Offramp

Offramp

Category: (Music)

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13 used, starting at $8.23

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Editorial Reviews

Japanese only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD - playable on all CD players) pressing. Universal. 2008.

This 1982 recording by the Pat Metheny Group represented a crossroads for the guitarist, a creative expansion from his original concept in terms of acoustic and electric instrumentation, folksy roots material and modern jazz influences, American and third world sources. Having thus marked out the territory for a decade's worth of experimentation and growth, the Metheny Group cemented its standing on the cutting edge of contemporary jazz with Offramp. Lyle Mays' harmonica-like synth theme, Metheny's soaring, vocalized synth-guitar lead, some rich orchestral touches, and an easygoing blend of backbeat and chord changes made "Are You Going with Me?" one of Metheny's most enduring arrangements. Still, for every gentle, alluring set piece, such as the tangolike "Au Lait" or the rural vistas of "James," there was a visceral, emotive free-for-all like the title track, where Metheny unleashed wild, wailing synth guitar elisions over a loose, abstract pulse--anticipating the energy of the guitarist's collaboration with free jazz guru Ornette Coleman some four years hence on Song X. --Chip Stern

Customer Reviews

Soaring side streets

Reviewed by IRate, 2010-03-04




Too short it may be, but rest assured Metheny makes this brief detour completely worth getting lost in.

Pat Metheny/OFFRAMP revisited

Reviewed by David J. Machulak, 2009-08-26

I used to listen to Offramp back in 1980. I listened to it at least 100 or 200 times, but never really "heard" it. It was always new & fresh.(timeless). Every jazz guitarist I've listened to since, I compare to it. It was especially good to listen to, on the road, driving late at night, in the summer. And now after all these years I plan to repurchase Offramp. It will be like meeting an old friend again, after a long absence. Many of the notes from the songs are burned into my memory banks. It will be a treat to hear it, and even nicer in digital. If not in your collection, this is the one to add. Offramp by PMG is truly something special. As in music, so in Life.

Is it Metheny or is it Mays?

Reviewed by Carl A. Johnson, 2009-04-28

Sorry. I realize that jazz pundits consider this to be one of Metheny's landmark albums. It certainly was the beginning of Pat's latin period in 1982. However, I honestly can't tell most the time if I'm listening to Metheny's Roland GR-300 guitar synthesizer, or if I'm listening to Lyle Mays' Oberheim synthesizer. This album sounds like two "Dueling Synthesizers" going back and forth to me. Now you might like that sound and that's just fine. But to my mind, the classic Pat Metheny sound we all know and love is his good ole' Gibson ES-175 jazz guitar that he used in the late 1970's.

Why isn't "Metheny" the name of one of Captain Riker's shuttlecraft?

Reviewed by R. L. MILLER, 2009-04-01

If you look in the books section, you'll notice that at least one author of Star Trek fiction has started a cycle of novels of Will Riker's ship "Titan", with his wife Deanna Troi serving onboard and Tuvok joining the crew rather than stay on "Voyager" under the command of Chakotay (they promoted Janeway to admiral). Anyway, Will being the jazz fan he is, names all his shuttlecraft after jazz legends, and if Pat Metheny isn't going to be a legend by the 24th century, I'm glad not to be around then. I first heard "Are You Going With Me" as a video on VH1's "New Visions" during the 1980's, and grooved behind that trumpet sound on the Synclavier, done the same way Robert Fripp did it on King Crimson's "The Sheltering Sky" during that period. I promptly bought this album on strength of that track. I'd been away from Metheny for a while and got reminded of what I'd been missing. Captain Riker, if you get issued a new craft, better call it "Metheny" or you'll get reader-demoted back to commander.

Why I'm Not A Metheny Fan...

Reviewed by J H Murphy, 2009-02-04

...this album shows a wide range of styles and directions, but rarely seems to put it all together for me. To start, "Barcarole" has a good bass line, but doesn't seem to form a coherent melody to this fan of more traditional jazz. "Are You..." is pleasant enough, and "Au Lait" conjures up images of a rainy day in my mind's eye.

"Eighteen" is the best of the lot for my tastes, coherent and up tempo. It would be nice to hear this done as what the late Chuck Niles called Straight-Ahead Jazz. I'm afraid that the title track, "Offramp", is not for me! I would call it schizophrenic, but even schizophrenics have a sense of direction sometimes. "James" comes back to earth with a decent melody, and more prominent piano work by Lyle Mays. Finally, "The Bat Pt. 2" sounds like it could be a good movie theme, albeit with the same rainy-day overtones of Au Lait.

I will no doubt be excoriated by the PMG fanboiz, and I really wanted to like this, but it just doesn't move me. Your mileage may vary.