FIRST TIME HEARING Pat Metheny Group- "The First Circle" (Reaction)

[@retroreactions....]

WOW! A warm, peaceful. joyous, wondrous journey to a beautiful place. Stellar musicianship, composition and execution! Thanks for watching! 🥰

[@jfs70ss]

Lyle Mays the pianist was one of my FAVORITES right there with the GREAT Chick Corea, both have left us for that 'Great Gig in the Sky'. Check out his vast array of beautiful and surreal compositions. RIP Lyle David Mays (November 27, 1953 - February 10, 2020)

[@axelclaussen5580]

Divine music. Dont know what else to say. Just makes me grateful to exist.

[@retroreactions....]

Well spoken!

[@vanessa4u4evr]

Okay. Anybody who reacts to Pat Metheny has my vote and my subscription. Haven't heard this beauty in years.

[@donaldjackson1490]

Pat Metheny a deep rabbit hole

[@retroreactions....]

🥕 🥕 🥕 🥕

[@terratremit1]

Pedro Aznar. Excellent Argentine musician. Member of Seru Giran before joining Pat.

[@retroreactions....]

Yes, he's amazing! Thanks for watching.

[@celestinehil6551]

There will never be music like this again ❤❤❤❤❤ .Lifelong Fan

[@davecollins1048]

Great song that touches my soul. I like the live versions even more.

[@hoontoons]

I love your description and of this song!

[@Rnd227]

This song has been some of my companions since I heard for the first time. It was about 39 years ago. It sheers my soul every time I listen to it, and makes me whole again.

[@Volar777]

THank you. Your reaction was precise.

[@helenespaulding7562]

Hi there! 👋😁. First today! This was very fun! High energy, upbeat great fusion. And it did have just a soupçon of that Brazilian sound in the vocals especially.

[@retroreactions....]

Hey! Can't tell because of your comment edit so I'll tie you with Annie! 🥇 I LOVE latin and jazz! Been wanting to add Sergio Mendes to the channel. Have a beautiful day 😊

[@deanmacreavy2135]

Oh yes Brandon. At last! 😀 You're gonna love their stuff 👌

[@retroreactions....]

Ha! Clearly I love them already... Didn't forget about your 3 other suggestions. They will definitely be back on my channel. Thanks my friend 😀

[@retroreactions....]

What do you think of Minuano? That one is on the short list too..

[@deanmacreavy2135]

Yep, for sure Brandon, it's amazing. I included Minuano in a list of Metheny tracks I sent to you a few weeks back 👍

[@deanmacreavy2135]

Cheers Brandon, sorry, just saw your other comment about the list I sent 😀 The live stuff is off the scale too. So many great musicians he uses 🤓

[@drummerflex]

You have a different interpretation of this song than I have, but you totally get it too. I love your reaction to it.

[@ikshields]

This joyous Pat Metheny Group eruption was one of my musical “drive-stoppers”. The first time I heard it on a local Jazz station, I was in the car, and within about a minute it had forced me to pull off the road and let it wash over me like a rogue tsunami swell. From the moment I let out my silly whoop of joy at the finish, I was an official Pat Metheny Group addict.

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks for sharing that awesome memory! EPIC!!

[@michaelescareno7048]

Brandon, I am someone who grew up with The Beatles, and a big fan of Yes, ELP, Rush, and Genesis. But in my humble opinion, when you are reacting to Peter Gabriel and The Pat Metheny Group, you have reached the pinnacle of art!!! I've been a fan of PMG since 1978, and really glad you reacted to this. You have a massive catalog now to discover.

[@retroreactions....]

Excited for the PM journey!

[@annieclifford9337]

love it so great

[@retroreactions....]

I did too! Thanks for watching and being first here today along with Helene! 🥇 ☺

[@davidlai1961]

So nice! Thanks for reacting to my other favorite group. (My co-favorite groups are Genesis and Pat Metheny Group)I know i'm repeating songs others have mentioned but some of my favorites are Minuano (six eight), Daulton Lee, The Search, It's For You, Straight On Red (from the Travels Live album), Finding and Believing. Also two soft ethereal songs, Au Lait and Sueño con Mexico.

[@retroreactions....]

Well, your musical taste is therefore impeccable! Thanks for the new suggestions and of course for tuning in!

