Ferry Cross The Mersey

Winner of the "More Strings Than You" contest, Pat Metheny!

Guitarist Pat Metheny has challenged the musical boundaries of himself and his audience for over 35 years and his 2009 album, "One Quiet Night" is no exception. The album features Metheny performing alone, on a custom-made baritone guitar with a non-traditional folk tuning that accentuates the instrument's rich sound and warm, resonant bass register. Recorded by Metheny in his New York City home, half of the material on the CD was captured on a single night in November 2001. In January 2003, he recorded the other half, including two new original compositions, a reinterpretation of the popular Pat Metheny Group song "Last Train Home", and an eclectic group of covers: "Don't Know Why" from the 2002 Grammy winning album by Norah Jones; "My Song" from jazz pianist Keith Jarrett; and a 1960's pop hit from the British Invasion band, Gerry and The Pacemakers, "Ferry Cross The Mersey", which Metheny says is one of his all time favorite songs.

Evocative at times of recordings made by the late Michael Hedges, Metheny constructed a contemplative and deeply emotional set of music quite unlike anything he's done before. The fact that the November 2001 session was not originally intended for public consumption and was entirely improvisational in nature is a testament not only to Metheny's skill as a guitarist, but also his innate sense of melody and harmonic structure.

Pat Metheny moves easily among varied musical settings, such as traditional jazz trios, post-bop experimental jazz, jazz-rock fusion and polyrhythmic World Music, to name a few. "One Quiet Night" is a new color on the palette; a different texture to the canvas for Metheny and his fans, who should find the album completely satisfying. In the liner notes, Metheny hopes this album will offer his listeners "some peace and enjoyment". It easily provides both.

Enjoy this unique recording of "Ferry Cross The Mersey" by Pat Metheny.

In the early sixties, Gerry and The Pacemakers worked the same Liverpool/Hamburg circuit as The Beatles and many other groups before being signed to EMI in 1962 by manager Brian Epstein, as his second group, following The Beatles.

The next year, under the direction of producer George Martin, they burst onto the music scene with three consecutive #1 hits: "How Do You Do It" (which Gerry recorded after The Beatles had rejected it), "I Like It" and "You’ll Never Walk Alone", proving themselves serious chart competitors to The Fabs at the time.

Over the next few years, most of the Pacemakers hits were written for the group by Gerry Marsden, based on sound financial advice, no doubt. These included "It's Gonna Be All Right", "I'm The One", "Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Cryin’" and of course, "Ferry Cross The Mersey", which was also the name of a film they starred in; a popular career move for beat groups of the day. The Pacemakers disbanded in 1966, but were reformed by Gerry in 1974. They continue to tour in the UK and worldwide to this day.

Here's a great video from 1965 of Gerry & The Pacemakers performing absolutely live for the British telly. During the first verse, Gerry Marsden very nearly gets popped in the mouth when a dancer bumps his mike stand; a hazard of playing in tight quarters since the dawn of microphones. Check the cheesy grin he flashes at the camera in the second verse. What a ham.

Amazon.com currently lists 133 albums with Pat Metheny's name on them. Although there is definitely such a thing as too much choice, I'm sure you'll find one or two that you like. There are also several very good "Best Of" collections available from Gerry & The Pacemakers, along with some reissues of his original EMI albums from the '60's.

By the way, did you know that Pat Metheny was, at age 19, the youngest ever faculty member at the Berklee School of Music in Boston? True. The second youngest? Bassist-vocalist Esperanza Spaulding, who is an absolutely amazing musician. Check her music out here.