LYLE MAYS: The Composer (Part 1)
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- Опубліковано 16 тра 2024
- Lyle Mays, one of the greatest musical minds of our generation, has passed.
In order to honor him, and to shed light on a musician I feel whom is often overlooked, I've begun putting together a series of videos that analyze Lyle's playing and compositional style. In this first part, Lyle Mays the Composer Part 1, we're taking a look at his writing, first using Pat Metheny as a point of reference with which to compare him, and then analyzing his writing on its own.
Hope you all enjoy this one!
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Pretty good medium dive into Lyle. I,too was inspired by Lyle & PMG - actually met Pat in 1979 when I was 17 and Pat was 25. We were playing frisbee in the park he would be playing at later that eve, and he came out and threw the fris with us. Nice guy. Lyle wasn’t around at the moment.
I went to IU, and one of the Music School greats, Jim Beard, and I became friends. Later, I would see Jim playing w/ Pat on the Secret Story tour. Jim is one of the few cats in Lyle’s league. We knew when Jim was 18 he was destined for musical history, as I’m sure they knew Lyle was.
I was shocked - saddened, more like, when Lyle quit touring, but having been on the road a bit myself, I understood his fatigue. I didn’t really know what a renaissance man Lyle was, but clearly, he had an intellect superior to most. His musical prowess made him a maestro, and that was but a part of this amazing being. His passing seemed unfair to those of us he inspired. I’m glad you are continuing his legacy to any degree.
One bit of constructive criticism, it would have been better to keep the names of the compositions when you were showing examples. Also, the red and blue weren’t always so apparent. I realize the limitations of your editing s/w (Final Cut should be able to handle most things, but colorizing the score might be best done first on a frame in Photoshop. If that’s your production path, see Captain Disillusion for ways to re-color a frame using a new pallet. Hope that helps. All in all, an excellent first attempt. Please, don’t be offended ! Just trying to help. I’m an exec producer, and get opinionated some…love your playing, too, Most of the time!
dude, this is like the best thing i've found in 2020
Lyle is a modern day Mozart.
I was fortunate enough to meet him at the University of Miami back in 1979.
He is a genius and will be missed...
U
I was able to ‘Shake his hand’ POST SHOW SHOW one night
(I didn’t wash my hand FOREVER!!! 😉….. hoping ‘some of that MAGIC ‘rubbed off’ 😉)
Have seen Pat and Lyle in concert over 30 times since first discovering PMG in 1979. Thier music has really marked all of the significant chapters of my life. My daughter's hs jazz choir transcribed Minuano at her urging which was the winning performance at the Reno Jazz Festival. She's now 24 years old. My wife even has a song list of Pat and Lyles music to played in celebration of life for whichever of us passes first. 2020 has been so hard. We missed Metheny playing here in Seattle, but we have seats for 2021! Lyle's music will live forever.
Loved just loved your interpretation of what lyle does when he plays music. I was a pleasure to hear what you know about the piano composition. Etc from very linear mind set thank you.
You have opened my mind to composition stricture and what real musicians like pat and lyle think.
All I know is that the play beautiful music. The soundscape of my travels around the globe.lyle created such drama color and feelings that transcendent space time. Other world, yet so much beauty. Dignity and a sense of humor. While on a bullet train in china pat and lyle were there they fused what I saw out the window the sounds married the motion of light speed and objects not to mention the texture of my minds interpretation of what I was feeling. Many times this has happened what joy and bliss a very spirtiual space in my heart and mind that were moving
by. The only way I can explain it was a very kundaline experience
Thanks again Ryan
The best be safe 🙏
Once I discovered PMG in the late 70's I never let go,,
I as well
Me too.
Mid 1980s for me. Once hooked, investigated all the music Pat put out; PMG, solo and other collaborations. Being introduced to Lyle through Pat was a Godsend.
Amen!!
I am utterly shocked 🥺🥺🥺😰😰😰!!! I didn't know he passed away. I've been listening to his creations since I'm 12 yo (now 43 yo). I liked to think Lyle and Pat were complementary... but Lyle was always my guide, my precious, my favourite. I've been listening to his music (either in Pat Metheny Group or in solo) everyday since 30 years plus, now knowing he passed away breaks my heart. RIP Dear Lyle, you made a HUGE improvement in my generally happy life. Thanks a million for the video.
