Pat Metheny

我最喜愛的爵士結他手及學習對象包括Pat Martino及Jimmy Bruno，Pat Metheny不在其中；但作為這個年代影響力極深、唱片銷路甚佳的結他手，他的concert對我還是很具吸引力，但對上一次看他竟然是十年前在Oakland Paramount Theater。Pat Metheny成名四十年，記得廿幾年前聽香港電台的爵士節目（不知現在還有沒有？），常常介紹Pat Metheny Group，Chick Corea及Miles Davis等等，他們到港演出均是盛事。雖然不是所有他玩的風格我都喜歡，但我欣賞他夠多元化：Pat Metheny Group玩的我認為New Age感强烈，和他的Trio/Quartet的現代爵士感覺相當不同。今次他的Unity Band風格是後者，對我來說比較啱聽；事實上色士風手Chris Potter有獨當一面之能，我一向十分欣賞，所以今次非去不可，US$55在SF算是十分貴，但連星期三晚八點場門票也早已售罄，我預先買了十點的票，早廿分鐘開始排隊，排了半小時才能進場，前面那位阿叔和我一樣頗為不滿，不過一開場這些立即拋諸腦後。打頭陣的是Pat Metheny用他那支「奇門兵器」4頸42弦Pikasso acoustic guitar獨奏，在他手中效果尤如一隊樂隊，當世不知有幾人能彈得到？接著樂隊四人full team登場，是唱片原班人馬，在西岸也是罕見，即使是名氣不下Pat Metheny的頂級樂手，很多都找加州本地樂手伴奏。演出的有來自新碟的新作，也有Metheny膾炙人口的作品，現場即興氣氛特別熾烈。最後十五分鐘拉下了兩塊神秘布幕，原來大有乾坤：蓋著的是幾組Orchestrion：靠吹打發聲的機器，由Metheny透過結他來控制，再加上looper（可錄下一段聲音重覆播放），效果相當豐富，只是長了一點難免有些許冷場。總的來說是十分精彩多變的演出，自然encore連連，Pat Metheny最後彈的是意外驚喜：去年acoustic guitar獨奏唱片中玩過的Beatles cover "And I Love Her." 這次演出可算是總括他近年三張唱片的東西，絕對值回票價有餘。

Classical and Spanish Guitar music

Recently I'm in the mood of playing classical guitar music again because of my last "big purchase" at Amazon before it charges sales tax. One of the items I bought was "The Huge Book of Classical Guitar Solos in Tab" It has over 150 pieces. Even if I learn 10% of them, it would be a huge addition to my almost non-existent repertoire. I especially enjoy the section for Spanish guitar music, including pieces like Malaguena.

Apparently Pandora could read my mind and played:
1)
Album: 24 Preludes and Fugues, for guitar solo
Artist: Igor Rekhin (Composer), Dimitri Illarionov (Performer)

Rekhin was a student of Aram Khachaturian. Can't go wrong!

2)
Track: El Camino Real
Album: Spanish Soul
Artist: Stefan Schyga

Schyga actually teaches online. Interesting! And the name of the track should be familiar to anyone living in SF Bay Area :)