RIP LYLE MAYS

Aww no. One of my very favorite keyboardist, and the music he created with PMG was some of the best ever made.
In a strange circumstance , I met Pat and Lyle within a month period in two different places....In the early 90s, Pat spent a fair amount of time in South Florida, and I ran into him with a stunning Latina chick on Lincoln Rd Mall, I got to fawn over him (and her..)a bit as he was my fave at the time, and he was very cool and gracious. I then went to NYC where I had a month contract performing on a Bermuda-NY cruiseship run. On my day off in the city, on the subway I recognized the guy sitting across from me with his young family, was Lyle. I was very excited, and shared with him my love of PMG and pulled several Metheny CDs out of my baggage., one of which was Pat’s then recent solo album Zero Tolerance for Silence.... a work consisting entirely of atonal feedback and noise...it was a final fuck ofF contractual obligation with Pats first record label which he wanted out of...When Lyle saw That...he laughed out loud and said,.....:”you actally bought that piece of shit....?“. I will never forget that moment. He will be missed.
 
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I was going to post the audio of this masterpiece from the early 90s release The Road to You, where the audience literally melded with the band...but I found this absolute gem of a video, with amazing close up footage withLyle and evryone of what appears to be a rehearsal..I never saw this before and I’m crying like a little baby (the song always has had an emotional effect, but this one got to me...)
 
What a talent he was. I wore this record out.



Yeah, that was a peak time for Joni too. I have always loved what Jaco did especially on that first track in the video. He was a master of driving such a hep groove while at the same time not getting in the way of the song at all. But it just wouldn't have been the same without his unique line. That's just the way that whole group was at the time.
 
Wow, terrible news. I admired his talent so much. I came to the Pat Metheny Group for Pat Metheny but left with an even bigger admiration for Lyle Mays.
He will be missed.
 
I never got to see PMG. Bummer. Ive seen Pat a couple times. Lyle was amazing. Completely in control of the instrument, harmony, rhythm.
I saw them many times...starting way back in the 70s. One of the blessings of my life I got turned on to them so early, when they were doing tiny venues
What a talent he was. I wore this record out.


saw that Joni tour...truly special.
 
What to say ... rest now Lyle, you had a major impact on me via PMG woven into my very soul. Since the white album with opening track of San Lorenzo... to go on to do so much more.

Too soon G•d. Both Neil and Lyle ... so young.

PMG here all day ...
 
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I remember when Pat left Gary Burton and was forming a band with Dan Gottlieb
and that he'd found a pianist "who's going to be the next Keith Jarrett".
RIP Lyle

 
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Wow! That's a total gut-punch... Like many have said, I discovered Lyle 's playing and composing with the PMG back in the 70's. As much as I revered and enjoyed Pat's playing, Lyle's comping and soloing was just as compelling and exciting. He had a way of using block chords to harmonically and rhythmically build his solos to a climax that I've never really heard in other pianists playing.
I remember an old magazine interview with Pat Metheny where he was asked what advice he could give to other musicians and he said something like "surround yourself with musicians that are better than you" and for him Lyle was that musician. High praise indeed. Totally under-rated even within the pianist community. This is a bigger loss in my little corner of the musical universe than when we lost Prince... RIP Mr. Mays.
 
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