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

WBGO ^ | Feb 11, 2020 | NATE CHINEN

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

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.”

[excerpt]

[Lurker]

Saw them once waaaay back in the day.

Great musicians.

RIP.

L

[Fester Chugabrew]

Good accompaniment brings out the best. As a drummer myself I count on others. Not easy to obtain good chemistry.

Mays holds a special place.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Hubby bought me the cheat book. I added chords along with adding the melody with Metheny’s part on mandolin. Mainly by ear...listening via CD...and writing in for the right hand. Left hand bass.

I hope I did justice to the tune.

[nicollo]

“As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls” is mesmerizing, worthy of the nearly daily listening I have given it for the past almost 40 years

I can't say "daily," but that album inaugurates my summer porch season every year and accompanies me through to Autumn, when I have to close down the porch.

[dfwgator]

I have the albums Pat did with Brad Mehldau, who certainly is no slouch on the piano, but he wasn’t Lyle. I would have preferred to hear Lyle on “Make Peace” and where his solo would have gone as opposed to Brad’s.

[dfwgator]

“Ozark” is a masterpiece.

One of the best videos out there is the 1982 Montreal performance, of “Close to Home”, which Lyle eventually recorded on his first solo album, but the original PMG version is the best.

[nicollo]

Thanks for reminding. Saw him play Ozark live. Unreal.