[Harp-L] The Way Up - Pat Metheny Group inc Grégoire Maret



There was chat a while back about the exhalted jazz company chromatic player Grégoire Maret has been keeping recently. I downloaded the new Pat Metheny Group CD with Maret on it yesterday and and, to me, it is a new level of harmonica in jazz. Not because his technique or tone is superior to several other people's, but because of the way this music uses the harmonica as part of very tight ensemble playing. This is ensemble jazz, not the more common play the head, solo in turn backed by others, play the head again style.

Those of you who don't like post-bop jazz, you won't like it. If you do like any modern jazz then it is well worth a listen. It is really one complex piece broken into 3 sections. Like most long jazz compositions, inside are multiple themes or 'heads'. The piece sounds nice without being bland, cliched or (shudder) 'smooth jazz'. It is complex and will unfold with multiple listenings. Incidentally this is a paradox of modern jazz to me, in the age of recording, I can only 'get' the complex improvisations by repeated listening. Mind you unless Pat Metheny can play two guitars at once I think some overdubbing went on here.

A number of things are really interesting regarding the harmonica, at least after two listens
1. confident soloing with something to say but no showing off (if you can harmonise with Pat Metheny on equal terms you don't need to show off really)
2. very tight harmonised ensemble work with the harp blending right in
3. generally a blending of sounds, so it is not always possible to instantly pick out the harmonica. This is partly because the co- composer and keyboard player Lyle Mays often produces sounds that sound at bit like the other instruments playing at the time, except when he doesn't
4. In some ways, the harmonica is 'replacing' the sax, but with a huge awareness of the chordal possibilities of the harmonica


I think this will prove to be an outstanding work. Next time someone goes into a tirade about the neglect of harmonica and harmonica players, I shall think of it. I also thinks it moves harmonica on and upwards. Previous harmonica inroads into modern jazz ensembles are few and it tends to be used for its basic bluesy sound rather than as an instrument on equal footing with the others. Art Ensemble of Chicago used someone sometimes. Archie Shepp included Chicago Beau on Black Gypsy. There are probably couple of others. This is in contrast to the many harpers who play head, solos, head style jazz.

Richard

Richard Hammersley
Grantshouse, Scottish Borders
http://www.last.fm/music/Richard+Hammersley
http://www.myspace.com/rhammersley
http://www.myspace.com/magpiesittingdown








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