Guitarist/composer Pat Metheny’s From This Place is an absolute epic. The recording is a multi-layered, multi-colored cacophony of music and sounds joined to great effect. For this project, Metheny decided to take a page out of Miles Davis’ playbook by going into the studio with a fresh selection of compositions and the band he had […]
Guitarist/composer Pat Metheny’s From This Place is an absolute epic. The recording is a multi-layered, multi-colored cacophony of music and sounds joined to great effect. For this project, Metheny decided to take a page out of Miles Davis’ playbook by going into the studio with a fresh selection of compositions and the band he had been touring with for the past several years, completely unrehearsed. In the process, the music began to take on new meaning with the contributions of the players adding new ways of hearing the original concepts. This gave rise to the inclusion of a string orchestra, voices and arrangements by Gil Goldstein and Alan Broadbent that take this production to another level. But it all starts with the outstanding emotive songs, ominous and beautiful, at the heart of this effort that pull you in, then the incredible musicianship of Metheny and all of the players on the work. The core band here is drummer Antonio Sanchez, pianist Gwilym Simcock and bassist Linda May Han Oh. The contributions of Luis Conte on percussion, Gregoire Maret on harmonica, Meshell Ndegeocello on vocals, and Joel McNeely conducting the assemblage of Los Angeles string musician are invaluable to the endeavor. Without question, this is one of Metheny’s best recordings. Given the length and breadth of his work and career, that is saying something.
