(Cross the) Heartland: Pat Metheny, “Goin’ Ahead” (1980)

Share this:

80/81 concludes with Pat bringing it all together with acoustic guitars. For all of the different aspects of jazz (and “jazz folk”) on display on this record, there’s something about Metheny’s final song that really does feel like a true, integrated conclusion. Certainly all of these years of listening have imparted some of that feel, but it seemed this way on first listen as well.

Extending that feeling, “Goin’ Ahead” also feels like it’s giving a little bit of an introduction to the vastly open sound soon to surface on As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls. Sure, I don’t really know the composition/recording dates so clearly this is just my perception. But it does fit into what Metheny has said about the individual parts of his discography being parts of one long song.

And speaking of long songs…

Up next: As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls

[amazon_enhanced asin=”B000WQZUNO” container=”” container_class=”” price=”All” background_color=”FFFFFF” link_color=”000000″ text_color=”0000FF” /] [amazon_enhanced asin=”B000025Z02″ container=”” container_class=”” price=”All” background_color=”FFFFFF” link_color=”000000″ text_color=”0000FF” /]

Mark Saleski