I'm so sorry you're just finding out now. I found out 2 days after it happened and sobbed on the train as my phone alerted me. The world had been searching for Lyle and more new content from him since 2010-2011 (I saw many people in comments on social media sites literally asking where he was in the world, to come back to us). He left the music industry or, as he said in an interview, "The music industry left us." I thank God all the time that he left mankind with tons of music to wade through and pick through for the rest of time and yet I'm selfish because I still wish he didn't leave because I want more. RIP Lyle.
Yeah, he saw 2020 and said Later dudes!!
ANGERED HOW UA-cam HAS FORCED PEOPLE TO PAY FOR SOME MUSIC CHANNEL OF THEIRS IN ORDER TO LISTEN TO WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY FREE!!!! Much of the Pat Metheny/ Lyle Mays music falls in this category.
@@indriadrayton1132 ORIGINALLY: Lyle Mays & Pat Metheny are musicians and composers who worked hard to learn their instruments. Instrument lessons and college isn’t free. Instruments aren’t free, recording music isn’t free, paying salaries for additional musicians isn’t free. Homes, cars, healthcare, raising children isn’t free. In LYLE MAYS’ last interview he said, “We didn’t leave the music industry, the music industry left us!” It is partially because of people who insisted on posting their music to websites like UA-cam, illegally, in large numbers, that caused Lyle to make the decision to stop recording music and became a software engineer for the last 10 years of his life. MUSIC IS NEVER FREE!! People on UA-cam and other sites stole his music, he couldn’t make a living as a musician that way so he STOPPED! And now he’s gone. It’s our loss. Joining UA-cam’s music service or the music service of your choice helps your favorite musicians get the money they’ve rightfully earned so they can continue making music and paying their bills and eating food and continue living healthy lives. RIP Lyle Mays.
@@geocosmicvalentine I bought their first Pat Metheny Group album when I heard it drop on WRVR in NYC. Was my soundtrack album on my journeys down South via Amtrak. My favorite song, though there are many, has to be It's For You, from the As Falls Wichita album. I do understand purchasing an artist's music, I really do. I just don't think they gain any income from Music Premium either, only Google gets this money. Of course, I could be wrong about this. We've lost so many artists this year, and I have lost friends and family, too. The grief is palpable.....
OMG ... this is fantastic. Lyle's first CD sent me into the stratosphere. He truly was underrated.
You are certainly correct about Lyle being ONE of the most underrated musicians of our time. I think his being THE most underrated is questionable; but he is certainly one of the most underrated. And certainly one of the most underrated pianists. I've loved Lyle since I was a teenager, and he and Pat are less than 10 years older than me. I turned a drummer of mine onto the Pat Metheny Group back in the 80's. When Lyle died, this drummer went online posting posts as if he discovered Lyle Mays. I said what are you doing? If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even know who Lyle Mays was. Jazz musicians know Lyle Mays, and he was still one of the most underrated.
Lyle is the architect, the organiser that put everything together, and also the co-composer, while Pat is the melody writer, the _song writer_ in a way. I'd say the PMG _eco system_ is essentially brought by Lyle Mays. Pat on top of that is what make the whole like magical abstraction.
The Word Savant has always come to mind
His Musical Ability will in time make this gifted musician a Prodigy Synonymous to the likes of
Frederic Chopin.... Johann S Bach ....Antonio Vivaldi...Wolfgang A Mozart.....
.........Thankyou Lyle for making such beautiful music that brightened up my life .....................
Lyle was literally a 'Once in a Lifetime' Talent who left us with his Musical Genius and Wisdom. It would literally be a shame and sad for anyone who has lived to not have been able to experience his sheer magical playing ability and melodic compositions. He has made my life that much more fulfilled and am in sheer 'Awe' as to his 'Other Wordly' God gifted talent. Thank you Lyle and may God bless and keep you always. RIP
I discovered PMG at the end of high school. I am about to retire. I am as enthusiastic as ever. Pure genius, thank you for sharing.
Lyle made my life full of music..unforgettable
What a great presentation! It was Lyle's playing on the song "Tell It All" that really attracted me to PMG. Their sound truly blew me away the very first time I saw them live and it was Lyle's performance that confirmed his greatness to me. I'm so thankful that you took the time to acknowledge him in this tribute. I miss him and his contributions to the amazing art form of music. Thank you Ryan!!!!!
The heart of modern jazz fusion…one of the most cultured, and technically considerate improvisers of our time…arguably the best piano composer/player since slate romantic/ impressionist periods. I do miss Lyle Mays, though I have, and do, since the late 70’s, listen to the group regularly..especially during the hot “jazz” weather of summer.
Mas Alla Lyle!
