Pat Metheny Unity Group, Hammersmith Apollo

One of jazz’s most popular figures for decades, Pat Metheny’s Unity group, a jazz-rock fusion band that combines musically sophisticated arrangements with a glossy lyricism and attractively open sound, is back on the road. Metheny collected his 20th Grammy Award last year, and maturity has, if anything, fed his fire of ambition. His latest album, Kin (<-->), recruits the awesome multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Giulio Carmassi to a band already packed with talent, for a collection of new pieces that push the boundaries of his creativity.

In general, Metheny can always make use of more virtuosity, though there comes a point - and some critics have said that a couple of these new tracks reach it - when there are simply too many ideas going on at once, and the music becomes overwhelmed by its own brilliance. However, Metheny’s guitar tone is a delight in itself, one the one hand almost edibly juicy, on the other, so eerie and plaintive it can make your skin creep. Metheny’s compositions are simply some of the most original, searching and evocative explorations of the American guitar repertoire, teeming with harmonic invention, glistening with lovely sonic textures.

This gig is one of only two UK appearances in a huge global tour playing the new pieces. This band is still a global phenomenon and won’t be back here any time soon. Highly recommended.