Trio 99 → 00

Trio 99 -> 00 represents a significant moment in Pat Metheny's discography, marking a return to the traditional guitar-bass-drums format with a new, younger rhythm section consisting of Larry Grenadier and Bill Stewart. Recorded at the end of 1999 and released in early 2000, the album serves as a bridge between his classic 20th-century fusion and a more rigorous, post-bop focused 21st-century output. Unlike the reverb-heavy 'ECM sound' of his early career, this record features a much drier, more intimate mix that highlights the technical interplay of the trio. The tracklist is a mix of new originals and bold reinterpretations of standards, most notably a high-speed rendition of John Coltrane's 'Giant Steps.' Critically, the album was praised for its vitality and the chemistry of the new trio, which would go on to be one of Metheny's most celebrated live configurations. It stands as a testament to his versatility, proving he could command a straight-ahead jazz setting with the same authority as his more experimental or pop-leaning fusion projects.