To jazz buffs, Pat Metheny is deemed a guitarist's guitarist, with 17 Grammy Awards to prove his pedigree. What's It All About then is somewhat of a departure for him, a more mainstream pop/jazz album of guitar instrumentals which would sit very comfortably with a dinner party or a relaxed
night at home.
The track listing is a who's who of popular music of the 60s mainly, with a few 70s compositions, too.
You'll definitely recognise the melodies, but what is refreshing is the treatment that Metheny delivers.
Not bland, not too distant from the song's hook-lines, but adventurous enough for them to be unique.
Paul Simon's The Sound of Silence gets a Metheny workover, as does the Association's hit, Cherish, and the Burt Bacharach and Hal David theme to the movie Alfie. On a slightly different curve is the surf classic Pipeline, the Carpenters' Rainy Days and Mondays, and a gorgeous interpretation of Henry Mancini's Slow Hot Wind. Not a jazz fan? Don't be put off by the connection here - Metheny delivers a stand-out album however you measure good music.
