The First Time I Heard Pat Metheny Group
by Julie Burns, Cinnaminson, NJ
This was such a turning point in my musical expansion, I hope I can convey to you how this affected me. I was 17 years old, laying on the floor of my room on a Saturday night, tuning aimlessly around on my way cool boom box. Not much of a kid to be getting drunk/wasted, kind of shy, the year was 1982 and with the exception of some new wave stuff, pop music was making me turn a deaf ear.
For some reason, I tuned way down the dial to Temple University’s station, WRTI, and remembering they played jazz on Saturday nights, was struck by something I’d never heard before in my life. It wasn’t traditional jazz, it wasn’t new wave, I didn’t know how to classify it. As I listened, I became aware of every nerve, every hair on my body standing on end. The music swirled, the intensity of the music pulled me in deeper and deeper. I sat almost in a daze as I listened, knowing that this music was reaching me in a way I’d never experienced.
As the piece finished, I waited for what seemed forever for the dj to tell me who this was and what the name of the piece was. It was “Are You Going with Me,” by Pat Metheny Group.
I first heard the Pat Metheny Group on the car radio while riding home with friends from a John Renbourn concert at the Main Point. This was in approximately 1977. The DJ was Michael Tearson, and the radio station was either WXPN or WMMR. The track was about 20 minutes long, and it was a live performance. Everyone was blown away, and this was just after we had seen Renbourn perform magic for two hours.
I later learned that the PMG track was from a live album that was for ‘promotional use only.’ How? When about 10 copies of the disc showed up in a bin at Third Street Jazz/Rock, of blessed memory, for $2.99 each.
This must have been around the time of the release of the first PMG album — the one with the white cover — and after Pat’s early solo ECM releases.
Let’s all give Michael Tearson the credit he is due for being a beacon in the darkness.
July 26th, 2007 at 8:26 amstill life talking is my favorite. micheal tearson gave me a much needed ride to the train station…thanks for all michael!
August 3rd, 2007 at 2:56 pm