Fantastic work. Am a drummer, Pianist and these mucicians have been mine main influences from age 16 - now 58, and will be... Thanks!!
Plain and simply put. They blended together and they enjoyed what they did and it shows.
I'm so glad to see someone appreciates Lyle Mays for the same reasons that I did. I've always appreciated his compositions as much as his playing. He was a huge influence on me. Awesome video! Thanks so much for doing this.
I had this video waiting on my Watch Later list for months. Today, still processing Chick Corea's passing, I finally watched it. It was brilliant. Thank you!
Great Video Ryan. Lyle was overlooked by those that didn't listen. He was a true genius. To me it is clear that he and Pat complemented each other to create some of the best music of the 20th century. True synergy. Listening to Pat Metheny's newest work, Same River, I can hear that, while it has its moments of greatness, the songs lack the development that the work that two genius' together composed.
You seemed to denigrate Pat a bit saying his melodies are simple, but complexity does not equate to musicality- think Zappa. Some of the greatest music has simple lines- So What, Infant Eyes, Gymnopédie No.1, I loves You Porgy. Without the melody, rhythm, and harmony you don't have music.
I believe Lyle was more then 50% of the composition/arranger of ALL of PMG. Pat is an amazing SOLOIST, “playing” in the sonic field, composed & arranged, MOSTLY, by Lyle)
“Together” they made HISTORY!!!!
Maybe my “favorite band” and the most INFLUENTIAL of my entire life
Awesome video!!!!!
I remember still, the first Berkeley cal Greek theater performance way up front, seeing that tall thin long arms and fingered, otherworldly magician at the piano…who and what was that? I immediately thought, that’s why the music on the albums is like nothing I had heard since the Beatles! Lyle Mays…an alien piano god..of course…no regular human could pull that off! Thank god for Lyle Mays..and our great fortune to experience his vision and talent,,Wherever you are…I hope we can go with you!
Thank you so much for this video.
Lyle played such a big role in the Pat Metheny Group and created those special moments in music. Thanks for showing and demonstrating. Waited so long for a video like this.
Music live forever... spendid musicians.. Great explanation, in this excellent video.❤
Impressive dive into the heart and soul of Lyle and Pat! I've been a fan of both for nearly 40 years...and your deconstruction just makes me more of a fan.
Really wonderful! Lyle added an incredible voice to the Jazz canon. Pat was very lucky to have him in his shadow for so many years. A match made in heaven!
@JustAintThatWay If you can read between my words that’s what I’m saying. But you ask non-musicians who Lyle Mays is vs Pat Metheny and then you’ll get my point. It was called the Pat Metheny Group, not the Pat Metheny-Lyle Mays Group. Anyway, we’re on the same page musically, Lyle influenced the music as much as Pat but he was not in the spotlight like Pat. All the major interviews were done by Pat, he was the spokesperson. That says nothing about the music, only about the leader. That’s what I meant by shadow, and Pat’s career took off where Lyle’s didn’t. Pat was frankly very lucky to have Lyle as his equal band mate and yet receive more of the light.
I fully understand your opening statement …. “It’s really hard to put into words what Lyle Mays means to me ….”
Thank you so much in describing Lyle Mays and Pat Metheny music. Am a big fan of both, but know just basic of music, I play guitar. But would LOVE! more YTs on this.
This is amazing, no one ever did such a detailed explanation like you just presented. Part II PLEASE!
Thanks! Part 2 will be out next Thursday!
Huge Lyle Mays fan! Loved your analysis of his contributions to the Pat Metheny Group. Well done, thanks!❤
Ryan, this is really insightful. A deep appreciation and thanks extended to you . How awesome you are for such a deep analysis of Lyle and Pat's work. Seen them both, up close, on stage, performing. It changed my life forever. RIP Lyle.. who is in the ranks of Mozart and Bach.
My top 2 pianist Art Tatum and Lyle Mays… When I first listen to Lyle Mays the way he played it was like he was telling a story with his melodies or even with the SFX…favorite tune: Third Wind🙌🏽
Very deep structural analysis of the music of Lyle and Pat. I'm specially gratefull for your examples of Lyle and Pat approach to the composition, phrasing and melody. Also, I've got to mention the part when you improvising with your right hand while keeping the most difficult chrords progression with your lest hand. Effortlessly!!! That was realy, realy nicely done, Ryan! Thank you for the video.
Wow this video is an incredible contribution. I'm just blown away by the level of scholarship. You've got the makings of a doctoral dissertation here, and then some.
