Secret Story (album)
Secret Story is an album by Pat Metheny released in 1992. that won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 1993.
All of the music is composed by Metheny, and it is one of his most ambitious and successful studio ventures, integrating elements of jazz, rock, and world music. On the performing side, it includes collaborations with the Pinpeat Orchestra of the Royal ballet of Cambodia, the London Orchestra and its conductor Jeremy Lubbock, the Choir of the Cambodian Royal Palace, Toots Thielemans, and Lyle Mays.
Background
The opening song, "Above the Treetops", is an adaptation of a Cambodian spiritual song; other pieces, such as "Antonia", take influence from Eastern Europe. Japanese pianist and singer Akiko Yano appears on "As a Flower Blossoms", earning the only co-writing credit on the album. Yano had previously collaborated with Metheny on "Good Girl", "Lots of Love", and "Love Life", from her 1991 album Love Life, and on two Metheny covers: "It's for You" on Welcome Back and "Praise" on Super Folk Song. Orchestral arrangements for the album were conducted by Jeremy Lubbock.Metheny took Secret Story on a concert tour, and a video recording of a live performance at New Brunswick, New Jersey, was issued. This film, also called Secret Story, was re-released on DVD in 2001.
The album was certified gold by the RIAA on December 1, 1995.
Reception
reviewer Thom Jurek awarded the album 4.5 stars."Remaster
In September 2007, the album was released again with noticeably retouched mixes and a bonus CD of five unreleased tracks from the same sessions. The remaster was issued on WEA and Nonesuch Records.Track listing
Note- Bonus CD of the 2007 Deluxe Edition reissue. The numbering for bonus disc tracks 2–4 in the booklet and on the packaging is wrong. The tracklist below is as the music is presented on disc.
Personnel
- Pat Metheny – guitar, bass guitar, keyboards
- Armando Marçal – percussion
- Steve Rodby – double bass, bass guitar
- Paul Wertico – drums
- Naná Vasconcelos – percussion
- Steve Ferrone – drums
- Will Lee – bass guitar
- Gil Goldstein – accordion
- Lyle Mays – piano, keyboard
- Toots Thielemans – harmonica
- Charlie Haden – double bass
- Danny Gottlieb – cymbal roll, percussion
- Mark Ledford – vocals
- Ryan Kisor – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Mike Metheny – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Michael Mossman – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Dave Bargeron – trombone, tuba
- Tom Malone – trombone
- Dave Taylor – bass trombone
- John Clark – French horn
- Andy Findon – flute
- Skaila Kanga – harp
- Anthony Jackson – contrabass guitar
- Sammy Merendino – drums
- Akiko Yano – vocals
Technical
- Pat Metheny – producer
- Steve Rodby and David Oakes – co-producers
- Mastered by Ted Jensen
- Recorded Fall-Winter 1991–92 at the Power Station, New York City
Awards
| Year | Category |
| 1993 | Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album |