28/07/2008

I cut my jazz teeth on the music of guitarist Pat Metheny and vibraphonist Gary Burton so this chance to see the two together for the first time on one of only two UK dates was too good an opportunity to miss. With long term associate Steve Swallow appearing on bass guitar and with current Metheny group member Antonio Sanchez on drums this was a genuine all star line up.

Advance publicity had suggested that the group would be reproducing material from the 1998 album “Like Minds” which also featured Chick Corea, Roy Haynes and Dave Holland. In the event Burton and Metheny dived even deeper into their back catalogues reviving tunes from their classic ECM albums of the seventies.

Metheny began his career as a young sideman with Burton’s group way back in 1974. In jazz terms his career has gone stellar since those early days but here he was happy to concede lead billing to his former boss. The early numbers of the set- including the attention grabbing opener “Sea Journey”(written by Chick Corea)and Keith Jarrett’s lovely ballad “Coral”- reflected this, with the fluent Burton handling the majority of the solos.

However this was not just an exercise in nostalgia or a mere re-tread of the past. Metheny has developed enormously as a player since his initial tenure with Burton, not least in his embracing of new musical technology. An updated version of his own “Unquity Road” saw him deploying his trademark guitar-synthesiser sound as Burton sat back and Metheny, Swallow and Sanchez almost entered power trio mode.

Burton made the point that the quartet always made a point of playing interesting tunes by talented composers and that in that sense it was a form of “chamber ensemble”. Corea, Jarrett, Carla Bley and Mike Gibbs were all regular contributors to the Burton repertoire. However the quartet’s subtly rock influenced delivery was always vigorous enough to allay any use of the word “chamber” as a pejorative term. For all it’s structure and prettiness Burton’s playing still possesses a certain drive, which was much in evidence tonight, and with his stunning four mallet technique his dazzling solos always exude a kind of inner logic.

Swallow has been associated with Burton since 1967 and the importance of his contribution cannot be overstated. A pioneer of the electric bass with his distinctive cutaway custom made five string model Swallow is a gifted soloist as well as a fine rhythm player. His liquid, lyrical playing was given plenty of time in the spotlight and rightly so, much of his highly dexterous playing taking place high up around the neck of the instrument. In his own quiet way Swallow was as much responsible for the establishment of the electric bass as a respectable solo instrument as Eberhard Weber or the more flamboyant Jaco Pastorius. Swallow is also a composer of some distinction and his tunes have always featured in Burton’s songbook. His abilities in this area were demonstrated by the stately “Falling Grace” and the infectious, Latin tinged “Como En Vietnam”.

As the evening progressed Metheny came more into his own and in effect he assumed equal billing with Burton. This was evidenced when Swallow and Sanchez left the stage as Burton and Metheny played a series of duets. Burton has often worked in this context, most famously with Chick Corea but also with Swallow, Ralph Towner and Paul Bley.

Here the Burton/Metheny duo played three short pieces with Metheny appearing first on acoustic guitar, then electric and finally on his unique 42 string Pikasso guitar. The empathy between the two was as strong as ever and the duets were a welcome variation in a lengthy but well paced show.

The return of Swallow and Sanchez upped the ante as the quartet hit the home straight. Sanchez became more prominent and a couple of over lengthy drum features represented the only longueurs of the evening. Having said that Sanchez is a superb technician and his overall playing was a tasteful combination of subtlety and controlled power. As the strings of Metheny and Swallow intermeshed with Burton’s flowing vibes Sanchez was the anchor that held everything together.

A pleasingly large crowd at the 1500 seater Lighthouse gave them a deserved standing ovation and the quartet returned for two encores. This may have been a nostalgia exercise for some but with music that sounds as fresh and timeless as this does it really matter?

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