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Peterw Sep 10 2011 at 7:38 PM	Hi All, Just received the new Gary Burton Quartet album "Common Ground". It is fantastic. I strongly urge all of you who are Pat Metheny fans and fans of good Jazz to check this album out. Like the album "Next Generation" Gary’s quartet features Julian Lage an amazing guitarist who’s playing is stellar here. Gary discovered him at a young age a few years ago; and like Pat his playing is spectacular. Gary and Julian’s solo’s are spellbinding. Gary has always considered Pat an amazing find...Julian is his second great guitarist to play with him. The album also feature Antonio Sanchez on drums, and Steve Colby on Bass. Don’t Miss this album. I know from all your comments and posts that we all enjoy great music. It will be your loss if you miss this release.
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CATHY W Oct 14 2011 at 4:34 PM	Also went to show in San Diego at the Atheneum....what an amazing venue! The show was really spectacular! Enjoyed it so much! Thought Gary is just amazing and funny!! How bout when he put out the music stand for the "Etude" tune!!! All great musicians......missed Antonio "by that much"!....haha .... Julian’s solo on "My Funny Valentine"....mesmerizing!!!
mugsy Oct 13 2011 at 1:46 PM	Yes Foxfred, Burton is pretty funny. He made a joke about how, when he first hooked up with Lage, he was only about 14 and asked his parents "permission" to let Julian "come out to play." He is really very personable and very sincere (I believe).
foxesfred Oct 13 2011 at 11:56 AM	Caught them last night in San Diego. What a tight group! Lage is up and coming. He has incredible chops and his number Etudes was cosmic. They had Peter Eskine on the drums as Antonio was playing a gig in Poland. Burton made a joke about that and as always was both entertaining and informative. If they come your way catch this show!!!
mugsy Oct 10 2011 at 1:51 AM	Last night at Yoshi’s Oakland, Gary and his new quartet brought the house down! I went to the early show and was happily surprised when Yoshi’s announced that the second show was not sold out, and they would let the first 50 of us from the early show to line up in for free. I remembered that Yoshi’s used to do this, but didn’t realize they were still so generous. I am so happy I stayed as both sets were completely different! Each set was 1 1/2 hours and included five of the ten songs from Common Ground, along with standards. Julian Lage is incredible as was Antonio, Scott and Gary. Julian definitely has his own sound - doesn’t sound like Pat at all (IMHO). They all soloed and all sounded really at their peak. If you have a chance to see them - don’t miss it!
mugsy Oct 06 2011 at 2:45 PM	Anybody on the West coast - SF Bay Area - going to see these guys at Yoshi’s on Saturday? Should be a great show!
sunship Oct 05 2011 at 6:44 PM	I am not going to pretend to tell somebody what they hear but I would say that comparing Lage to Metheny, is like comparing Metheny to Jim Hall. There is definitely an influence, but Lage has his own thing going in my opinion. In fact I hear just as much Tuck Andress and Django in Lage’s playing as Metheny. And if you get Gladwell, I dont here any Metheny at all. His composing is so much different than Pat.
john Oct 05 2011 at 6:29 PM	Hey sunship, thanks for the review. Glad you made it - this band is special and the time they’ve spent playing together really pays off. Cheers John
bluepno Oct 04 2011 at 8:07 AM	Going back to the conception of ecm records...The New Quartet, Ring and Dreams So Real accompanied by a Real Book, bought on the corner of Mass Ave and Boylston St were the litmus test for the basement playing sessions back in the day. Gary, Pat, Steve Swallow and Mick Goodrick reached more people with their compositions and improvisations than a host of educators and universities could imagine. Guerrilla music warfare...I love seeing Pat publish his work and encouraging others to keep up with the technology end of things while maintaining immaculate technique.
HAMBONE Oct 03 2011 at 12:09 PM	I’ve been a fan of Gary throughout the years, but really didn’t appreciate him until I saw him with Pat and the Reunion quartet 3 years ago. And as much as I liked that concert and cd that preceded it, I like Common Ground even more. Every song just flows ino the next and every band member contributes. Just out of curiosity, does anyone else hear the similarity of Antonio’s Did You Get It to Pat’s Go Get It? Or is it just me?
Tom Rudd Oct 03 2011 at 10:12 AM	Good to hear Fred. And also good to hear Julian has his own style,a player of that caliber should. And you are right every great player has been influenced somewhat by another great player. However a few of Julians solo passages on the recording came a little to close for my tastes.
fredsimon Oct 03 2011 at 12:29 AM	Just got back from hearing Gary’s group ... fantastic! Gary always puts together really good bands, but this one is one of the very best he’s ever had. I had heard Julian with Gary about 7 years ago, and although good then, he’s truly great now. Yes, there are moments reminiscent of Pat (but, no ... no "Metheny licks he has copied to a ’T’"), but only moments ... he definitely has his own thing. Every great new player is informed by the great players who came before, just as Pat has moments reminiscent of Wes, etc. That’s how it works. Anyway, superb band with Colley and Sanchez, and they all inspire Gary to great heights. Don’t miss them when they come to your town!
mugsy Oct 01 2011 at 7:52 PM	Hi Sunship, Glad you got to see Gary Burton live. He is amazing. I have seen him many times in a quartet with Metheny and others, as well as with his New Generations band (also with Lage), and recently with Chick Corea in a duo format. I am always in awe after hearing him, and I will see this group on October 8th at Yoshi’s in Oakland. Can’t wait.
