CD Review: Pat Metheny – Tap: John Zorn’s Book of Angels Vol 20

Pat Metheny (guitars, sitar, tiples, bass, keyboards, orchestrionics, electronics, bandoneon, perussion, flugelhorn), Antonio Sanchez (drums, percussion)

(Review by Les)

Back in the nineties, John Zorn wrote 500 tunes inspired by traditional Jewish music.  This became known as Book One of the two volume work that became known as The Masada Book.  Book Two consisted of 300 tunes and was written in three months.

Over the past eight years, the tunes from Book Two have been recorded as volumes of The Book of Angels by a number of world-class musicians.  Volume 20 is a selection of six pieces recorded by Pat Metheny, assisted by his oft percussionist Antonio Sanchez.

Metheny’s interpretation of the pieces chosen culminates in a very varied and rich body of work, although generally there’s a strong, Middle Eastern “common denominator” running throughout the album.

It’s hard to believe that Tap was recorded by one artist, such is the diversity of the individual pieces, both in terms of composition and instruments/soundscapes used; from the sitar-dominated opener of Mastema, to the obviously “acoustic-Metheny” of Albim, concluding with a piano/drum chaotic cacophony Hurmiz.  In between there’s wild, abstract, heavily-distorted guitar soloing, complex and very precise rhythms and melodies, spiced with sounds and scrapings of…who knows what.

Despite the diversity of the pieces, as a body of work it all hangs together remarkably well.  It’s not background music; it has to be listened to, and it’s far too complex to be able to take it all in in one listen.  I’ve been through it a number of times now and it continues to reveal itself further with each play.

Whilst there are times it’s obvious who the main protagonist is, this isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill Pat Metheny album.  That said, the playing oozes his class and quality from start to finish.

I like this album on a number of levels; from the standpoint of a (one time) guitarist, from the standpoint of being a fan of creative jazz and from the standpoint of occasionally wanting something very different to listen to, to clear and refresh a sometimes tired listening palette.

Invest some time with it at the outset and you’ll enjoy return visits forevermore.

Pat Methrny: Tap released May 21, 2013.
Les.