FIRST CIRCLE

Forward March
Yolanda, You Learn
The First Circle
If I Could
Tell It All
End of the Game
Mas Alla (Beyond)
Praise

PLAYERS: Pat Metheny (g), Lyle Mays (p, k), Steve Rodby (b), Paul Wertico (d), Pedro Aznar (v)

REFLECTIONS

LYLE: First Circle will always will always sound good to me because it was based on principles not fads. I designed so much of First Circle, from its overall form to the details of the opening, to the orchestration, and so much more. By the time we came to First Circle, we could design in EVERYTHING from the start. I felt like I was writing a big band chart, because I was that comfortable with my knowledge of what each player could do, what the technology could do and what the results would sound like. First Circle sounded as perfect in rehearsals as it sounded in the first live performance, as it sounded for years afterwards. It didn't have to be fixed. It was born sounding the way it sounded.

Pedro fell into our lap like a gift from heaven, which I don't believe in. Pedro sent Pat a demo tape where he reproduced the Beatles "Because" with perfection. It was jaw-dropping.