MarcNebo Oct 01 2011 at 11:42 AM	I caught Julian Lage and his group live back in March. I think he has his own style and sound but was influenced by Pat in his arrangements and compositions. He is an incredible guitarists and very humble like Pat.
sunship Sep 30 2011 at 3:02 PM	Hi John, I went to the Burton Show at the Blue Note (First night, First Show). I will tell you, I had no idea how amazing Gary Burton is. I mean, I had "Passengers" and I love it. But I had no idea how much of a frightening musician he is. He is a monster. I would say see him live, and then you will get an idea. He is a master, up there with anyone I can think of. The band was phenomenal. Lage was great. A little shy, but his playing was fantastic and I would bet most people in the room would agree. Burton made a joke saying, "We tried to get Pat, but he wasn’t interested. Julian is a cheap date. But seriously, we are lucky to have him and he is one of the hottest players out there right now." Sanchez was so damn amazing, but who knew he could compose as well. They played, "Never The Same Way", "Common Ground" and "Etude" off the new album. They also played "Afro Blue". Colley really listens. You could tell he is so in tune as to what others are playing and reacts to it (like any jazz great should). I recall when they opened, Gary did a little intro and Colley was staring directly at me almost in a trance like state. Not moving his head, just listening to what Burton was playing. His expression seemed to say, "Wow, listen to what he is playing, so interesting, how should I react to it?" I think that intro Gary did, sets the tone for the set. Watching Gary was such a great experience. When he is not playing, he just stands there and looks directly at who is playing. You can see he is listening to everything, like a professor giving his approval of what is being played. If you have a chance to see them, I am sure you will enjoy it immensely, just like I did. I wanted to see another night to compare, but lack of funds prevented me. Next up - Metheny at Blue Note, then Frisell at Zankel Hall. (Two other masters)
john Sep 27 2011 at 7:18 AM	sunship, what did you think of the gig? Cheers John
hman01 Sep 19 2011 at 1:57 PM	Heck! I wish I could play some Metheny licks.
dgaw59 Sep 15 2011 at 6:19 PM	Give the kid a break! We would all love to have the chops he’s got. He’ll have "The Julian Lage Sound" down in no time. Besides everybody has a piece of somebody in their style; You can hear the Wes Montgomery/Jim Hall influence in PM’s playng, among others. Great record by the way.
Tom Rudd Sep 15 2011 at 3:36 PM	Cool guys, I will listen to more, and also pick up this new Burton CD. It does sound awesome.
mugsy Sep 15 2011 at 2:14 PM	I have seen Burton a few times. With Metheny, with Chick Corea and with his New Generation Group a few years ago. His shows are not to be missed - always good and often GREAT! Add Sanchez and Colley to the mix and you really can’t go wrong (IMHO). I agree with Tom Rudd that Julian sometimes sounds a little like Pat - but I also think he has his own sound.
tokeyozi Sep 15 2011 at 10:40 AM	First of all, Burton has ‘done it again’ with Common Grounds, really superb! Yes, Tom, there’s definitely some Metheny atmosphere on the album, not in the least because of Lage. But if you listen to Lage’s own CD Gladwell it’s quite different from what Pat does. I think he has managed to create his own style. Listen to samples on youtube if you will.
Tom Rudd Sep 14 2011 at 12:37 PM	I have not listened to or know much about Juuian Lage. From what i heard on this new Gary Burton CD he plays a few Metheny licks he has copied to a "T" Does he play like that all the time? Or I wonder if Burton asked him to play that way. A guitarist of his caliber should have his own style and not be copying Metheny licks. IMO.
bluepno Sep 14 2011 at 7:20 AM	I’ve been meaning to pick this one up for a while...it’s on the way. Thanks for the post.Jarrett’s Testament is in the same package ( thanks for the push thehague).
Tom Rudd Sep 14 2011 at 6:03 AM	Very nice CD. Is it me or does this CD seem have a stong Metheny influence through out?
sunship Sep 13 2011 at 6:33 PM	Hi John - You are right. I am going to go. I’ve never seen Burton himself and Sanchez blows me away. I am really looking forward to see Lage. I wish I could play like him. He has come up with such a great style. Of course Metheny is an influence, but Lage is his own thing from what I hsvd heard. Thanks for the referral. Ill let you know how they were.
Peterw Sep 13 2011 at 7:30 AM	Hi Mugsy, Thanks for the correction..thats what happens when I watch Football and Type at the sane time. This album hasn’t left the cd player all week. I hear something new in the playing every day. I am just blown away with all the players on this album. And yes, Julian is one of the freshest sounding guitarists out there.There are moments on the head of the song I almost thought it was Pat, but his sound is all his own. Especially when he solos.
john Sep 13 2011 at 7:21 AM	Sunship - just go. It’s a great band performance but having seen them twice now and the playing has just got better with time. Lage is just superb and has come so far. He has his own voice and it’s easy to forget how influenced by Metheny he was earlier in his career. Cheers John
sunship Sep 12 2011 at 9:33 PM	I just ordered the CD after sampling some of Julian Lage’s music. Wow. Is it me, or is he one of the freshest sounding guitarists out there. My ears really perked up. He is fantastic. So many ideas, great musicality and major command of the instrument. I am sure with Colley and Sanchez, that quartet must be frightening. Maybe I should see them at Blue Note next week.
mugsy Sep 12 2011 at 6:18 PM	Hi Peterw, The new CD is fantastic - I love it! Minor error in your report is that the bass player is Scott Colley, (not Steve Colby. Antonio really grooves on the title track (which he wrote). I have tix to see them at Yoshi’s in October - just 2 weeks after I see Pat in SF. What a great Fall this will be!
Ian Sep 12 2011 at 8:06 AM	I’ve been hooked on this cd for a couple of months now, and I just saw these guys play at the Detroit Jazz Fest last weekend. They absolutely killed! For sure an awesome quartet.
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