FACE is the latest release from drummer and percussionist Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson, Stick Men, Mr. Mister) and touch guitarist Markus Reuter (Stick Men, Crimson ProjeKct, Tuner).
Love , lust and angst were the biggest topics of teen love songs back in the 50s, a time where the idols of the day , no longer your Mom and Dad s crooners, dominated the charts. The 1950s marked the birth of rock’n’roll. From big band tracks to jazz standards, until midway through the 20th century, music was a resolutely parent-friendly zone. But then everything changed. Elvis had flustered teenagers all shook up, while the likes of Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and the like were destroying the old safety nets with a virile, passionate new sound.
The early 80's is now a quarter of a century ago! Whilst there have been many 80's compilations we feel now is a good time to release an `edgier', cooler tracklisting highlighting some of the artists and tracks that may not be as familiar, but still defined the times.
Unlike almost any other modern musician, Pat Metheny remains uniquely unpredictable. A new Metheny record could be almost anything as the only musician to have won twelve of his twenty Grammy awards in twelve different categories. His recent recording Road To The Sun caused a sensation in the classical music world for its intricate and emotionally satisfying chamber music compositions. At the same time, its immediate predecessor From This Place was Downbeat magazine’s Jazz Record of the Year as an expansive and timeless large-scale work.
The concept of TALKING WITH THE BLUES is based on a view of the various US states as blues regions. Even casual blues listeners are familiar with the fact that there is Chicago Blues or Mississippi Blues and the gripping social history of the music is very much marked by its geography. But there is much more that just those two places and to this day blues music stays committed to local styles. Moreover, many US states are endowed with a unique cultural identity grown out of the prevailing social, historical and ethnic realities. Reflections of these specific identities are also expressed in the blues.