Imaginary Day
| Imaginary Day | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Pat Metheny Group | ||||
| Released | October 7, 1997 | |||
| Genre | Jazz fusion | |||
| Length | 63:49 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Producer | Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays | |||
| Pat Metheny Group chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| All About Jazz | [2] |
Imaginary Day is an album by the Pat Metheny Group, released in 1997 by Warner Bros. Records. The album won the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album, while "The Roots of Coincidence", an uncharacteristically aggressive song with hard rock-inspired sections, won Best Rock Instrumental Performance. This album marks the final appearance of longtime drummer Paul Wertico, who would leave in 2001 before the recording of Speaking of Now to work on other projects.
The album leans heavily toward world fusion, drawing upon a variety of global influences. Indonesian styles are particularly pronounced, with Balinese gamelan music appearing in "Imaginary Day" and "Into the Dream". "The Heat of the Day" demonstrates repetitive hints of Iranian folk music. Imaginary Day also showcases the Group's first (and thus far, only) forays into rock music and drum and bass with "The Roots of Coincidence". In "The Awakening", the album concludes with strongly Gaelic melodies. "The Awakening" and "Follow Me" have been played on The Weather Channel during Local on the 8s.
The liner notes use an image substitution cipher throughout. The CD and CD tray can be lined up to one of three different keys (red, yellow or blue) to translate the majority of the liner notes, which include quotations from authors as well as a short essay by Metheny and Rodby. For example, lining up the arrow on the CD to the red square on the CD tray will decode the front cover as "PAT METHENY GROUP IMAGINARY DAY". Cover art by Stefan Sagmeister.
Track listing
All tracks written by Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Imaginary Day" | 10:11 | |
| 2. | "Follow Me" | 5:56 | |
| 3. | "Into the Dream" | Metheny | 2:27 |
| 4. | "A Story Within the Story" | 8:01 | |
| 5. | "The Heat of the Day" (Contains a hidden segue into "Across the Sky") | 9:44 | |
| 6. | "Across the Sky" (Contains a hidden intro to "The Roots of Coincidence") | 5:13 | |
| 7. | "The Roots of Coincidence" | 7:48 | |
| 8. | "Too Soon Tomorrow" | Metheny | 5:45 |
| 9. | "The Awakening" | 9:28 |
Personnel
- Pat Metheny - Guitars, Guitar synth, Pikasso guitar
- Lyle Mays - Piano, Keyboards
- Steve Rodby - Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass, Cello
- Paul Wertico - Drums
- David Blamires - Vocals, Guitar, Trumpet, Violin, Mellophone, Recorder
- Mark Ledford - Vocals, Flugelhorn, Trumpet
- Dave Samuels - Percussion
- Glen Velez - Percussion
- Don Alias - Percussion
- Mino Cinelu - Percussion
Production
- Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays - Producers
- Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NYC
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Poland (ZPAV)[3] | Gold | 50,000* |
|
*sales figures based on certification alone | ||
See also
References
- ↑ Ginell, Richard S. "Imaginary Day - Pat Metheny | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
- ↑ Gillis, A. G. (1 November 1997). "Pat Metheny Group: Imaginary Day". allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
- ↑ "Polish album certifications – Pat Metheny Group – Imaginary Day" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.