I'll NEVER forget when Pat played with Hubert Laws, Jazz Workshop in Boston, 1975 (?) He did a brilliant solo on "Giant Steps"... I used to see Lyle Mays often with "Composers With Red Sneakers" ... a contemporary composer's group that got together off and on in Cambridge(70's and 80's). His compositions AND his playing w/other composers' compositions was always superb ! It's not hard to understand that the music world will miss him.
Intuitive & informed brilliance. Expansive compositional genius...so, he leaves us to go on to further expansiveness in mind/body/spirit elsewhere, maybe to do for those there, what he did for us here. So sadly missed. (R.I.P)
rest in peace lyle. 4 years already gone by...
I've seen too many amazing pianists to even remember, and Lyle Mays was up there with the very best. Thanks a million for this informed look at his work, which only makes me appreciate him even more.
Metheny and Mays were a bit like Lennon and McCartney.....the sum of their parts was much greater, than either as individuals. I think Pat is certainly one of the greatest guitar soloists and composers of all time.....it takes nothing away from him to say, that when Lyle was in the band they achieved a certain level of magic that disappeared when he left....
I totally agree . Pat metheny moves on and on to different collaborations. Lyle was one of them and it made pat . Lyle will always haunt him
No lie he’s great love listening to him....
I always felt like Pat made Lyle take greater risks while Lyle kept Pat from being so Out There he became inaccessible.
Lyle’s self titled album was one of my favorites through the 80s and even today I pull out the CD once in awhile to remember his excellent musicianship and spirit!
I can’t tell you how much this means to me. Thank you. I love Pat and Lyle.
I have never seen such true representation and transcription of Lyle’s passages. Thank you! Is Lyle’s piano solo transcription in Better Days Ahead available for purchase?
Ryan: I totally loved this video.
Thanks for this video. Lyle was perhaps my favorite musician of all time and I really miss him. I was fortunate to see him play with Pat 7 times in Northern California and Lyle was amazing every night. I regard the Metheny/Mays songwriting team as the best ever including Lennon/McCarney. Can't get enough of videos like this!
Nice video on Lyle. Some remarks though (and if you covered it in Pt2 then sorry, have to watch that one). Lyle is known for his complex counterpoint in his music. Slink and Distance are good examples of that. The other thing about Pat's writing is that there is also the abilities and limitations of the instrument. Writing songs on guitar is different from a piano. It is much easier to get complex harmony on a piano because we can use 10 notes and do specific voice types and alterations easy. On guitar you are limited to basically 4 fingers and 6 strings where you have to rely on either doing a barre, mute a string, or use an open string but all within basically a 4 fret confinement. You will find that some of his tunes are very easy to do on guitar because the physicality of playing the guitar lends itself easy to specific melodies. Bright size life is a very good example of such a tune. That said, Pat did do some pretty complex stuff but mostly outside of the PMG. Mostly in the avant garde/free jazz idiom (as with Bailey and Coleman).
And a small correction: Pat doesn't solo on the Synclavier in Third wind. It's the Roland GR300 sound he uses there. Actually you can see him switch from Synclavier guitar (technically, that's a Roland GR808 modified to house the Synclavier guitar control panel) to the regular Roland GR300 in the middle break. Depending how fast he can pull that off, he comes in with this wailing sound.
And maybe something you might have observed: Lyle usually solo's over the more complex chord schemes (even with Pat's material). Often with chords fairly fast succeeding (multiple changes per bar). It is one of the things he is good at and using a lot of chromatism is his forte there. But there is also a lot of romanticism in Lyle's soloing. If you see him perform free-form intro's to songs on piano (September 15th on Imaginary day, In her family on Speaking of now, various bridges he does between songs on the 1989-1993 tour, etc) you will find a lot of Debussy/Ravel/Bill Evans in that.
Wonderful tribute and beautifully showcases Lyle's musical approach.
Love it! Well done.
Wow. This is amazing. Thanks for putting this together!!! 🎶
Also, Lyle Mays deserved a lot more recognition for his solo projects than he got in life. Hopefully he will start getting it more and more.
Thanks so much, Ryan! Loved that.❤️💫🎶
This is a PHENOMENAL analysis, thank you so much
Outstanding Video... Thank you for taking all the time and effort to create it.
Wonderful presentation! I watched both parts last year but returned for a revisit after listening to Rick Beato's interview with Pat.
