Imaginary Day

Imaginary Day is an album by the Pat Metheny Group, released in 1997 by Warner Bros. Records. The album won the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album, while "The Roots of Coincidence", an uncharacteristically aggressive song with hard rock-inspired sections, won Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

History
This album marks the final appearance of longtime drummer Paul Wertico, who would leave in 2001 before the recording of Speaking of Now to work on other projects.

The album leans heavily toward world fusion, drawing upon a variety of global influences. Indonesian styles are particularly pronounced, with Balinese gamelan music appearing in "Imaginary Day" and "Into the Dream". "The Heat of the Day" demonstrates repetitive hints of Iranian folk music. Imaginary Day also showcases the Group's first (and thus far, only) forays into rock music and drum and bass with "The Roots of Coincidence". In "The Awakening", the album concludes with strongly Gaelic melodies. "The Awakening" and "Follow Me" have been played on The Weather Channel during Local on the 8s.

The liner notes use an image substitution cipher. The CD and CD tray can be lined up to one of three different keys (red, yellow or blue) to translate the majority of the liner notes, which include quotations from authors as well as a short essay by Metheny and Rodby. For example, lining up the arrow on the CD to the red square on the CD tray will decode the front cover as "PAT METHENY GROUP IMAGINARY DAY". Cover art is by Stefan Sagmeister.

Metheny has remarked that the album's ambitious nature pushed the limits of the Group's compositional reach, particularly on, "The Heat of the Day," "The Roots of Coincidence," and, "The Awakening," all three of which he is particularly proud. "The Roots of Coincidence" became a signature song for the Group as did, "Into the Dream," which in concert was often played as an introductory piece for either "Have You Heard" or "Are You Going With Me?" The 42-string Pikasso guitar, built for Metheny by Canadian luthier Linda Manzer, became one of his signature instruments.

Personnel

 * Pat Metheny – acoustic and electric guitars, guitar synthesizer, 42-string Pikasso guitar
 * Lyle Mays – piano, keyboards
 * Steve Rodby – acoustic and electric bass, cello
 * Paul Wertico – drums
 * David Blamires – vocals, guitar, trumpet, violin, mellophone, recorder
 * Mark Ledford – vocals, flugelhorn, trumpet
 * Dave Samuels – percussion
 * Glen Velez – percussion
 * Don Alias – percussion
 * Mino Cinelu – percussion

Production

 * Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby – producers
 * Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, New York City

Awards
Grammy Awards

Personnel live

 * Pat Metheny – acoustic and electric guitars, guitar synthesizer, 42-string Pikasso guitar
 * Lyle Mays – piano, synthesizers, guitar
 * Steve Rodby – acoustic and electric bass
 * Paul Wertico – drums, percussion
 * Jeff Haynes – percussion, guitar
 * Philip Hamilton – vocals, guitar, percussion, melodica, mellophone, marimba
 * Mark Ledford – vocals, guitars, percussion, flugelhorn, trumpet, marimba