
As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls
Released
“As I moved towards using more and more electricity in the music, I really felt it was important to balance that with natural sound, and Naná was able to offer that in a perfect way,” jazz guitarist Pat Metheny reflected on his long-running collaboration with Vasconcelos. And so while this prog-ambient longform suite gets credited to Metheny with keyboardist Mays, it’s the presence of Vasconcelos that not only builds tension and sends it up into the ether, but also keeps it rooted firmly to the ground. No doubt his rhythmic sensibilities helped make the song a staple of David Mancuso’s Loft parties of the early ‘80s and Vasconcelos became a vital contributor to Metheny’s group for many years to come.