Note: this release was originally purchased as a LP, later replaced by this CD.
Just your typical Metheny greatness which was his norm during the ECM years. It's more popish than fusionish, but that's fine with this guy. Besides, music can be both commercially accessible and artistically challenging.
Nominated for the Grammy award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance, losing to The Manhattan Transfer version of Birdland.
Reviews/ratings:
- CashBox: "dazzling fusion effort"
- DownBeat (★★★): "Good musicianship isn’t enough to enervate the anemic tunes."
- The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★½
- The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★
- The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★★
Album chart peaks:
- US Billboard Top 200: #53
- Billboard Jazz: #1
- CashBox: #57
- CashBox Jazz: #2
- Record World Jazz: #3
Tracks: Rumor has it Metheny isn't fond of track 5, The Epic. Admittedly, that's the worse track on this album, but it's still dang good. Don't skip any. In fact, this thing is so short (35 minutes), spin it twice back-to-back. If you're looking for my favorite track, just pick any of the first four.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None, but I love the cover photo by Joel Meyerowitz. And with titles like (Cross The) Heartland, Airstream, and The Search, I should really listen to this more on the open road.
Previously revisited for the blog:
Selected Recordings :rarum IX (2004)
Steve Reich - Different Trains, Electric Counterpoint (1989)
The Falcon And The Snowman Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1985)
First Circle (1984)
Travels (1983)
Offramp (1982)
80/81 (1980)
Watercolors (1977)
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