Home » Jazz Articles » Live Review » Pat Metheny at Merriam Theater
Pat Metheny at Merriam Theater

2018 World Tour
Kimmel Center Presents
Merriam Theater
Philadelphia, PA
October 5, 2018
I have covered the jazz "waterfront" for All About Jazz over the past two decades and although I have taken in a lot of territory, I often find myself aware of major gaps in my listening. Even an all-time legendary jazz musician can be a "missing person" on my list. When I read the news that the great ground-breaking guitarist

Pat Metheny
guitarb.1954
When Methenyand subsequently his co-musicians UK pianist

Gwilym Simcock
pianob.1981

Linda May Han Oh
bass, acousticb.1984

Antonio Sanchez
drumsb.1971

Weather Report
band / ensemble / orchestra
Jaco Pastorius
bass, electric1951 - 1987
Following his solo, the group came on stage. Together, they relentlessly delivered solid performances for over two hours with no break, more than anyone could ask for. Metheny seemed to be a bundle of pure, tireless energy with not the slightest sign of breaking a sweat! Often, he switched among his several instruments, the most stunning of which was his Roland GR-300 guitar synthesizer, with which he catapulted into the stratosphere with a compound of acid rock, jazz improvs, and soul music that shook the house. At other times, by contrast, he could use a standard six-string guitar to play ballads with simplicity and grace. He has developed a musical language and a resilient technique that allow him to go between instruments, styles, and genres as if they are all part of a larger whole.
His co-musicians, pianist Simcock, bassist Han Oh, and drummer Sanchez were in perfect synch with Metheny, neither overshadowing him (which is well nigh impossible) nor holding back, but always aware of working as an ensemble. Simcock's piano was muted with a soft padded cover and amplified, giving it a gentler, less percussive sound, and he carefully articulated his comping and solos with an awareness of every note he played. Han Oh gripped her acoustic upright bass tightly, providing a solid bass line, always sensitive to the rhythmic pulse and chord changes. Drummer Sanchez carried forth a rock agenda but with the flexibility and sophistication called for by Metheny's playing. Later in the evening, Han Oh and Sanchez each did duets with the guitarist that were magnificent in style and content. Han Oh masterfully developed melodic and harmonic sequences, and Sanchez used his full, expanded drum set to explore unusual rhythms as well as the sophisticated use of the spaces between the beats.
As a jazz aficionado who usually haunts small clubs and has only rarely attended a rock concert, I congratulate Metheny and his group for making masterful music that also has the ability to "tear down those walls" of genres and styles and brings jazz into conjunction with the roaring pop culture sounds that can sonically fill a stadium and appeal to multiple generations of listeners. This group is on world tour for the next few months, so if you are on the same wavelength with them, you may have an opportunity to hear them live in your neck of the woods.
Photo Credit: Mark Baker
Tags
Live Reviews
pat metheny
Victor L. Schermer
United States
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
Gwilym Simcock
Linda May Han Oh
Antonio Sanchez
Weather Report
Jaco Pastorius
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