Pat Metheny was born in the great jazz city of Kansas City. With the ocean of music ebbing through him at the young age of eight, he took up the trumpet. However, at the age of twelve, he found his true tool of music, the guitar. Stuning audiences in the Kansas City jazz clubs at the age of fifteen, Pat Metheny's extraordinary talent was presented to the world. His first album titled "Bright Size Life," featured this song as the title track. His academic history includes being the youngest teacher at the University of Miami at the age of eighteen; and the youngest faclulty member of the Berklee College of the Muisc at the age of nineteen.
click here to listen to bright size life
BRIGHT SIZE LIFE
Bright Size Life was origianly the
title track on Pat Metheny's first album in 1975. The excerpt you
just listened to is a live perfromance recorded during the live during
1999 and 2000 on tour in Eurpoe, Japan, and the United States. The
leader of the group is obviously the guitarist Pat Metheny. The other
musicians are, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Bill Stewart.
Since there are only three musicians in this band, the type of band is
a trio.
Origianlly, the work was recorded
at a slower tempo, with more than three musicians. Becuase there
were more than three musicians the accompnimnents were a heavier and more
active. The accomapniments of this particular performance are discussed
in greater detail later.
Melody
The melody of "Bright Size Life," is introduced by a quick eighth-note run of eight pitches. This motif is implies the motion of the subsequent melody.
The main theme of this tune continues on by representing the large amount of foward motion represented. This motion is mostly implied by Pat Metheny's articualaiton of the notes. He incorparates both connected or tones and short or tones. This is one of the many musical tools that Pat Metheny uses to communicate his music.
Rhythm
Besides the characteristic rhythm of the opening motif, the rhythmn of the accompaniment states strongly the motion and intensity of the tune.
listen here for the bass and drums
In this listening example, the bass player and the drummer
imply a strong foward motion and high intensity for the tune. However,
because of thier light touch, the soloist, in this case Pat Metheny, is
given a large amount of space to use to his liking.
Form
One of the most recognizable and most important elements
of jazz music is form. Bright Size Life explores the 32 bar AABA
form. The 32 bar form is maintained throughout the enitre tune including
the solo. In the table below, click on each section. Whether
it is in the melody or during a solo, each section is the same length and
the has the same harmony. Click on the first "A" of the melody then
click on the first "A" of the solo. Se if you can still sing the
melody in your head while you listen to the solo. Do the same with
the rest of the sections on the call chart.
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Expressive Elements
Improvisation is the most important musical and expressive
element of jazz music, even more important than a interesting and original
melody. Pat Metheny is a master artist at improvisation. Any
veteran jazz musician, critic or listener will tell you that the art of
jazz has some very strict and distict rules...and those rules are intended
to be broken. Pat Methey conform to this these rules with virtuosic
presision. Some of these rules include a list of appropriate key
and arpeggios to play over certain chords. The list of scales and arpeggios
can become quit lengthy, not to mention executing these scales in a split
second during a solo.
Click Here to listen to Pat Metheny's
solo
In addition to the aspect of improvisation used in "Bright
Size Life," the idea of the band playing with very litte activity but with
great implied direction is a very important expressive element. Since
this band is a trio, there are only three musicians playing on this tune.
However, these three musicians are able to reproduce the same intensity
and motion as a full size jazz big band.
Harmony
The harmony, or rather the representation of the harmony in this tune is an extremely interesting aspect of jazz music. Take note, there are only three musicians playing on this recording, a drummer, bassist, and Pat Mentheny (guitar). There is no piano or organ. That means that while Pat Metheny is playing the melody or playing his solo, the only other melodic instrument being played is the bass. The drums are primarily a rhythmic instrument. The bass player in a jazz trio ususally does not play chords. In this particular recording of "Bright Size Life" the bassist does not play chords. So how do the listener and performer know what chord is being played. The beauty of this piece of music and the musicians performing it, is the fact that they imply the melody in their playing. Technically and musically this is extremely difficult.
Related Arts Connection
There have been many different artist
through the years to use music as an inspiration for other form of art.
For example, Pablo Picasso used the guitar as a subject and focal point
for many of his paintings. Look below to view some of these different
paintings by Picasso.
Multicultural Connection
Jazz has roots in many different
area and cultures around the globe. In many different ways, jazz
music can be thought of as the mucial melting pot because it contains so
many of these infulences. Similiarly, many people refer to jazz as
America's classical music. America being thought of as the melting pot
of the world paralells this consept. Is ths just coincidence or an
shining example of America's colorful and diverse culture. Some of
these different influences include rhythms from Africa, European and western
consepts of melody and harmony, and scales and modes from the Middle East.
If
you have learned a great deal about Pat Metheny and "Bright Size Life,
click on the danicing turkey to take the tetst!!!!!
You must have disc one of this disc set in order to use this website
to its fullest potential.
Thank you to the following sites for allowing me to use the clip art
found on this page.
www.gifart.com
www.clipart.com
www.patmethenygroup.com