I suspected long ago and then realized, and decided, the enduring attraction to Metheny for me was the PMG catalog…and that was because of Lyle Mays…I then decided Lyle was/is the PMG..that time and the music produced by Lyle, Metheny and Pedro Aznar, for me, will always be just about the very best I have enjoyed. Lyles’ ear and mind, his approach… (as I write I hear Lyle talking about wanting to put structure in the improvisation sure that’s it..what he did..classic improv..wow) From listening to PMG over the many years, I have been educated by both Pat and Lyles compositional approach/ form.. especially Lyle Mays view on chord/key choices and improv construction( My ear and thinking have been changed and reformed by Lyle Mays…can’t beat that! Don’t know him, but he has profoundly impacted my mind and my life…go figure! Thank you for the video, and thank god for the soul that is/ was Lyle Mays!
I encountered Lyle twice. Back in the early 90s, when email was a new thing, I'd just set up a Compuserve account.I'd read that the PMG used to communicate via Compuserve when they weren't touring. And Compuserve had a search engine that would give you anyone's email address (a series of numbers) if you typed in their name. So I searched and found Pat's and Lyle's addresses. First, I sent a note to Pat, which he answered from Korea. Then I sent one to Lyle asking a simple question: "Hey Lyle, what's on your turntable?" He sent me a nice replay recommending a few classical records he was listening to. And that was that, or so I thought. I few weeks later I got an email from Lyle, asking everyone he'd recently communicated with to send his father a birthday wish so he could show him the reach of the internet. Of course, I did. Fast forward about 10-12 years... I saw Lyle do a show with Paul McCandless at D.C.'s very small Blues Alley. It was a great show. Afterward, I was standing at the bar paying my tab when a guy sat next to me and put out his hand to shake. It was Lyle. We had a great 10-minute chat. Man, I feel so lucky I had those moments with him. I'm not a guy who gets emotional when famous people pass, but Lyle's music touched me deeply. I miss him a ton.
This is pretty cool learning about LM's early days. Also informative answering questions I've always had like why did LM stop touring and getting a sense of how truly brilliant a mind he had. Possibly genius. Between this video and a Richard Niles interview with Mark Egan just after LM's passing I have the sense of a gentle, courteous, curious, introspective kind renaissance man who just happened to be supremely talented. The cumulative effect is a deeper appreciation of LM the man. I was thrilled to learn he was fascinated by architecture, my profession. I'm saddened at the thought that a most remarkable man is no longer with us. I truly wish someone with the requisite talent will write and record a September 15th for Lyle Mays.
It IS SO cool the ending, Mays digging it to the max. Absolutely love to see him that way - satisfied w/ the take & acknowledging w/ admiration the other musicians' nailing the take.
Nice to see you Joe. I used to hang with you in Denver around 1985-88. Thanks for your insights into one of my favorite pianists. I once played a game of Asteroids with Lyle Mays while he was on a break on a gig in a dump bar in Iowa City, probably around 1977. The thing I love about Lyle's music are the long forms that he would write and the almost symphonic approach.
Lye's reaction at 39'03 is an absolute joy to watch. The performance was technically flawless, but that I suppose was just the starting point for Lyle....We all know that Lyle was an extraordinary musician, and it should come as no surprise just how outstanding he was in other areas too... but it does! Thank you for this wonderful video about a truly extraordinary musician.
I played guitar in the University of Oregon jazz band in 1976. We played Sir Gawain. I remember thinking what great writing it was. Next I heard of Lyle Mays was with the PMG shortly thereafter...I still play many of his tunes several times a week. First Circle and Close to Home would be my favorites but there are so many great compositions.
This is absolutely glorious! I got the "Lizard" album sometime around '76 or '77 and became a huge fan. Didn't know that Pat Coil and Lyle were buddies, although I probably should have. I love Pat's "Recoil" music. That album was absolutely incredible, and as you say, basically a Lyle Mays album with the 1:00 lab band. I've heard those stories about the votes for the '75 "Lizard" album. SO COOL that you were there during the creation of that album. Incredible to hear he wrote that music without a piano handy. DAYUM!! This is a huge treat, thanks so much for sharing these stories, what a gift! Also, interesting to see Perry Stewart in that early clip from a few years earlier. My brother played drums in a trio with Perry and James Davis (TCU guys) around '69-'71. You just started playing Adventures of Supertonic... it so good to hear this exquisite music again...
Joe thanks for sharing... I had auditioned for Dan Hearle in '78 and was accepted but did not attend NTSU till 1980. His impact was still being felt as every Jazz Ed or Performance major's would learn all the requisite licks from lab '75. What a journey that ended all to early.
This is wonderful! Thank you for sharing the stories and the music! The Metheny Group not only played in Japan for about a month in 2008-2009 (it was more than just a few shows), they did a quartet tour going all over Europe in 2010. I have a number of recordings of them playing these shows, and they certainly count as Metheny Group shows. Lyle was playing things he never played before. To me, that tour was the final stage of the PMG, going back to its roots as a quartet but playing much better than they ever played before. Some people have the attitude that because it was only a quartet, or because they didn't play in America, that it doesn't count. But they played some amazing music in those shows!
