Artists & Music Metheny Group Expands Scope With `Day' Telarc Ties In With Book Co. Tour To Drive For Label Debut Warner Expects Sales For `Nature Of America' Set BY BRADLEY BAMBARGER rock bands. But one especially charged down "Quartet" crowned Top Jazz new track, "The Roots Of Coinci- Albums during a 32 -week chart run BY DYLAN SIEGLER NEW YORK -One of the great attrib- dence," even finds common ground (Billboard, Nov. 23, 1996). The groove - utes of the ever-intrepid Pat Metheny with the likes of Nine Inch Nails. "We oriented'We Live Here" peaked at No. Performances by the Cincinnati Group has always been its high "trip question ourselves less and less about 2 on Top Contemporary Jazz Albums Pops Orchestra and themes from quotient," as Metheny likes to say. And idiom as we go on," Metheny says. in '95; moreover, it hit No. 83 on The popular nature -themed films will be with "Imaginary Day" -its 12th album "We're just following the material Billboard 200, a rare feat for a jazz featured in an unusual CD/book tie -in and first for Warner Bros. -the Group where. it takes us-and on this album, record (Billboard, Dec. 10, 1994). that seeks to capture `The Nature Of has broadened its horizons consider- that meant follow- A star collaborator outside the America." Telarc International is set ably. ing it as far as it Group, Metheny has both pushed the to release the compilation "The "Our past albums have always had a would go. `Roots envelope of late and pursued more pop- Nature Of America: A Musical couple nine- or 10- minute.songs that Of Coincidence' is ulist projects. Last year, he played live Impression" as a companion to a dis- really try to take you somewhere," my favorite track and in the studio with an exploratory tinctive hardbound collection of Metheny explains, "but with the new because that seems quartet featuring British free jazz gui- nature photographs by book publish- record, we wanted to explore that ter- like truly modern tarist Derek Bailey, percussionist er Watson Guptill/Amphoto Art. ritory from beginning to end. When I music to me, in that Gregg Bendian, and Wertico; this past The music on the CD compilation first took what became the title track so many elements spring, the band issued "The Sign Of was selected by Telarc president/ White Dawn.'' " to the band, I described it as a Chinese METHENY of that song could 4," a three -CD document of those COO Bob Woods and editing manag- The CD also includes such pieces opera/blues with a Miles [Davis] 'Fines only exist today. seething performances on Knitting er Erica Brenner and was chosen "to as an excerpt from Copland's "Ap- De Kilimanjaro' interlude. Maybe And it shows off a facet of the Group's Factory Works (Billboard, Feb. 1). capture the spirit of the American palachian Spring" and the main that's indicative of where we're at." sound that we've never exploited fully. With bass legend and longtime landscape in musio," says Rob Saslow, theme from "On Golden Pond," per- Out Tuesday (7), "Imaginary Day" It really rocks." friend Charlie Haden, Metheny pro- special markets manager at Telarc. formed by well-known orchestras. definitely features some of the most The Metheny Group's debut on duced one of this year's true jazz "We tried to make [the CD] as "The music itself is very descrip- complex, indefinable Metheny Group Warner Bros. comes after long associ- events, the sublime acoustic duet al- accessible as possible," says Saslow. tive," adds Jack Renner, chairman of music yet, as well as some of the most ations with first ECM and then Geffen bum `Beyond The Missouri Sky (Short "We didn't want to make it heavy - Telarc. "It's programmatic, eliciting beguiling. The exotic 10- minute title that produced a series of chart-topping, Stories)." The Verve set hit No. 1 on handed, and it isn't. A lot of the selec- a response which recalls certain epic is matched by a host of tracks Grammy -winning albums by the Group Top Jazz Albums and is still at No. 7 tions are themes from popular films, places and moods, like looking at a boasting bold, cinematic textures and as well as Metheny in various solo set- after 30 weeks. Next year, Metheny like `Dances With Wolves' and `The (Continued on page 74) nearly double -digit lengths, while the tings. Last year, the Group's stripped- (Continued on page 100) songful charms of the radiant "Follow Me" and the yearning "Across The Sky" are more pointed yet no less abiding. Two Albums Stoke Growing Fire For Jamaica's Sizzla Throughout the album, intricate composition is wedded to spirited im- BY ELENA OUMANO by V.P. Records in the U.S., drops farian Sizzla may seem