Lyle Mays, Evocative Pianist Who Helped Define The Pat Metheny Group, Is Dead at 66

WBGO News ^ | Feb 11 2020 | Nate Chinen

[golux]

Lyle Mays, a keyboardist, composer and orchestrator who helped carve a new channel for contemporary jazz with The Pat Metheny Group, died on Monday in Los Angeles. He was 66.

His niece, jazz vocalist Aubrey Johnson, announced his death on social media, noting that he passed away “surrounded by loved ones, after a long battle with a recurring illness.”

Metheny, the guitarist, composer and NEA Jazz Master with whom Mays had his deepest musical bond, issued a statement remembering him as “one of the greatest musicians I have ever known.” As core members of The Pat Metheny Group, Mays and Metheny won 11 Grammys together, including one for their most recent album, The Way Up, in 2005.

Mays was a musician of clear, analytical temperament, but within the dimensions of his style — a personal amalgam of post-bop pianism, classical impressionism, Brazilian music, electronic music, rock ‘n’ roll and much else besides — there was always a core of emotional expression. The radiant, affirmative character of The Pat Metheny Group can only be understood as a byproduct of Mays’ distinctive chemistry with Metheny, his fellow Midwesterner, musical omnivore and tireless technophile...

[golux]

Mays' and PMG's works are the soundtrack of the best moments of my life. It was my pleasure to have spent a little bit of time with him when I was young and to have gone to a Mays show many years later. The article is quite good.

[Torahman]

Sad to hear this, in his memory: youtube-“Are you going with me?”

[rickmichaels]

There used to be a YouTube video of a 1981 Pat and Lyle concert in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was simply sublime. Unfortunately, the video is no longer available.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Wow. So sad. Incredibly talented man. RIP.

I learned “Letter From Home” on piano per my hubby’s request years ago.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hv8kXOMaaU

[gibsonguy]

Sad, Mays did some terrific stuff.

[newfreep]

IIRC, “Letter From Home” was written by Pat Metheny.

Absolutely beautiful melody...