Pat Metheny: The Unity Sessions

After playing a 150-date world tour in support of KIN (??), guitarist Pat Metheny eschewed the usual concert trappings for this intimate audience-less 15-song set filmed in New York's 5 Angels Theater. The quartet of musicians, who formed for 2012's Grammy Award-winning Unity Band, includes Chris Potter (tenor and soprano saxophone), Ben Williams (acoustic and electric bass), and Antonio Sánchez (drums). They are here joined on piano and vocals by Giuilio Carmassi, whose understated singing serves more as embellishment. The performance includes material from the band's two albums, plus tracks from throughout Metheny's career, including “Police People,” which he wrote with the late Ornette Coleman for 1985's Song X (Potter's serpentine playing also recalls Coleman on “Genealogy”). Since unity is the name of the game, every player has a chance to solo, including Metheny, who plays acoustic guitar on “This Belongs to You.” The band also provides a percussion track to “On Day One” by clapping in unison before returning to their instruments. Sound and picture are top-notch throughout, making this a safe bet for longtime fans and newcomers alike. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, this is recommended. (K. Fennessy)