PAT METHENY レコード& CD

Review: Given his length of service and the sheer depth of his catalogue, we'll forgive Pat Metheny for taking his time over this album. It arrives some six years after its predecessor, with Metheny using that time to work with a stripped-back band of traditional jazz musicians (drummer, pianist, bassist) and more striking a symphony orchestra. The results are impressive, with Metheny's distinctively bright and breezy guitar solos rising above backing tracks that mix his usual fusion style with a more old-fashioned take on jazz. Highlights are plentiful, with the epic and emotive "America Undefined" - a lengthy, building workout that recalls some of his most stunning works - and "You Are", which boasts some of his now-standard scat vocals, standing out.