[@gazza8127]

Bravo Brandon, what an introduction to the brilliance of The Pat Metheny Group, arguably their greatest piece. First heard it not long after it's release & like you it was love at first listen. To me it's the jazz fusion version of Awaken & every bit as sacred & revered. I'll never forget seeing them for the very first time at the Sydney Opera house concert hall in 1985 where the acoustics are beyond incredible & hearing this live, an unforgettable experience. This incarnation of the group is my favourite, virtuosos all, Pat so graciously allows everyone to shine brightly. When Pat & Lyle met in the mid 70's it was a match made in heaven, what they & the musicians they assembled achieved since is beyond extraordinary. So much more to experience, recommend Phase Dance & San Lorenzo from the group's self titled debut album, Minuano 6/8, Have you heard & the magnificent September fifteenth from Pat & Lyle's collaboration As falls Witchita.... homage to the late great Bill Evans. All the best.

[@retroreactions....]

Hi! I knew this would be a huge one to experience! Nice to compare it to Awaken.. Oh, hearing this live WOWWW! Lucky! Thanks for watching and for the suggestions. Many blessings to you ☺

[@Kae6502]

"Praise" from the same album is another masterpiece! Get ready for even more goosebumps! "James" from the Offramp album is another favorite of mine. And since you're going down the jazz rabbit hole, "Gettin' Up" from Tom Scott's Apple Juice album is another must listen. With Steve Gadd on drums and Richard Tee on piano this is an amazing live performance.

[@retroreactions....]

Hello! Thank you so much for watching and for the suggestions!

[@gerardwainfeld6310]

You took the words right out of my mouth! The year that Tom Scott was the musical director for the Academy Awards, he used Getting Up as a recurring theme.

[@jfs70ss]

One of my favorite ALL TIME Artists EVER...!! New Sub from the SF Bay Area Cali...!! Peace

[@retroreactions....]

Hello and welcome! Thanks so much for your subscription, really appreciate your support! Peace and blessings my friend...🙂

[@sagitt1856]

PAT METHENEY = a jazz guitarist (big fan of Miles Davis) who never confined himself to a specific type of this musical genre, who freely developed his playing to the borders of other genres, such as rock, pop, minimalism and Latin music; this unhindered character allowed him an incredible career. His work with the PAT METHENEY GROUP is, of all his production, the one I prefer. I own "Offramp" (1982) and "The First Circle" (1984). Like a Zappa and a Beck, Metheney is an UMO (unidentified musical object). Thank you for listening, you just reminded me that it would be good for me to turn them again!

[@stevegardner9910]

RIP Lyle. Great as this is, the live version on The Road To You album is remarkable.

[@carlogns932]

... and this is a beatiful surprise! In my music experience Pat Metheny Group is the natural passage from rock to jazz. I'm 57 yo (boomer! 😆) and in 1983 my first live in Roma (Travels tour) with Pat was stunning: 3 hours with Pat. Lyle, Steve, Paul and Pedro Aznar. At that time First circle didn't exist. When, one year later, I listen to First circle I played it everyday three or four times for months. The whole album!!! Next stop with Pat: Are you going with me? Love your mood, but from me you'd to know. 😁

[@davidbooth7778]

The live version with Anna Maria Jopek is wonderful. Sound quality is not great, but her voice and his solo are fabulous.

[@retroreactions....]

Wow, epic concert no doubt! Thanks so much for watching!

[@lewismaddox4132]

Thank you for this. I will recover, but not today.

[@Tomanot9Juanma]

A real treat both the song and your reaction. It´s been a while since I last heard this album. It really takes me back to sweet memories. Thank you so much!

[@retroreactions....]

You're very welcome!

[@deanmacreavy2135]

Can't wait also to see the smile on your face when you hear their track 'Third Wind' Brandon. Some super fast cymbal work, timbales and other percussion, along with amazing latino piano 😉

[@trevortomei2793]

"When we were free" from the 96 Quartet album is my go to song...

[@oceanlover3530]

Love Pat Metheny! I could recommend many songs but two stand out for me, Too soon tomorrow and The Road to You. Both beautiful, super chill songs. Thanks for posting! ✌🏻👍🏻✌🏻

[@retroreactions....]

Cool, I will add those 2 to my list. Love Pat also now!

[@patrickwouters6568]

Hi Brandon, yessss, you did it! Thank you so much ! And I see that you liked it a lot, I'm so happy! Not only is Pat Metheny an exceptional guitarist, but the other musicians are also great, especially keyboardist Lyle Mays, who unfortunately left us too young... I hope you will react to the other title I had for you recommended "Finding and Believing", but there are many others which are also very good, such as "Have You Heard", "Last Train Home", "To The End Of The World", "Minuano Six Eight", " Are You Going With Me"... I hope you like them as much. Good end of the day and see you later in the past!

