Pat Metheny w/ Charlie Haden & Billy Higgins 

Rejoicing

★★★½

I've decided for now to only update this with music that I haven't heard before. Otherwise I think it'll get filled quite quickly and would also take up a lot of time. Especially if I am to add books and films or whatever else. Ok that's done. I feel like Pat Metheny gets kind of a bad rep for sounding a bit "smooth" or new age but his guitar skills are superb. On albums like Bright Size Life he shows his improvisational and melodic skills as if they require no effort at all. Here he is accompanied with the great Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins. "Lonely Woman" which starts off this album is so melancholy and downbeat that one might think that Metheny has taken on a new style completely. Higgins provides a great backdrop for Haden and Metheny to express themselves and it leads into one of the more upbeat songs on the album: "Tears Inside". His subtle electric playing is amplified a bit more on "Humpty Dumpty", an Ornette tune, that also allows Haden to provide a playful bass solo. "Blues for Pat" follows similarly with Haden taking a more upfront approach. "Rejoicing" flips this leading to Metheny and Higgins to reach further with their fast and consistent playing. The last three songs lose some charm of this album, as it sounds this most new age-y but Higgins and Haden somewhat salvage it. A good transitional album. 

Favorite Song: Lonely Woman