For the first time ever, ECM Records is releasing Pat Metheny’s full 11-album catalog on the label for high-resolution downloads and streaming. Classic Metheny albums such as Bright Size Life, Offramp, and 80/81 are included as part of this initiative, which spans from 1976 to 1984.
“The main premise in digitizing the Pat Metheny tapes was not to change the sound of the recordings, but to realize them in the original form, in the best possible quality,” explains ECM mastering engineer Christoph Stickel. “The work was based on the original, analogue stereo master tapes. The masters are in very good condition and can be played without problems. All tapes were played by a Studer A820, which was meticulously calibrated to the respective tape. The analog signal was digitized in 96kHz/24-bit, which covers the complete spectrum of the original bands. In each case, a decision was made between a PrismSound ADA-8XR, an Antelope Eclipse Mastering AD, and a Mytek Brooklyn ADC, depending on which one suited best the respective recording. No de-noising and no other restoration affecting the sound was carried out.”
The albums in question are:
Bright Size Life (1976)
Watercolors (1977)
Pat Metheny Group (1978)
New Chautauqua (1979)
American Garage (1979)
80/81 (1980)
As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls (1981) with Lyle Mays
Offramp (1982)
Travels (1983)
Rejoicing (1984)
First Circle (1984)
Here is a complete list of where and in what formats these albums are available:
Qobuz (HD download and streaming)
HDtracks (HD download)
Acoustic Sounds (HD download)
Prostudiomaster (HD download)
Tidal (MQA Master streaming)
Apple (Apple Digital Master download and streaming)
Amazon (Amazon HD streaming)
For more information on Pat Metheny, visit PatMetheny.com.
