Maybe ya’ heard that Pat Metheny is coming out with a new album From This Place in February 2020. And maybe you heard that the group backing him up comprises of Gwilym Simcock on piano, Antonio Sanchez on drums, Luis Conte and Linda May Han Oh on bass. This group isn’t *the* Group (to me, such a Group would have to feature Lyle Mays on keys) but indications so far that this stellar lineup isn’t too far removed from the high standards set by the legendary Pat Metheny Group.
What indications? Ah, yes. There are already a few tracks released from the upcoming album. The other day, Metheny issued the second advance single, “You Are.” This is — at the outset — a deceptively simple, inhibited song around a circular figure but it gathers up steam and before you know it, the band is getting rather loud and dramatic.
Pat Metheny seems to be letting out his inner Steve Reich. That he takes an unassuming motif and transforms it into something real heavy isn’t a new concept to him; “Are You Going With Me?” has the same basic idea. There, he built and released tension from his “Red One” guitar synthesizer. But this time, the entire ensemble is enlisted like a single instrument to build up to the exultant top of the crescendo in this scintillating use of minimalist methods.
From This Place is scheduled to drop February 21, 2020, from Nonesuch Records. You can pre-order it right here.
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