[@retroreactions....]

You're welcome, and what a joy it was! Thanks for the new suggestions. Glad you enjoyed this one and yup I'll see ya there!!!

[@davidbooth7778]

"If I Could", "Are You Going With Me" live with Het Metropole Orchestra, "Kin", ad infinitum.... Pat is one of my top five guitarists and composers.

[@petergiffes1239]

Pat Metheny… a great road to travel.

[@retroreactions....]

1000% truth!! Thanks

[@davidfredes7749]

Ahí está Pedro Aznar de Argentina de Serú Giran !!! és el que tararea ( canta ) There's Pedro Aznar from Argentina by Serú Giran !! is the one who hums ( sings ) . . . Multi instrumentalist . . . Seru Giran split because Pedro Aznar went to play with Pat Metheny

[@retroreactions....]

Hello! I am loving Pedro and Pat Metheny and the 2 Seru songs I have reacted to! Excited for much more!

[@fernandoroza6061]

Nice reaction !😊 By the way: your background fits really the song 👍😌

[@retroreactions....]

Thank you! Yes, I love that background!

[@MsRiccig]

great stuff lyle mays was amazing

[@toddkobylarz4758]

To The End of The World. That one will blow you away.

[@ottowedel711]

I really like one of them called "5-5-7" and also "To The End Of The World" they are from different albums, check those out, or even better, review them, good work man!!!

[@retroreactions....]

I will add them to my list, thank you so much for watching!

[@jfs70ss]

You are one of my son's age. This is 'Adult Music' young man. Welcome to Adulthood...!! LOL

[@retroreactions....]

Haha, very flattering. I wish I was "young" again. Moreso middle aged. Let's just say I wore bellbottoms and butterfly collars as a child LOL...Thanks for watching!

[@reneelyons6836]

Yes! I love this song too. I can see why they won a Grammy. He does a very nice song that Kevin Costner (and lady) dance to in the wonderful movie Fandango.

[@retroreactions....]

Great! I will have to look into that. Hope your day is going wonderfully!

[@reneelyons6836]

Thank you, and you as well.🙂

[@retroreactions....]

Not too shabby!

[@reneelyons6836]

Did you watch the movie? Or just the dancing scene?

[@retroreactions....]

Oh neither yet....Never heard of that movie. My not too shabby reply was about how my day was going hehe....

[@goytabr]

It's my lucky day, and I'm glad I bet on the lottery earlier today! 🤣KZbin notifications aren't working for me (bell or not), except if I'm actually browsing the site. I had come to KZbin just to locate a video to send the link to a friend and I saw the notification of this video just 12 minutes after you uploaded it! And it's one of my favorite tracks EVER, and definitely Pat Metheny's masterpiece. (I've heard his name pronunced "me-THEE-ny", though, and Pedro's is "az-NAR", rhyming with "guitar"). That's how I first heard of Serú Girán --- I was first amazed with Pedro in this album, then I learned more about him and his band. Now you must watch their Montreal concert performance of this song --- there's only one upload of it on KZbin, and it's very low-quality, both audio and video, but you'll be shocked at what Lyle Mays (RIP) does in that live version and at how Pedro still sings just as amazingly live! (Repeating the "Great Gig in the Sky" phenomenon, after Pedro left his collaboration with Pat Metheny, later performances of this song required three singers to do what Pedro did alone!) I remember I once watched a video of a music scholar analyzing "The First Circle". I've never studied musical theory, and I didn't understand even 20% of what he said, but the message was basically "don't try this at home, kids". He was completely fascinated with how this song broke countless rules of musical composition, had very unusual irregular tempos and an extremely intricate structure, had everything to be a disaster, but it was made by a genius and it not only worked, but was a complete masterpiece. I find the rest of this album irregular, though. The other highlight is "Más Allá" (which was translated on the album cover as "Beyond", but it actually means "further there" or "further ahead"). Pedro sings beautifully in his native Spanish (the lyrics are incredibly beautiful, too), it's sublime, but later I found that there is an even better version, with Pedro singing it live in Buenos Aires with the Aca Seca Trio (the name means "dry poop", but it couldn't be more misleading, they're awesome!). I get paralyzed when I listen to it, because my body can't decide whether to have electric goosebumps or pour copious tears with the sheer beauty of it, so it just freezes. You probably didn't know it, but this was a new label alert, too, and in this case this is very much relevant: you've just reacted to your first song from an ECM album. ECM (Editions of Contemporary Music) is a German record label specializing in contemporary jazz (but often spanning boundaries of other genres, as would be logical by the innovative nature of its own invited artists), based in Munich, and its owner and chief producer, Manfred Eicher, is a legend himself --- kind of being for jazz what Alan Parsons is for rock. It's one of those labels that get an aura of excellence, and it's a badge of honor for any musician to be invited to record there. The usually minimalistic and often intriguing record covers alone are often artistic masterpieces I'd gladly hang on my walls. Eicher created a distinctive "ECM sound" that one critic defined as "the most beautiful sound next to silence", and ECM adopted that as its slogan. There are countless masterpieces in its catalog, including many award-winning and seminal records, like a lot of the works by such big names as Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett. Today Pat speaks with resentment about Eicher, saying that he felt constrained by Eicher's demands. Maybe, but all of Pat's fans agree that his golden age was when he made his records with ECM, between the late 1970s and the mid-1980s. You can't go wrong with anything from his ECM albums "Offramp", "New Chautauqua", "American Garage" (one of the most delicious listens I know, especially the first track, "Airstream") or the live "Travels". The title track of "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls" is somewhat daunting and hermetic, but very rewarding if you dive right in, and the rest of the album is phenomenal, including what I consider Lyle Mays' best piano solo in "Ozark" and my late compatriot Naná Vasconcelos in a fantastic vocalese rendition of "Amazing Grace" (titled as the Portuguese translation "Estupenda Graça"), though Naná was better known as a God of percussion (as can be heard on the other tracks). Yet another rabbit hole for your growing collection... You'll soon have to change this channel's name to "The Bunny Emmentaler"...