This is so amazing, i watched the full of it with tears in my eyes by emotion, i'm going for the second part right now. Thank you very much! When he plays Before You Go with the CalTech guys, you can feel and see in the whole band the pure happines and joy of playing together. Man, you really must put all this kind of stuff in a book, the Universe would welcome and appreciate it very much
Thank you so much for this information. As a professional musician/composer from Holland Lyle is a lifetime inspiration. Someday the world will know how big he was...
Good stuff Joe. I remember that you and Dick Kent were both so good on flute that you both got to study with Dr. Morey. I think you 2 guys were the only students he had that weren’t flute majors. I hope you are doing well.
I can't believe you don't have more subscribers! Thank you so very much for honoring this man who contributed so much to this music. I've always loved jazz since I was around 9 years old, and he and Pat Metheny were truly the backbone of the Pat Metheny Group until his retirement in 2005, or was it? I've always loved listening to them together, so this is a real treat.
Hi Joe, I’ve been learning more about Lyle and really appreciate that you shared this from your recollections. He really seemed like someone who you could just talk about anything with such great intelligence as he had. It has been noted that he passed due to a recurring illness. What exactly was it?
A fascinating history of the experiences, the music, and the life and times. thank you for taking all the time and effort to put this together and share with the world.
I suspected long ago and then realized, and decided, the enduring attraction to Metheny for me was the PMG catalog…and that was because of Lyle Mays…I then decided Lyle was/is the PMG..that time and the music produced by Lyle, Metheny and Pedro Aznar, for me, will always be just about the very best I have enjoyed. Lyles’ ear and mind, his approach…
(as I write I hear Lyle talking about wanting to put structure in the improvisation sure that’s it..what he did..classic improv..wow)
From listening to PMG over the many years, I have been educated by both Pat and Lyles compositional approach/ form.. especially Lyle Mays view on chord/key choices and improv construction( My ear and thinking have been changed and reformed by Lyle Mays…can’t beat that! Don’t know him, but he has profoundly impacted my mind and my life…go figure! Thank you for the video, and thank god for the soul that is/ was Lyle Mays!
lyle 4 ever ❤
I encountered Lyle twice. Back in the early 90s, when email was a new thing, I'd just set up a Compuserve account.I'd read that the PMG used to communicate via Compuserve when they weren't touring. And Compuserve had a search engine that would give you anyone's email address (a series of numbers) if you typed in their name. So I searched and found Pat's and Lyle's addresses. First, I sent a note to Pat, which he answered from Korea. Then I sent one to Lyle asking a simple question: "Hey Lyle, what's on your turntable?" He sent me a nice replay recommending a few classical records he was listening to. And that was that, or so I thought. I few weeks later I got an email from Lyle, asking everyone he'd recently communicated with to send his father a birthday wish so he could show him the reach of the internet. Of course, I did. Fast forward about 10-12 years... I saw Lyle do a show with Paul McCandless at D.C.'s very small Blues Alley. It was a great show. Afterward, I was standing at the bar paying my tab when a guy sat next to me and put out his hand to shake. It was Lyle. We had a great 10-minute chat. Man, I feel so lucky I had those moments with him. I'm not a guy who gets emotional when famous people pass, but Lyle's music touched me deeply. I miss him a ton.
That's crazy! I actually remember writing an email to Lyle for the sane reason (Lyle dad's birthday).... wow... brings back memories! :)
Thank you for sharing the true insights of a true genius!❤
He asked about the drummer….and his name is Jimmy Branly. He really made Lyle happy about this concert. The perfect drummer for Lyle’s music.
This is pretty cool learning about LM's early days. Also informative answering questions I've always had like why did LM stop touring and getting a sense of how truly brilliant a mind he had. Possibly genius. Between this video and a Richard Niles interview with Mark Egan just after LM's passing I have the sense of a gentle, courteous, curious, introspective kind renaissance man who just happened to be supremely talented. The cumulative effect is a deeper appreciation of LM the man. I was thrilled to learn he was fascinated by architecture, my profession. I'm saddened at the thought that a most remarkable man is no longer with us. I truly wish someone with the requisite talent will write and record a September 15th for Lyle Mays.
Absolutely golden material! Than you SO much for sharing all this!
It IS SO cool the ending, Mays digging it to the max. Absolutely love to see him that way - satisfied w/ the take & acknowledging w/ admiration the other musicians' nailing the take.
Nice to see you Joe. I used to hang with you in Denver around 1985-88. Thanks for your insights into one of my favorite pianists. I once played a game of Asteroids with Lyle Mays while he was on a break on a gig in a dump bar in Iowa City, probably around 1977. The thing I love about Lyle's music are the long forms that he would write and the almost symphonic approach.
