What was billed as an “Evening with Pat Metheny” included some mighty fine players accompanying him and soloing with brio and intensity. After his usual atmospheric solo intro on the the band-in-one harp guitar, Pat and group plunged right into a hard swinging, more Jazz oriented program than some of his recent shows in Santa Barbara. Long-time collaborator Antonio Sanchez again proved he is one of the best and most dynamic drummers in the world with fiery polyrhythmic excursions to the outer reaches of the percussive universe. Drummers have been called the dancers of a group and Antonio always dances up a storm. I love his playing and soloing! Metheny was in fine form, as usual, showcasing his distinct style and prodigious technical prowess. Linda Ho on bass gave equal fire to the proceedings with some staggering solos and British pianist Gwilym Simcock lent just the right support to the group, and let fly with some very tasty solos too. Straight-ahead guitar Jazz done just right. Pat smiled a lot during this concert. So did the audience.