[@goytabr]

Oh, and I don't hear any Brazilian influence in the first half of the song, but I do hear it in the second half of Lyle Mays' piano solo. Definitely a lot of Tom Jobim there. You may want to check Toninho Horta (the "nh" is pronounced like the "gn" as in Italian or French, "gnocchi" or "mignon", and the "H" in "Horta" is silent, pronounce it as "Orta"), a Brazilian guitarist who once shared an apartment with Pat Metheny in New York City when both were young aspiring musicians, and they remained lifelong friends. Their playing style is so similar that it's hard to tell who influenced whom, or maybe they developed their style together, but what matters is that through Toninho, Pat was familiarized very early with Brazilian music. Anything from the album "Diamond Land" (late 1980s) will be a great introduction to Toninho Horta.

[@retroreactions....]

I think I have some telepathic powers with my viewers sometimes 😁 Cool I just saved it to my watch later playlist! Their top level talent is crystal clear for me after just 1 listen. Yes, I think I heard the first song on the album is intentionally bad or chaotic? Added your vote for Mas Alla (sorry for no accent marks, moving fast here). Interesting about the label. Must be a treasure trove! Thanks as always for the direction and education. Haha, Bunny Reactions! Have a great night..

[@goytabr]

@@retroreactions...., first song? Which? The first track in "First Circle" is, unusually, a military band march, "Forward March", and it's totally out of place in the album. Pat himself later said it had been a bad idea in retrospect, though it seemed fun at the time. If you're talking about the title track of "As Falls Wichita...", it's definitely neither bad nor chaotic. It just can be boring to impatient ears, because it's over 20 minutes long, and most of it sounds very eerie. It's a difficult track, definitely not easy to listen. The intro is ethereal and beautiful (the whole track is deliberately at low volume), but then comes the eerie part with a very long soft-percussion section (by Naná, of course) with occasional interventions by other instruments, which is ended by a short guitar part reminiscent of the intro, but then comes a long slow outro with the guitar that's eerie in a different way. I find it brilliant, but it's not for every ear and not for every mood. Now, what's REALLY chaotic is Pat's (post-ECM) album "Zero Tolerance for Silence". I don't know anyone who can listen to more than one minute of it. I can't! The entire album is just a series of very noisy and distorted hard-rock-style electric guitar improvisations. Inaudible, unbearable! I wouldn't be surprised if they used it in torture sessions at Guantánamo Bay to take the title literally and make the prisoners talk...

[@retroreactions....]

Let me go see if I can find the info again right now....

[@retroreactions....]

