BEYOND THE MISSOURI SKY

(Short Stories)

by Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny

For those of you familiar with the best of bass and acoustic guitar...this reviewer need only write Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny...and you know they are the best of the best. For the rest...Beyond the Missouri Sky puts together two old friends and premier musicians for the very first time.

The result is an album that is truly all things to all people. If your interest is ambient music...Haden and Metheny have the softest touch in the business. On the other hand, if you enjoy ‘getting into’ your music note by note and phrase by phrase...Beyond the Missouri Sky will involve you like no other. You see, these two artists have both the dexterity and finesse to transport you to another, and better place.

If that’s not enough, the 13 cuts on this musical masterpiece are written by some of the best songwriters ever. Three are Charlie Haden originals...Waltz for Ruth; Our Spanish Love Song and First Song. Two are by Pat Metheny...Message to a Friend and Tears of Rain. The rest are from Henry Mancini and Leslie Bricusse, Jim Webb, Roy Acuff, Johnny Mandel, Andrea Morricone, Ennio Morricone and Josh Haden.

In this reviewer’s opinion, this collaboration is like putting together Michelangelo with Leonardo DaVinci in art or John Steinbeck with James Michener in literature. Beyond the Missouri Sky is a one-of-a-kind that may well turn out to be the finest of its genre. Certainly, the improvisation, the innovation, the melodies, chords and voicings are leagues ahead of the pack. But that’s what you can expect by putting two old friends like Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny together. Individually, they are the best. Together, they are magic!

Richard Fuller

Senior Editor

Pertinent Info: Approx 68 min, CD only, Suggested retail - $16.99, From The Verve Group. Available from your favorite music store.

Click here to translate into Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Portuguese

Back to Metaphysical Reviews