1984 and released on ECM later that year. Metheny is joined by Lyle Mays on keyboards, Steve Rodby on bass, Paul Wertico on drums, and Pedro Aznar on vocals, percussion, and guitar. First Circle won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance.
We Live Here is the seventh studio album by the Pat Metheny Group. It won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 1996. Official DVD recorded in Gotanda U-Port Hall, Tokyo, Japan in October 1995.
Imaginary Day is the ninth studio album by the Pat Metheny Group. It was released in 1997 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was strongly inspired by world music from Iran and Indonesia, and won the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. The song "The Roots of Coincidence" won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance; critic Richard Ginnell of AllMusic described the song as a dramatic departure for the group: "[an] out-and-out rock piece with thrash metal and techno-pop episodes joined by abrupt jump cuts."
Still Life (Talking) is the fifth studio album by the Pat Metheny Group. It was released in 1987 on Geffen Records. It won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance and was certified gold by the RIAA on July 2, 1992.
Letter from Home is the sixth studio album by the Pat Metheny Group. It was released in 1989 by Geffen Records. In 1990, the album won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance. It was certified gold by the RIAA on July 23, 1998.
The Falcon and the Snowman is the soundtrack album to the film The Falcon and the Snowman (1985), composed and produced by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays and performed by the Pat Metheny Group. It includes the song "This Is Not America," a major hit sung by David Bowie. The music is performed by the Pat Metheny Group with occasional orchestra and choir.
Secret Story is an album by Pat Metheny released in 1992 that won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 1993. All of the music is composed by Metheny, and it is one of his most ambitious studio ventures, integrating elements of jazz, rock, and world music. On the performing side, it includes collaborations with the Pinpeat Orchestra of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia, the London Orchestra and its conductor Jeremy Lubbock, the Choir of the Cambodian Royal Palace, legendary harmonica player Toots Thielemans, and keyboardist Lyle Mays from Pat Metheny Group.
Trio → Live is a live album by Pat Metheny, released in 2000, recorded with Bill Stewart and Larry Grenadier. It was recorded as a live complement to the trio’s studio album Trio 99→00, released the same year. The album covers a mixture of standards, older pieces by Metheny and recent compositions. It was recorded live during 1999 and 2000 on tour in Europe, Japan and the United States, and was co-produced by Steve Rodby.
The Road to You is the second live album by the Pat Metheny Group that won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance.
Jim Hall & Pat Metheny is an album by jazz guitarists Jim Hall and Pat Metheny that was released by Telarc on April 27, 1999. The album contains eleven studio recording tracks and six live tracks.