Metheny Mehldau Quartet
Pat Metheny | Brad Mehldau
Nonesuch released the second collaboration between guitarist Pat Metheny and pianist Brad Mehldau—Quartet—on March 13, 2007. The record features seven tracks written by Metheny, three by Mehldau, and one jointly written tune. Mehldau’s bandmates, drummer Jeff Ballard and bassist Larry Grenadier, play on seven of the songs, while the remaining three are duets. The four musicians go on a 27-city North American tour—including stops in Los Angeles, Berkeley, Chicago, Boston, Washington, and New York—March 15–April 15.
Quartet follows the 2006 release Metheny Mehldau, which primarily was a duet record (with Ballard and Grenadier on two tracks), and also featured original compositions by Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau. Jazzwise (UK)called that album “the jazz event of the year by some distance.” “I have followed Brad’s career closely as he has emerged as the major young jazz musician of his generation,” Metheny says. “Somehow it always seemed like we would do something together. From the first note of the first take of the first tune we played, we both could just play pretty much full out.”
Mehldau agrees: “When you do a collaborative project with someone, one thing that you hope is that neither of you will have to adjust too radically to make the other person comfortable. In this situation with Pat, it was the opposite.” He continues, “Having the chance to make music with Pat Metheny has been nothing short of a dream come true for me. Pat is one of the musicians who made me want to play jazz from an early age.”
Metheny Mehldau Quartet: Night Away, July 28, 2007
Metheny Mehldau Quartet
01. Night Away
02. Sound of Water
03. Fear and Trembling
04. So Much Music Everywhere
05. Towards the Light
06. Long Before
07. La Tierra Que No Olvida
08. Santa Cruz Slacker
09. Secret Beach
10. Silent Movie
11. Marta's Theme (from Passagio per il Paradiso)
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Credits:
MUSICIANS
Pat Metheny, guitar (1, 3, 6-8, 10, 11), 42-string guitar (2), acoustic guitar (4), guitar synth (5, 9)
Brad Mehldau, piano (1-11)
Larry Grenadier, bass (1-11)
Jeff Ballard, drums (1-11)
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Pat Metheny
Recorded December 2005 at Right Track Recording, New York, NY
Engineered by Pete Karam
Assistant Engineers: Hyomin Kang, Angie Teo, Justin Schturtz
Mixed by Rob Eaton at Right Track Recording
Additional Mixing by Pete Karam
Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, New York, NY
Guitar Tech: Carolyn Chrzan
Production assistance: David Oakes
Design by Doyle Partners
Cover photograph by Arild Danielsen
Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz