Speaking of Now finds guitarist
Metheny leading a retooled Pat Metheny Group; in addition to longtime core members, keyboardist
Lyle Mays and bassist
Steve Rodby, the Group now includes drummer
Antonio Sanchez, trumpeter/vocalist
Cuong Vu, and
Richard Bona, who's best known as a bassist, but who functions primarily as the Group's percussionist/vocalist. The result is an exquisite album that features fresh new musical perspectives while losing none of the Group's familiar wide-ranging, melodic, always accessible sound. Most of the tracks on
Speaking of Now were composed by
Metheny and his longtime collaborator
Mays, although three tracks were composed solely by
Metheny. There's a buoyant feel to this album that is not to be confused with lightness. This is complex, intricately detailed music that reveals additional layers with each listening.
Metheny seems to delight in discovering the myriad means by which his prodigiously accomplished bandmembers can provide coloration to the compositions, both within the larger group and in solo spotlights.
Sanchez's rhythmic agility and sensitivity is featured throughout, particularly on "The Gathering Sky," which begins as a sparkling, piano-led number and then transforms into a grooving band jam. One of the album's many solo highlights comes during "Proof," where
Vu turns in a poignantly lyrical trumpet solo that is followed by an electrifying, steadily intensifying solo by
Mays. Vocals have long been part of the Metheny Group sound, but now he is utilizing them in new ways; "Another Life" opens with
Bona and
Vu harmonizing on a chorale that leads into the artist's delicate acoustic guitar work, while
Bona provides sweet vocalizing over
Metheny's guitar on the beautiful, soaring "You." Every track on
Speaking of Now possesses a distinct beauty and eloquence. This is a superb offering that is not to be missed. ~ Lucy Tauss