Pat Metheny Group - First Circle (1984)

I enjoyed a fantastic jazz concert last night. One of the groups played a Metheny piece and that performance reminded me how much I like this CD. I had a dubbed cassette copy of this album after it was released, listened to it quite a bit back in 1985 then left it for quite a while. About ten years ago, I was suprised to find myself humming the second track from this album and ordered a CD copy immediately. Discovering this music all over again was a joy. To me, this is a collection of uplifting, joyous music made by fantastic musicians offering up some incredible performances, most notably by longtime Metheny collaborator Lyle Mays as well as Argentine percussionist/vocalist/guitarist Pedro Aznar. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance in 1985. I've listened to many Metheny albums, but I always come back to this one.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "more accessible, uptempo exercises in modern fusion, while still testing the band's horizons."
• Downbeat (★★★★★): "the range of his music is unmatched by any of his contemporaries (and few of his elders).
• Musician: "his previous work has led us to expect more"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #91
• Billboard Jazz: #2
• CashBox: #69
• CashBox Jazz: #1
• R&R Jazz Radio National Airplay: #1
• Rolling Stone: #41

Tracks: After starting the album with the dismal Forward March (today may be only the 2nd time I've sat through the entire track), we're treated to three great songs in a row: Yolanda You Learn, the title track, and the beautiful ballad If I Could. What was side two isn't as strong as side one, but the album ends strong with Praise.

For more information on the brief life of the CD longbox,
go visit The Legend of the Longbox.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  I've never been much of a DCI drum corps guy, but I did see The Blue Devils perform a fair arrangement of the title track in 1985. That was another lifetime.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Steve Reich - Different Trains, Electric Counterpoint (1989)