They made such beautiful music, and maybe indeed as you mentioned Pat may recur to some more static note movements and Lyle choosing of notes/chords is more dynamic or jigsaw rhythms. But this maybe influenced by the instruments the play or master, although PM is known by his different tuning approach of the guitar IMHO. Despite all this comparison, Thank God they met for us to enjoy the soulful and ecstasy of their music! Thank you for the video which showed us the greatness of Lyle May's!
Awesome.... We need part 2
Thoroughly enjoyed! Great work!
Txs for your fantastic explanation and work! 🙏
So good, thank you for doing these videos!
One of the greatest definitely a piano genius&legend!!!!!
Ryan! Thanks for this my friend!
..'so much nice work here; thanks. ( RIP, Lyle
This is cool. Very well done. Thank you.
What a trésor in 2021 , thank you 😍👍
Excellent explanations... well done!
Great stuff! Loved this video.
Great job! Thanks so much for sharing all this!
Thank you! Great stuff
Incredible work!! Thank you!! so much ❤️ for Lyle Mays
This really good!
Thank you Ryan!
😇
This is solid gold for Lyle's music followers. Thank you very much.
Wonderful series. Thanks for taking us inside one of the most important musical minds and pairings of our lifetime, and any lifetime.
Great stuff!! Long overdue! Looking forward to more videos
Very informative! Thanks for posting!
Fascinating. Thank you.
Brilliant video, thank you!
Thank you so much for answering some questions I have been wondering! This is a wonderful documentary! 💕💕💕
So, so good. Great work. Thank you very much.
Beautifully done, my friend; congratulations and deepest gratitude.
Fantastic analysis, thanks so much! This is a real masterclass in Lyle Mays-Metheney harmony and I am learning a lot from it
Great, great video, thank you Ryan!
Awesome, amazed by 🎹 playing on this video, thanks so so much
Excellent analytical work! And enjoyable. Thanks.
Thank you for this. I've been listening their music since I was in high school and this might be the best explanation I've heard of their contrasting styles.
Ty so much for this clip. After watching you play the ‘End of the Game ‘ chords, I think it’s even more phenomenal. One of my favorite tracks.
Excellent articulate presentation man...well done. Awesome playing, Good insights.
KABOOM!! What a analytical tribute and respectful study. Such a joy to watch. Thanks for your work.
Bloody marvellous. They were the perfect combination and you have nailed how their approach was so complementary.
Thank you so much, love from France ❣️
This is amazing. Ive listened to pat and lyle since I was a kid so I could listen to this all day. Hope you have more vids coming soon 🤗
In any analysis, there has to be generalization in order to reduce complexity, and make sense of the abstract of music. you’ve done a great job in this analysis, and i thank you for increasing my understanding and appreciation for both Metheny and Mays.
Impressive and so interesting. I love Lyle.
Thank you so much for these 2 videos about Lyle and Pat's music together in PMG , not to forget the fantastic musicians who collaborated with them througout over 3 decades . Personally my preference goes to Still LIfe (Talking) . The level of these guys in their music is comparable to classical symphonic performance with an additional great sense of improvisation developing the themes and incredible bridges .Beautiful landscapes of sounds and rythms , pure poetry! . Thank you for trying to let us understand the basics of the composing process and its expansion , and using the partition for this is great . I can only emphasize that the drums and perfect bass in those works are essentials pilars in these works too . This beautiful music brings joy ,hope and elevation for those who love it ! Lyle is gone, sadly , but his work remains , and maybe someone will one day give tribute to him with a philarmonic ensemble, this genius music work would surely deserve it .
Thanks so much for the video and great playing too.🙂
Great analysis Ryan! I've always been amazed by the richness of harmony in Lyle's work. I'm listening to the PMG and Lyle solo projects for..45 years now and I've still goosebumps ! ;-) Thank a lot!
Great Video and analysis....her was an very Talenten musician..thanks,Slatko for your work here!
Excelent analysis! Greetings from Venezuela!
I love Lyle’s syncopated rhythms. Sometimes he superimposes two different rhythms (eg left hand plays in 3/4 time while his right hand plays in 4/4 time) but both hands are synchronized and yet independent. Lyle was an a creative genius who had his own unique and beautiful way of making provocative and totally unique music.
Well done man!
By Far , the most compelling case for our beloved Lyle, and his genius that i´ve seen . I´ve heard so many great musicians, but still mesmerized about just any 1 bar of Lyle on any tune, as a composer or improviser. Thank You so Much for making this, you are very talented and knowledgeable. I hope some day we´ll see a high quality documentary about the master.
Thanks, Ryan, for this fascinating and informative video.
Peace... ☝️😎