Watercolors - Pat Metheny (1977) (1LP Vinyl) - Near Mint (NM)

Condition: Used

Media Condition: Near Mint (NM)

Sleeve Condition: Very Good Plus (VG+)

Watercolors by Pat Metheny.

Recorded in February 1977 at Talent Studio in Oslo, "Watercolors" captures Pat Metheny at a pivotal moment, a young guitarist stretching toward the luminous, wide open sound that would come to define his work. This is music of atmosphere and motion, shaped as much by texture as by melody, and it rewards the kind of attentive listening that a good pressing invites.

Metheny handles an unusually rich array of stringed instruments here, moving between guitar, twelve string guitar, and a fifteen string harp guitar. That variety gives the album its shimmering depth, letting single lines bloom into cascades and chords ring with an almost orchestral fullness. Every composition is his own, and the writing carries that unmistakable sense of open sky and long horizon, from the title track's gentle unfolding to the restless drift of "Icefire" and the meditative pull of "Legend Of The Fountain."

He is joined by a group that would shape his musical language for years to come. Lyle Mays makes an early appearance on piano, his harmonic sensibility already intertwining beautifully with Metheny's guitar, while Danny Gottlieb keeps the pulse alive and responsive on drums. Anchoring it all is the great Eberhard Weber on bass, whose singing, elastic tone lends the record a warmth and buoyancy that few rhythm sections could match.

The album unfolds across two sides with a natural arc. Side A moves from the flowing calm of "Watercolors" through "Icefire," "Oasis," and "Lakes," each piece drawing on the imagery of water and light. Side B carries that spirit forward with "River Quay," the playful lilt of "Florida Greeting Song," the hushed "Legend Of The Fountain," and the closing "Sea Song," which sends the listener out on a tide of quiet reflection.

Much of the record's celebrated clarity comes from the hands behind the board. Engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug, working in his familiar Oslo setting, gives every instrument room to breathe, while producer Manfred Eicher brings the unmistakable ECM aesthetic to bear, spacious, cool, and crystalline. Dieter Bonhorst handled the layout, and Lajos Keresztes contributed the cover photograph, completing a presentation as considered as the music itself.

For collectors, the pressing details tell their own story. A "P" in the runout denotes a Pitman pressing, and the runouts themselves are etched, with the exceptions of "P," "MASTERDISK," and the trailing letters and numbers, which are stamped. These small markings are the quiet fingerprints of the record's making, a reminder that this is an object of craft as well as sound, and a rewarding addition to any shelf devoted to Metheny or to the golden era of ECM.

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. Watercolors
A2. Icefire
A3. Oasis
A4. Lakes
B1. River Quay
B2. Florida Greeting Song
B3. Legend Of The Fountain
B4. Sea Song

Credits:
Eberhard Weber - Bass
Pat Metheny - Composed By, Guitar, Twelve-String Guitar, Harp Guitar [15-String]
Danny Gottlieb - Drums
Jan Erik Kongshaug - Engineer
Dieter Bonhorst - Layout
Lajos Keresztes - Photography By [Cover Photograph]
Lyle Mays - Piano
Manfred Eicher - Producer

Notes:
Recorded 02/77 Talent Studio Oslo

"P" in runout denotes Pitman pressing

Runouts are etched except 'P, MASTERDISK' & trailing letters/numbers are stamped.

Artist: Pat Metheny

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: ECM Records

Catalog Number: ECM-1-1097

Release Year: 1977

Country: United States