One of the characteristics of jazz guitarist Pat Metheny’s career is his ability and enthusiasm to bond with a plethora of artists and be able to create musical harmony. He’s achieved this with avant-garde legends Ornette Coleman and Derek Bailey, the drummer Roy Haynes and of course with David Bowie.
UPOJENIE (meaning Ecstasy) is the result of Metheny’s collaboration with Anna Maria Jopek, a singer/songwriter from Poland and together they have crafted an album of originals and re-workings of older Metheny tunes, along with Polish folk songs and several originals written by Jopek and her husband that is simply inspired. This atypical album is remarkable yet charming, bizarre yet extraordinary as Jopek’s sophisticated and silvery vocals merge with Metheny’s melodious style that always engages and absorbs; drawing me in to their dark but deeply fragile world.
Having lived in Poland for a brief spell in the 90’s I find the lure of Upojenie sometimes too enthralling; I only have to listen to the poetic interpretation of the standard “Are You Going With Me” or the simplicity of “Biel” to succumb to the magic on offer here. I feel that it epitomizes Metheny playing with a passion and creative spark often missing from his studio albums and highlights the seductive strengths of Jopek.
Immensely satisfying
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Thanks Ken – good review of a great album, thanks for sharing.
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Excellent choice of CD Ken, thanks so much for sharing. The first track starts of just spell-binding and draws you right in. Then before you know it, you’re into jazz territory, really funking it up – awesome, just incredible.
The vocals on the second track remind me a bit of Karen Mathieson of Capercaille, and that’s no bad thing. But the highlight of that track has to be the guitar playing. Simple but very effective.
I am no expert on jazz, far from it and I don’t really know that this would be classed as jazz, not that classification is necessary. I have heard the name Pat Metheny being bandied about before but have never got around to listening to any. Now I am beginning to get an idea what I was missing out on. I will certainly have to explore further.
Hi Spacey – I think you’re going to have a bit of problem here! I know how you like to collect all the albums by an artist to fully understand and enjoy their output and create your own opinion of the artist – this guy must have over 25 albums on his own and collaborations with other artists. Blimey don’t tell your bank manager.
I have 4 of his album – Upojenie, Secret Story, The Road to You (Live) and Beyond The Missouri Sky (with Charlie Haden). They’re all good and I recommend them to you but please have a search as this much to chose from.
I’ll post some samples from each album for you so you can hear a bit more.
And thanks again to Ken for highlighting this guy.
One more thing, have a look at this video for his latest album ‘Orchestrion’ – it describes how he uses solenoids and pneumatics to enable him to play all the instruments simultaneously – he just plays his guitar and everything else follows. Its kinda weird and I bet his band love being replaced by a solenoid – but it is truly a solo record.
oh oh, I got a bit worried when you told me how many albums he has out. Not so much the bank manager problem, but I think Mrs SP might have something to say if I was to go and get them all.
But my local library has come to the rescue. I just checked up, they have 21 of his CDs on their list. Time for a new hard drive methinks.