Orchestrion

Does it work musically? Check the title track and Expansion"; their knotty changes hint at Steve Reich's work for mallet instruments, but their deep, warm guitar grooves, intricate melodies, and Methenys love of rhythmic invention set them worlds apart. These tunes flow seamlessly even though they are compositionally ambitious, even by Methenys exacting standards. In places one can hear traces of Frank Zappas playful compositions in the keyboards and percussion instruments, too, but Methenys sense of swing is so pronounced it reflects pure modern jazz. Entry Point begins as a spacy ballad before evolving into a vehicle for rich solo guitar work and an engaging contrapuntal workout between mallet instruments, drums one side, and pianos and guitars on the other; the cymbals groove like mad throughout. Spirit in the Air closes the set. A bassline, cymbals, and hand percussion introduce it with a pulse; guitars and bells underscore it creating a foundation for its euphoric, songlike melody. It may be the most beautiful integration of this experiment's particular parts. As an album, Orchestrion is as ambitious as Secret Story and The Way Up, but it is no less brilliant. Here Metheny exceeds our expectations, and perhaps even his own. Thom Jurek.