an unlikely can- take a.page from Sizzla's compelling, provisation, yielding a far-reaching stateside Tuesday (7), two days before didate to fulfill the reggae industry's genre -transcending flow. stylistic hybrid. It's music rooted in KINGSTON, Jamaica -Late one June Sizzla -along with Xterminator label - longstanding R &B /pop crossover aspi- "Not since [reggae DJ/singer] Buju jazz but not limited to any preconcep- night in Jamaica, IRIE -FM -the mates singers Luciano and Mikey Gen- rations. And few in that arena are nom- [Banton] came out with one hit after tions of how a jazz band should island's 24/7, all- reggae radio station - eral -play an ea- inating him. But no one works the bor- another in early '92 have we seen some- sound -in league with the legacy of made a straight run through several gerly anticipated der turf between MC and singer like thing like this," says Sharon Gordon, fusion pioneers Weather Report but current Sizzla hits: "Black Woman And Thursday (9) con- this 21 -year -old reggae chanter: a true host of "Food For Thought" on more evolved and even more electric. Child," "Homeless," "Hard Ground," cert at New York's wailing wailer who is realizing Marley's WNWK New York. "You couldn't go to Beyond the core Group of guitarist "Make It Secure," "One Away," "Give Beacon Theatre. In vision of the Rastaman as bearer of the a dance then, [without] there [being] at Metheny, co- composer/keyboardist Them A Ride," "Inna Dem Face," and Jamaica, the two message. Sizzla's elastic vocal scope, least one solid hour of Buju. Five years Lyle Mays, bassist Steve Rodby, and "Praise Ye Jah." With two recent Ja- albums were re- musical imagination, and lyrical force later, Sizzla is creating that same phe- drummer Paul Wertico, "Imaginary maican albums, "Praise Ye Jah" on leased almost are reinventing reggae singjay style - nomenon. People can't get enough of Day" features the vocalise and multi - Xterminator and "Black Woman And SIZZLA simultaneously in bringing together the rhythmic acuity Sizzla. Everybody's singing his songs; instrumental skills of David Blamires Child" on Brickwall, and hit singles August. "Black of the DJ (rapper) with the emotional every man is calling his woman and Mark Ledford as well as a battery from both peppering the réggae mar- Woman," produced by label owner power of the singer -and setting the `empress' and `princess,' because of of percussionists. Plus, Metheny wields ketplace, Sizzla fever is raging in Ja- Bobby "Digital" Dixon, was released standard for today's reggae artist. `Black Woman And Child." an array of futuristic stringed instru- maica and in the island's U.S. and U.K. Aug. 19 in the U.S. It is distributed by Even on his Jah -focused terms, R &B Though "Black Woman" has pro- ments to broaden the palette further. ethnic outposts. the label's Brickwall distribution arm, and hip -hop heads can relate to Sizzla's duced more hit singles, both albums The Metheny Group has always "Praise Ye Jah," produced by Xter- which has representation in Jamaica, Afro-centric themes and toasting skills. weigh in equally as exemplars of the been at the forefront of technology, and minator executive producer/manager Miami, and New York. And anyone who takes up a mike - Sizzla sound: his rhythmically intricate, the outfit's volume level rivals most Philip "Fattis" Burrell and distributed At first listen, the staunchly Rasta- vocalist or rapper-would do well to (Continued on page 99) E X E C U T I V E T U R N T A B L E RECORD COMPANIES. Steve Barnett is promoted to senior VP of world- wide marketing at Epic Records in New York. He was senior VP of international. Warner Music Group in New York promotes Jordan Rost to senior VP of new technology and appoints Robert Emmer senior VP of busi- BARNETT ROST LORY TORRENCE ALEXANDER KNIGHT MARINACCIO HORTON ness affairs. They were, respective- ly, VP of marketing and executive Susan Eaddy is promoted to asso- Paul Wright director of A &R, Ben Damascus Records in Nashville ed to director of international acqui- VP of business affairs at Rhino ciate director of creative services at Tankard director of A &R, and names Missy Baker director of sitions at BMG Publishing in New Entertainment Co. the RCA Label Group in Nashville. Clyde Duffle national manager of media relations. She was manager of York. She was manager of interna- Dave Lory is named VP of inter- She was manager of creative services. radio promotion. They were, respec- publicity at ForeFront Records. tional acquisitions. national marketing at Mercury Verity Records in New York pro- tively, director of A &R at Benson Records in New York.