RIP…Lyle Mays: Eberhard

For his last will and musical testament, the recently departed Lyle Mays (November 27, 1953 – February 10, 2020) gave us one last glimpse into his musical mind. The longtime musical partner of Pat Metheny gives a tribute to bassist and composer Eberhard Weber on this 13 minute single song, and it’s quite an opus. Mays brought together a string section, Mitchell Forman-p-B3, Steve Rodby-Jimmy Johnson/b, Alex Acuna-Jimmy Branly-Wade Culbreath/perc, Sheppard/wwinds and Bill Frisell/g to accompanyhis panoramic piano and synthesizers. The music itself is a soft panoramic pastel, opening with a soft marimba, leaning towards ambience before a vocal chant enters. Sheppard’s tenor and Frisell’s guitar ride a dramatic wave that eventually releases into a foamy fade of a wave returning to the ocean. A thoughtful dedication that could also serve as a eulogy.

 

www.lylemays.com

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