Bright Size Life

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Larger ensembles may have provided Pat Metheny with his most visible successes, but he's repeatedly fired up his most fluid and personal playing in leaner trio settings, starting with this, his 1976 debut as a leader. Bob Moses brings both delicacy and effortless dynamics to his drumming, but it's the late Jaco Pastorius's lyrical electric bass that clinches the guitarist's coming-out party: with Metheny already displaying the liquid tone and exquisite touch that define his sound, old friend Pastorius radiates a sympathetic lyricism and unerring sense of swing. Metheny would match but not transcend this level of interplay in justly celebrated troikas with Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins (on Rejoicing) and Dave Holland and Roy Haynes (on Question and Answer). --Sam Sutherland

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Customer reviews

review by: The Bear date: 2008-09-15 rating:
Excellent stuff
This is great - a real grower and an album to enjoy for years to come. It hasn't aged, there's plenty of space in the recording allowing the trio to work their magic around some great compositions. Recommended!

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review by: the_mascara_snake date: 2004-02-21 rating:
Inexpressibly brilliant!
This record is one of the best dicoveries I ever made. I don't think any record since Davis' 'Kind Of Blue', Zappa's 'Lather' or Stravinsky's 'Soldier's Tale' has had such an effect on me! It's just superb, a must for any guitarist or anyone with any taste for that matter. I just can't wait to get hold of more of Pat's work, and there is plenty of it. Buy it, buy it NOW!

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review by: date: 2003-09-19 rating:
Awesome
One of the finest pieces of jazz ever - Pat Metheny on guitar and Jaco Pastorius on bass. Bob Moses on drums does a fine job of keeping up with these two string demigods though he is never going to be in the same league. If you like jazz and you don't like this, get your ears serviced.


review by: date: 2001-05-24 rating:
Young Metheny in tantalising trio album
This is one of my favourite records. It is Pat Metheny in his finest and freshest form; recorded in 1976 before he was really famous, it is an uncomplicated trio of guitar, electric bass and drums. The two others making up the trio were themselves to go on to great things: drummer Bob Moses was already in the Gary Burton Quintet and bound for jazz stardom, and Metheny's guitar is complimented (and in parts even outplayed) by the late, great Jaco Pastorius.

Uncomplicated, though is far from straightforward, and in this album it is three soloists, rather than a close-knit ensemble feel that pervades. Despite being only 45 mins in length, the eight tracks explore the widest range of versatility from all three. Metheny's now legendary smooth sound can still swing like a train, and the post-bop style rushes of "Missouri Uncompromised" and "Unquity Road" are as hard and straight-ahead East Coast as these three giants will get. They even have time and space for Ornette Coleman's "Round Trip/Broadway Blues" (more post-bop pyrotechnics), although it is Pastorius who impresses most, I must say.

The ballads are amazingly good. "Midwestern Night's Dream" is the longest track of the album, and it fades out with you sitting there wishing it didn't. "Unity Village" likewise, although that piece Metheny alone, overdubbed. There is some overdubbing in the album, but it is unobtrusive and very effective. Particularly impressive is Pastorius's ability to overlay the same fretless bass line on top of a previous take. The sound colour achieved is quite lovely.

I must also praise the sleeve notes. Written by Gary Burton, they are a joy to read. Talking of his doubts about Metheny on their first meeting, he writes: "Well, you just can't help liking this kid...an incredible blend of Missouri, hip, chops and all those teeth!". Enjoy.

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