Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny • Beyond The Missouri Sky (Short Stories)

 

Review by Daniel Gioffre
Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny have been good friends since the 1970s, so it comes as a bit of a surprise that Beyond the Missouri Sky should be their first duet album together. Both musicians are from small towns in Missouri, which leads Metheny to speculate in the liner notes if this similarity of childhood ambience might have something to do with the two players' obvious love and affinity for each other. Whatever the answer, the result of this logical pairing is a rather somber and moody one. Metheny has a dark tone on his electric guitar, and on Beyond the Missouri Sky, where he plays acoustic, his sound is similarly deep and rounded. Metheny has called Haden one of the greatest improvisers of all time, and although this may be hyperbolic exaggeration from a longtime friend, Haden has at least earned the right to defend the claim. On Beyond the Missouri Sky, his playing is as sensitive and beautiful as always. Although one can understand the vibe that Haden and Metheny were going for, the preponderance of slow and mid-tempo material can wear on the listener. When they eschew the dirge-like tempos, as on the fantastic "The Precious Jewel," the results are just as atmospheric and are, in fact, even more evocative of the Midwestern landscapes that are featured so prominently in the album art. With Metheny setting up a strummy rhythm, Haden plays the stately melody with impeccable tone. This track, one of many, also showcases Metheny overdubbing different guitars to thicken out the sound of the performance. The results are similar, at least in spirit, to Bill Frisell's recordings in the latter half of the 1990s. Although many Metheny and Haden compositions that are featured on this record, it is their readings of older material that are most effective. The Jimmy Webb classic "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" is wonderfully nostalgic, as Metheny uses subtle guitar and synth washes to pad a beautiful duet performance, and the traditional "He's Gone Away" is the greatest lullaby that never was. Overall, Beyond the Missouri Sky is a fine record when the material is happening, but a bit of a chore when it is not. If Haden and Metheny had gone with the more Americana theme throughout, instead of interspersing that rootsy feel with post-bop, it would have been a much stronger record. https://www.allmusic.com/album/beyond-the-missouri-sky-short-stories-mw0000089110

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Crítica de Daniel Gioffre
Charlie Haden y Pat Metheny han sido buenos amigos desde la década de 1970, por lo que resulta un poco sorprendente que Beyond the Missouri Sky sea su primer álbum a dúo. Ambos músicos proceden de pequeñas ciudades de Missouri, lo que lleva a Metheny a especular en las notas de presentación si esta similitud de ambiente infantil podría tener algo que ver con el evidente amor y afinidad de los dos músicos entre sí. Sea cual sea la respuesta, el resultado de este emparejamiento lógico es bastante sombrío y malhumorado. Metheny tiene un tono oscuro en su guitarra eléctrica, y en Beyond the Missouri Sky, donde toca en acústico, su sonido es igualmente profundo y redondo. Metheny ha calificado a Haden como uno de los mejores improvisadores de todos los tiempos, y aunque esto pueda ser una exageración hiperbólica por parte de un viejo amigo, Haden se ha ganado al menos el derecho a defender esta afirmación. En Beyond the Missouri Sky, su interpretación es tan sensible y hermosa como siempre. Aunque uno puede entender el ambiente que Haden y Metheny buscaban, la preponderancia del material lento y a medio tiempo puede cansar al oyente. Cuando evitan los tempos lúgubres, como en la fantástica «The Precious Jewel», los resultados son igual de atmosféricos y, de hecho, evocan aún más los paisajes del Medio Oeste que aparecen tan prominentemente en la carátula del álbum. Con Metheny marcando un ritmo rítmico, Haden interpreta la majestuosa melodía con un tono impecable. Este tema, uno de tantos, también muestra a Metheny sobregrabando diferentes guitarras para engrosar el sonido de la interpretación. Los resultados son similares, al menos en espíritu, a las grabaciones de Bill Frisell en la segunda mitad de los años noventa. Aunque son muchas las composiciones de Metheny y Haden que aparecen en este disco, son sus lecturas de material más antiguo las que resultan más efectivas. El clásico de Jimmy Webb «The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress» es maravillosamente nostálgico, ya que Metheny utiliza sutiles lavados de guitarra y sintetizador para acolchar una bella interpretación a dúo, y la tradicional «He's Gone Away» es la mejor nana que nunca existió. En general, Beyond the Missouri Sky es un buen disco cuando el material es bueno, pero un poco pesado cuando no lo es. Si Haden y Metheny hubieran seguido con el tema más Americana, en lugar de intercalar esa sensación arraigada con post-bop, habría sido un disco mucho más fuerte. https://www.allmusic.com/album/beyond-the-missouri-sky-short-stories-mw0000089110


 

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Tracks:
1 - Waltz For Ruth
Written-By – Charlie Haden 4:28
2 - Our Spanish Love Song
Written-By – Charlie Haden 5:40
3 - Message To A Friend
Written-By – Pat Metheny 6:13
4 - Two For The Road
Written-By – Henry Mancini, Leslie Bricusse 5:16
5 - First Song
Written-By – Charlie Haden 6:37
6 - The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
Words By, Music By – Jim Webb*
Written-By – Jim Webb* 4:05
7 - The Precious Jewel
Written-By – Roy Acuff 3:47
8 - He's Gone Away
Arranged By – Charlie Haden, Pat Metheny
Written-By – Traditional 4:18
9 - The Moon Song
Written-By – Johnny Mandel 6:56
10 - Tears Of Rain
Written-By – Pat Metheny 5:30
11 - Cinema Paradiso (Love Theme)
Written-By – Andrea Morricone
3:35
12 - Cinema Paradiso (Main Theme)
Written-By – Ennio Morricone 4:24
13 - Spiritual
Written-By – Josh Haden 8:22


Credits:
    Acoustic Guitar [Acoustic Guitars], Instruments [All Other Instruments] – Pat Metheny
    Art Direction [Art Director] – Patrice Beauséjour
    Bass – Charlie Haden
    Coordinator [Production Coordinator In Paris] – Farida Bachir
    Coordinator [U.S. Release Coordination] – Daniel Triana (3), Mike Charlasch
    Design – CB Graphic
    Engineer [Assistant Engineer, Right Track Studio] – Joe Lizzi
    Executive-Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
    Instrument Builder [All Acoustic Guitars Played On This Record Are Made By] – Linda Manzer
    Liner Notes – Charlie Haden, Pat Metheny
    Mastered By [Mastering Engineer] – Ted Jensen
    Photography By [Countryside Photography] – Fotogram-Stone*, Tom Dietrich
    Photography By [Photography Session] – Janush Kawa*, Latifa Azhar
    Producer [Produced By] – Charlie Haden, Pat Metheny
    Product Manager – Patrick Votan
    Production Manager [Production Assistant] – Ruth Cameron
    Recorded By [Assistant Recording Engineer, Clinton Recording Studios] – Brook South
    Recorded By [Recording Engineer, Clinton Recording Studios] – J. Newland*
    Recorded By [Recording Engineer, Right Track Studio], Mixed By [Mixing Engineer, Right Track Studio] – J. Newland*
    Technician [Guitar Technician] – Carolyn Chrzan
    Transferred By [Digital Transfers], Technician [Technical Assistance] – David Oakes

Recorded and mixed at Right Track Studio, N.Y.C, 1996.

Label:    Verve Records – 314 537 130-2
Country:    US
Released:    1997
Genre:    Jazz
Style:    Contemporary Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/release/1608984-Charlie-Haden-Pat-Metheny-Beyond-The-Missouri-Sky-Short-Stories

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