Now's the Time: Pat Metheny's Unity Band

Even after all these years, people still don't know what to make of Pat Metheny. 

Several acquaintances have asked me if I think they should attend Metheny's concert at the Folly Theater on Thursday, September 6.  These potential ticket buyers tell me that they only like certain aspects of Metheny's work or that they dislike other elements of his sound. 

I understand that tickets are relatively expensive and that people don't want to spend their time and money on something they may not enjoy.  Yet these discussions serve to verify my belief that Metheny is one of the most brilliant musicians of our time.  He's been defying expectations since his recording debut with Jaco Pastorious 38 years ago.  Unpredictability is at the essence of what makes Metheny a great artist.  Not everything he does is good, of course, but Metheny never stops exploring. 

The decision to see Metheny with his new Unity Band- Chris Potter, Ben Williams and Antonio Sanchez- seems like a no-brainer.  Even so, the embedded fan footage from a recent concert in Italy may serve as a more useful consumer guide for my friends than my enthusiastic blathering.