Fusion guitarist and composer Pat Metheny showed his versatility more than once, partly through influences from diverse figures such as and applying. The fact that he would one day dedicate an entire album to compositions by the New York avant-garde composer John Zorn will surprise even his biggest fans. Still, they don't have to worry, because if this album shows anything, it is Metheny's endless
… talent, in remarkably accessible music. Book Of Angels is a voluminous composition cycle in which Zorn dissects and rearranges Yiddish music. With drummer Antonio Sanchez as sole accompanist, Metheny pulls out all the stops to bring the whimsical klezmer motifs to life: from acoustic guitar to guitar synthesizer. He also plays marimba and flugelhorn and stabs to the crown of the piano in the free jazz-like final piece Hurmiz. But above all, the music sounds cinematic and a rock vibe is never far away in this successful collaboration. (MR)more