Oh ok. The reviewer said this about Forward March: "Forward March," the album opener, is a bizarre parody full of detuned instruments and half-cocked trumpet from Mays. I read it fast and assumed the song was bad due to the instruments being out of tune and them calling it a parody...

[@countessclara]

Dear Brandon, I like your British English!!. Yes. All the musicians in Pat Metheney Group are of excelkence. Especially the keyboards of Lyle Mays who keft us a beauriful legacy in music. And this piece, " First circle" has an Argentinean- Brazilian influence. The percussion if you hear with attention sonds like an Argentinean chacarera. There is an instrument luke a " mandioca" with stines insude which is giving the rythm to this piece. Pat Metheney in my view was Beethiven in a previous life and he got the goal of the brotherhoid in music invitibg to musicians from several parts of the World to his group. He as well as Lyle Mats are genious. Lyle Mays is an extraterrestrial whi improve the mysic from all America: from North to South.

[@terratremit1]

A recommendation Brandon. Dream of return. Beautiful song in Spanish.

[@flubblert]

Nice. I actually saw them back in the '80s. Good show, but long stretches of this kind of music can be a bit of achallenge attentive-wise if you know what I mean. Need to listen to "Llast TrainHome" by them."Great song, a minor classic.

[@retroreactions....]

Yea I can see that, with a full live set of jazz. I'd want to be super awake to catch and appreciate it all. Adding your vote for Last Train Home, thanks!

[@bigjapi1]

An "unknown" guy named Pedro Aznar, from an "unknown" (Super) band, called "Serú Giran", provided vocals, percussion, glockenspiel, acoustic, electric and twelve-string guitars and whistle on this record. Waiting for your reaction of "Eiti Leda" Mr. Brandon.

[@retroreactions....]

Seru huh? Maybe I should check them out sometime, and any guy that may be named Charly too! Eiti Leda does have the most votes.... 😁

[@wushu_jingwu_ar]

I vote for Eiti leida too, and anything by Seru and La Maquina really.

[@bigjapi1]

@@retroreactions.... If you want, use the video (the song is the original one, but they are doing playback) on my channel enabling the english sub-tittles (I did that job x U lol), so the folks will understand the lirycs that subtly refer to what was happening in Argentina in those years with the military dictatorship.

[@retroreactions....]

Hello! Will add your vote, thanks!!

[@retroreactions....]

For Eiti you mean?

[@lolo-ty3sq]

Hola Brandon, si te gusta la voz de Pedro Aznar escuchalo tocando el bajo en SERU GIRAN. Te sorprenderas , Saludos

[@retroreactions....]

¡Hola! Oh, sí, ya he reaccionado a 2 canciones de Seru. ¡Amarlos! Avíseme si desea los enlaces... ¡Gracias por mirar!

[@savariaxa]

Amazing song check out the First Circle performance from Pat Metheny with the Metropole Orchestra on the North Sea Jazz Festival 2003 is on KZbin !

[@edalisauskas7313]

Well…. You started it You have about 45 albums of music to choose from Ok, some suggestions from PM Phase Dance Are you Going with Me Everyday I Thank you Minuano six eight 557 As it Is Many many more He continues to be a force in music. Over five decades and always Very musically diverse You picked a good one here!

[@goytabr]

Thanks for reminding me of "Every Day I Thank You", a little precious gem. Michael Brecker's sax in counterpoint with Pat's gentle guitar is absolutely heavenly!

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks for the suggs!

[@cosmozoom3737]

Lyle Mays GOAT

[@drmagic60]

Sure… another surprise on PF Friday! Great song, I’m not the most familiar with Pat Metheny, although I love me some great jazz. I do suggest from their 1985 soundtrack album “The Falcon and the Snowman” a song titled “This Is Not America” which features David Bowie on vocals!! It’s a great song.

[@retroreactions....]

The RR surprises never end!! Oh yes, I saw that one, wow Bowie and Metheny, now there's a combo....maybe see ya again later this afternoon 😀!

[@79BlackRose]

@@retroreactions....What happened to Pink Floyd Friday? 😕

[@retroreactions....]

It's alive and well and coming in about 30 minutes! 🙂

[@79BlackRose]

@@retroreactions....Okay, good. I'll stay up then! 😊

[@davidlai1961]

I love that song, but I love another song from that soundtrack more, Daulton Lee

[@markdrechsler5660]

Try the PMG album “The Way Up.” Another masterpiece!

[@imaginarytube]

The Way Up is a masterpiece.