Quartet (1996) is the eighth album by the Pat Metheny Group. The album features Pat Metheny on guitar, Lyle Mays on keyboards, Steve Rodby on bass, and Paul Wertico on drums. The approach for the album was to not write lengthy compositions before recording but instead use merely sketches and rely mostly on improvisation in a setting with just acoustic instruments. A departure from the usual thoroughly orchestrated sound using synthesizers and sequencing the Group is usually known for. The result is experimental, moody, and loose, even dark in some moments. The instrumentation relies mostly on acoustic instruments including various keyboard instruments such as the spinet piano, Harmonium, Fender Rhodes, autoharp and various guitars including the 42-string Pikasso guitar. The Roland GR-303 makes appearances on "Oceania" and "Language of Time".

Quartet
Studio album by Pat Metheny Group
Released	1996
Recorded	May 1996
Studio	Right Track Studio, New York City
Genre	Jazz, jazz fusion
Length	66:01
Label	Geffen
Producer	Pat Metheny
Pat Metheny chronology
We Live Here (1995) Quartet (1996) Beyond the Missouri Sky (Short Stories) (1997)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[2]

With the exception of "When We Were Free" on the Group's final Songbook Tour, the Group itself never played these songs live. "When We Were Free" however has been played in various other trios and groups centered around Metheny including a version recorded on Day Trip. Michael Brecker recorded versions of "As I Am" (on Time Is of the Essence), "Second Thought" and "Sometimes I See" (on Nearness of You: The Ballad Book).

Track listing

All tracks are written by Pat Metheny except where noted.

Personnel

• Pat Metheny – 12-string guitar, acoustic and electric guitars, slide guitar, guitar synthesizer, 42-string Pikasso guitar
• Lyle Mays – autoharp, celeste, clavichord, harmonium, piano, electric piano
• Steve Rodby – double bass, piccolo bass
• Paul Wertico – drums, percussion

Technical staff

• Rob Eaton – engineer, mixing
• Ted Jensen – mastering
• Joe Lizzi – assistant engineer
• David Oakes – associate producer, technical coordinator

References