Greatly appreciated, hearing all these stories.RIP Lyly Mays.
Thank you for these peeks and paying attention to “THIS MAN behind the curtain.” A modern day wizard for sure.
If there's no biography of Mays, you should do it. Great stuff and very interesting.
Lye's reaction at 39'03 is an absolute joy to watch. The performance was technically flawless, but that I suppose was just the starting point for Lyle....We all know that Lyle was an extraordinary musician, and it should come as no surprise just how outstanding he was in other areas too... but it does! Thank you for this wonderful video about a truly extraordinary musician.
Will there be any more Lyle material? I feel we only touched the surface of his life and work
Great to hear and to get to more about Lyle Mays..
I played guitar in the University of Oregon jazz band in 1976. We played Sir Gawain. I remember thinking what great writing it was. Next I heard of Lyle Mays was with the PMG shortly thereafter...I still play many of his tunes several times a week. First Circle and Close to Home would be my favorites but there are so many great compositions.
Several of those North Texas State musicians became members of Tribal Tech. I listened to them constantly in the 80s and 90s along with the PMG.
This is absolutely glorious! I got the "Lizard" album sometime around '76 or '77 and became a huge fan. Didn't know that Pat Coil and Lyle were buddies, although I probably should have. I love Pat's "Recoil" music. That album was absolutely incredible, and as you say, basically a Lyle Mays album with the 1:00 lab band. I've heard those stories about the votes for the '75 "Lizard" album. SO COOL that you were there during the creation of that album. Incredible to hear he wrote that music without a piano handy. DAYUM!! This is a huge treat, thanks so much for sharing these stories, what a gift!
Also, interesting to see Perry Stewart in that early clip from a few years earlier. My brother played drums in a trio with Perry and James Davis (TCU guys) around '69-'71.
You just started playing Adventures of Supertonic... it so good to hear this exquisite music again...
Joe thanks for sharing... I had auditioned for Dan Hearle in '78 and was accepted but did not attend NTSU till 1980. His impact was still being felt as every Jazz Ed or Performance major's would learn all the requisite licks from lab '75. What a journey that ended all to early.
Thanks so much for sharing all those stories and info. So cool to hear all of that after listening Lyle's music and Lyle with PMG for thirty years
Thanks for this. Huge Lyle fan here and can't get enough of videos like this!
This is wonderful! Thank you for sharing the stories and the music! The Metheny Group not only played in Japan for about a month in 2008-2009 (it was more than just a few shows), they did a quartet tour going all over Europe in 2010. I have a number of recordings of them playing these shows, and they certainly count as Metheny Group shows. Lyle was playing things he never played before. To me, that tour was the final stage of the PMG, going back to its roots as a quartet but playing much better than they ever played before. Some people have the attitude that because it was only a quartet, or because they didn't play in America, that it doesn't count. But they played some amazing music in those shows!
When did Lyle "retire"? I must be wrong about 2005, so please correct me. Thank you so much.
Man, I would LOVE to hear some live Quartet music. Any way that could be possible?
@@heatherstub Lyle retired from music in 2011, and then he came back to music to finish Eberhard in 2019.
Love those comments from Lyle about creativity. Thanks a million for sharing all these pearls.
Pm wanted to be a jazzer but lyle was one , I think that peeved him. This is a great archive.
This is so amazing, i watched the full of it with tears in my eyes by emotion, i'm going for the second part right now. Thank you very much!
When he plays Before You Go with the CalTech guys, you can feel and see in the whole band the pure happines and joy of playing together.
Man, you really must put all this kind of stuff in a book, the Universe would welcome and appreciate it very much
Thank you so much for this information. As a professional musician/composer from Holland Lyle is a lifetime inspiration. Someday the world will know how big he was...
Good stuff Joe. I remember that you and Dick Kent were both so good on flute that you both got to study with Dr. Morey. I think you 2 guys were the only students he had that weren’t flute majors. I hope you are doing well.
I can't believe you don't have more subscribers! Thank you so very much for honoring this man who contributed so much to this music. I've always loved jazz since I was around 9 years old, and he and Pat Metheny were truly the backbone of the Pat Metheny Group until his retirement in 2005, or was it? I've always loved listening to them together, so this is a real treat.
Nice bit of history thanks for sharing this material.
Thanks for giving us this historical perspective !
Hi Joe, I’ve been learning more about Lyle and really appreciate that you shared this from your recollections. He really seemed like someone who you could just talk about anything with such great intelligence as he had. It has been noted that he passed due to a recurring illness. What exactly was it?
A fascinating history of the experiences, the music, and the life and times. thank you for taking all the time and effort to put this together and share with the world.
First demo reminds me of “Straight On Red.”
does anyone have the resource list he is talking about?
Very nice, thanks. Anything Lyle Mays is fascinating, evocative and almost mythological.
Thanks for this Gift! 😃🥰
Thank you very much for sharing this incredible material!
TY for this
Outstanding - Thank you for posting!
Thanks !!!
thank you sir!