Guitarist Pat Metheny, whose artistry has been rewarded with multiple Grammys over the years, has won another award for his fine 2012 recording. Metheny won in the jazz instrumental category with the album Unity Band.
Pat Metheny's Unity Band was a new configuration of sorts for the guitarist and well-known jazz artist. Metheny added saxophonist Chris Potter to the musical palette in addition to Ben Williams on bass and Antonio Sanchez on drums. The result was another solid Metheny session with something for almost every taste. "Signals(Orchestrion Sketch)" is an example. It features the guitarist on "Orchestionics"; first played by the guitarist on his previous recording which featured the Orchestrion. Metheny fans have much to enjoy here with melodic electric statements on "Roofdogs" & "Leaving Town" & other tracks. Potter adds a lot to the recording on tenor and soprano saxophone and bass clarinet, the colors he creates contrast nicely with Metheny's guitar and enliven the overall session into something possibly quite unexpected for long-time fans of Pat Metheny.
Mettheny's latest recoding, The Orchestrion Project, sees the guitarist in a solo context-- alone but not unaccompanied--by using a device which allows him to play an orchestra of other musical instruments simultaneously. This recording follows up on the first recording by the guitarist where he first played the Orchestrion. Fans of Pat Metheny will find the familiar melodies employed by the guitarist here, as interpreted by an orchestra of instruments activated and played by the guitarist in a solo performance.
For more information about Pat Metheny you may visit http://www.patmetheny.com/
