THE WORLD'S BEST NEW MUSIC

Few musicians have shaped modern jazz as profoundly, or as accessibly, as Pat Metheny. Since the 1970s, his work has bridged jazz, rock, folk and Brazilian music, most famously through the Pat Metheny Group, whose richly layered sound became a defining aesthetic of contemporary jazz.

Across a storied career Metheny has balanced lyrical expression with technological innovation, from his pioneering use of guitar synthesis to the expansive possibilities of his Orchestrion system (that allows him to control an entire "robotic orchestra" of instruments, including pianos, drums, marimbas, and tuned bottles, using MIDI technology).

In recent years, his Side-Eye project has served as a platform for collaboration with younger musicians, extending his legacy not only through performance but through mentorship and renewal.

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From the opening bars of “In On It”, Side-Eye III+ announces itself unmistakably as belonging to Metheny’s musical world: soaring melodic lines, luminous harmonic colour and the ineffable sense of uplift that has long defined his music.

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While nominally a trio - with Chris Fishman (keys) and Joe Dyson (drums) -  the “plus” of the album's title proves significant, representing the addition of Daryl Johns & Jermaine Paul (bass), Brandee Younger (harp), Luis Conte (percussion) and a vocal ensemble led by Mark Kibble. Together they expand the sonic palette into something closer to a chamber version of the Pat Metheny Group, producing richly textured layers of rhythm, summery atmospheres fueled by melodies constantly in motion.

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The album moves fluidly between exuberance and introspection. Tracks such as “Urban and Western” build from laid-back blues into near-gospel exultation, while “Our Old Street” and “So Far So Good” and "Make a New World" offer moments of reflective calm through Metheny’s acoustic playing. Elsewhere, the interplay between electronics, harp textures and wordless vocals creates a shimmering, almost orchestral environment.

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If anything, the abundance of resources occasionally feels under-exploited - the presence of the vocal ensemble and harp hint at possibilities only partially realised. Yet this is a minor reservation within a work of remarkable generosity.

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Side-Eye III+ ultimately feels like both continuation and renewal: Metheny refining his language while inviting new voices in, and in so doing, reminding us of how expansive and life-affirming his musical vision remains.