Circling

On the way home from the biblioteca this afternoon, Walden in tow, we were tuned into KRTU, our jazz alternative: cool, funky vibe rolls and then a guitar run, unmistakable sound, gotta be Pat Metheny, sez I. Deejay later confirms, from his album "Orchestrion." Starts in on bit of a riff on orchestrions, little of which comes across with much clarity. I file it away for surf-time. More on the orchestrion later.

I first stumbled onto PM out in Uvalde County, the surveying months (14 months, actually), PBS something or other, damned celestial it sounded to me. Perfect medicine for the incurable lyric romanticist. Carried the love on to Austin for grad school. The early celestial vibe grew to incorporate a Brazilian sound, always a guarantee to slay me even further. I've fallen away at times, as the sound got more avant garde, but P and buddy Lyle Mays always manage to reel me back in, as they return to center. I've seen them twice, once at Austin's Paramount Theater, and once at Tulane, during the New Orleans years. Surfing around for more of the orchestrion bidness, I got pulled back into some old favorites. Had to stop myself from going overboard, but this is a good sample.

Slip Away



Have You Heard



First Circle



Here to Stay (love the funky Marvin groove on this one)



The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (nice change of pace with bassist Charlie Haden)



Spirit of the Air (this is the cut I heard this afternoon; sounds like very early Metheny, the way it builds, the vibes, bells, with some of the Here to Stay funk-groove; apologies for the sales shtick that opens and closes...)



The Orchestrion (if you're up for it, a nice little intro about what's going on with all this orchestrion bidness; apparently, he and "it" are out on tour, even back to Austin's Paramount next month. It was about 30 years ago when I last saw him there. Haven't decided yet...)