Lyle Mays

About

Pianist/keyboardist Lyle Mays had logged nearly 10 years as cowriter and de facto coleader of the Pat Metheny Group when he unfurled this winning 1985 solo debut. It’s as boundlessly melodic and technically polished as any Metheny record yet sounds nothing like Metheny. Mays’ distinct vision is apparent right away in his choice of players: Bill Frisell on guitar, paired with the vastly underrated Billy Drewes, whose alto and soprano saxes blend with Frisell’s raw and wobbly distortion sound to create a unique frontline textural flavor. Bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Alex Acuña find a strong rhythm section rapport while Nana Vasconcelos, a Metheny Group alum himself, adds eerily effective percussion and voice. <i>Lyle Mays</i> saw release as an LP, and it’s still best heard in terms of Side One and Two. “Highland Aire,” “Teiko,” and “Slink” make up the first side—three stand-alone compositions, tuneful and complex. “Mirror of the Heart” begins Side Two with commanding solo piano. Then come the abstract vignettes “Northern Lights” and “Invocation” followed by the majestic “Ascent”—three tracks that Mays bundled together as the mysterious <i>Alaskan Suite</i>. And finally, “Close to Home” ends the set with rising anthemic beauty. Mays’ writing sings with grace and imagination; his original tonal palette on synths puts him in a league with Weather Report’s Joe Zawinul. In light of his untimely passing in 2020, his solo debut remains a moving testament to a proud legacy.

via Apple Music