From This Place

Released in 2020, From This Place represents one of the most ambitious undertakings in Pat Metheny's five-decade career. Moving away from the synth-heavy textures of the Pat Metheny Group or the sparse experiments of his solo work, this album features his core quartet (Gwilym Simcock, Linda May Han Oh, and Antonio Sanchez) integrated with the Hollywood Studio Symphony. The recording process was unique: the quartet recorded the core tracks first, with the orchestral arrangements by Gil Goldstein and Alan Broadbent added later, creating a seamless but highly dynamic sonic environment. Critics noted the album's political undercurrents, particularly in the track 'America Undefined,' which serves as a centerpiece for the record's exploration of national identity. The album was widely praised for its high-fidelity production and the way it successfully married the spontaneity of jazz with the rigid requirements of a full orchestra, marking a late-career peak for Metheny.