As Falls Wichita, so Falls Wichita Falls

As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls
Studio album by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays
Released May 1981
Recorded September 1980
Genre Jazz fusion
Length 43:34
Label ECM
Producer Manfred Eicher
Pat Metheny chronology

80/81
(1980)
As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls
(1981)
Offramp
(1982)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Rolling Stone [1]
Allmusic [2]

As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls is a collaborative album by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays, released in 1981. The title makes reference to Wichita, Kansas and Wichita Falls, Texas. The title tune clocks in at just under 21 minutes.

It is one of the few albums where Metheny not only acts as both the lead and accompanying guitarist but also the bassist, as each track uses fair amounts of overdubbing. The track "September Fifteenth" is in reference to September 15, 1980, the day the American jazz pianist Bill Evans died. Metheny and Mays cite Evans as a main influence. Both "September Fifteenth" and "'It's for You'" appear in the score for the 1985 film Fandango. "'It's for You'" would later be covered by Akiko Yano, with Metheny on guitar, for her 1989 album Welcome Back.

The front cover photograph is a reference/inspiration to the lyrics of the Jimmy Webb country/pop song "Wichita Lineman".

Track listing

All music composed by Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays.

Side I
No. Title Length
1. "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls"   20:44
Side II
No. Title Length
1. "Ozark"   4:03
2. "September Fifteenth" (dedicated to Bill Evans) 7:45
3. "'It's for You'"   8:20
4. "Estupenda Graça"   2:40

Personnel

Charts

Album - Billboard

Year Chart Position
1981 Jazz Albums 1
1981 Pop Albums 50

References

  1. Shewey, Don (2011). "Pat Metheny: As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Archived from the original on 1 March 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  2. Cook, Stephen (2011). "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls - Lyle Mays | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 18 July 2011.