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Pat Metheny Group - Speaking of Now Live Actors: Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Pat Metheny Number of Items: 1 Format: Color, DTS Surround Sound, Dolby, Widescreen Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Running Time: 100 minutes Studio: Red Distribution, In Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2003-11-18 Buy from Amazon |
 "Amazing music, stunning musicians, quiet crowd"I think I own every PMG release, as well as Pat with anyone else. I even have Zero Tolerance, and the one where he backs up Joni Mitchell. It's the fattest and most cherished part of my music collection. This DVD is another winner, and possibly the most stunning display of musical beauty and skill to date. Here Pat trots out three new backing band members, each of which could surely have successful solo careers sooner or later. They're that good. We first heard these guys play on the Speaking of Now CD, now we get to see them play. Pat must be very confident to surround himself with so many excellent musicians, but then he probably received his Doctorate of music degree when he was still in diapers (grin). The Tokyo crowd is a bit sedate, so the camera does not play on them much. All the better, as we get to see excellent closeups of the various musicians playing intense passages, instead of seeing the crowd. I wish the cameragrapher had not done any MTV-ish fast video cuts, but at least there are not that many. Most edits are calmly paced. The music sounds a bit better to me when I play it in 5ch stereo instead of Dolby. Some might call that heresy, maybe it's just my Yamaha receiver that's not as good as the best decoders. I'm curious about the band members that left, i.e.; why. They were no slouches. I see Paul Wertico is on his own. Hadn't Paul been drumming PMG since the ECM days? Seems a shame to leave a legend behind. In any case, this is a must-buy for Pat Metheny fans, and a good introduction to PM for anyone who appreciates extreme-skill jazz rock. I couldn't disagree more with the official Amazon review. Even if you don't particularly like the video, you can still turn off the TV and enjoy the good mix of new and old PMG tunes. Perhaps Sam Graham was just trying to stir us up so we'd write more reviews. "I give up."OK....Alright.....I give...Uncle. I have tried my level best not to be drawn in. I have hunted in vain for something trite or poorly played; I have put this DVD on and tried to do useful work while it was running, but I have failed. I can no longer deny the truth: I am a convert. I am blown away. This is the most inventive pap I have ever heard. This band has taken all the bad crapola out there, the mindless wandering of new age noodling, the Kenny G warm milk, the neo-disco fusion funk failures, and a few other equally useless attempts at music and has given it direction, development and substance. Mind you, I still find that other stuff BORING, but this has made a silk purse out of a sows ear! I'm a sucker for sambas; yeah, that's it. Or maybe it's that these guys are MUSICIANS... Some day Pat and Stevie Ray are gonna jam together, and I'm gonna be a good boy, This is a TIGHT band!!! It's a wonderful example of the whole being more than the sum of its parts. Lyle Mays can play piano for me any time. It's no wonder Pat has stayed with Bottom line: I haven't been very productive this week. "One of the best"Good audio. Good video. Great performance of great musucians. PM shines like always. I have all of his dvds, as far as i know, and IMO this one i the best. "The Best PMG DVD to Date"I have followed the Pat Metheny Group since I was in college during the mid to late seventies, and this is the best version of this group I have ever seen. The addition of Antonio Sanchez, Cuong Vu, and Richard Bona bring a fresh element to a group that has always evolved. I loved Pedro Aznar in the eighties, Mark Ledford, David Blamires, and Philip Hamilton in the nineties and early 2000s, but the performance of this new group is tight and packed with even more energy and mystery. Richard Bona is clearly a bonafide singer in his own right, and Cuong Vu is a master of the trumpet like no one I've seen since Miles Davis. The drumming of Antonio Sanchez cannot be overlooked as well. This is an excellent DVD for a long time follower of PMG or someone just being introduced to the band. Oh yeah, lets not forget that the mainstays of the band brought their instruments to play, as well. The fact that Pat Metheny is so secure with himself that he share the spotlight with five other talented musicians makes this an exceptional concert to view. Go out and get it or order it with expedited delivery. "FANTASTIC IN EVERY WAY - Sound, Video, & Talent"Totally sweet DVD. Just like they are supposed to be. Widescreen format, DTS sound option, and easy to navigate. No frenzied camera angle gyrations...just great views of unbelievably talented musicians. The audio mix is fabulous. The video is smooth and clear. What a joy to watch such awesome musicians performing on a well crafted DVD. Most of the time it is hard to get both. Two of the players seem to have the ability to play any instrument! The drummer is phenomenally talented. Need I say more. If you even remotely like Jazz/Fusion this DVD belongs in your collection. |
