TRANSCENDENCE, Music of Pat Metheny

At this point, it’s not possible to discern the future of Transcendence, the fascinating new trio led by pianist and keyboard whiz Bob Gluck, but its adventurous initial intention on the plainly titled Music of Pat Metheny is clear from the moody opening chords, subtle rumblings of bassist Christopher Dean Sullivan and exotic drum brushes and rolls of Karl Latham on the first track “Question & Answer.”

It’s to explore an eclectic mix of pieces from a contemporary jazz master whose guitarisma, infectious melodies, shape-shifting harmonics and ever-evolving sense of invention make his catalog ripe for fresh interpretations even without guitar. Brilliant and intuitive as he is, Gluck isn’t merely paying homage to a major influence.

Also an accomplished jazz biographer, he recently wrote Pat Metheny: Stories Beyond Words, published by the University of Chicago press. Appropriately enough, it’s not a conventional biography, but instead captures Metheny’s essence as a musician and the unique elements of his creative process. Music of Pat Metheny finds Gluck and his trio working exciting impressionistic, richly improvisational magic on a batch of five amazing tunes reflecting different aspects and eras of the guitarist’s artistry – staring with the aforementioned mood swings of “Questions & Answers” and also including the lyrical “Afternoon,” the elegant, cinematic “The Bat” and two gems featuring Gluck using the Roli Seaboard to create all sorts of wild electric guitar synth sounds to navigate the fiery chaos of “Offramp” and surreal howls of “Roof Dogs.”

As a bonus, the album includes a luminous, gently swinging spin through Herbie Hancock’s “Dolphin Dance” and a high spiritual, hypnotic take on Keith Jarrett’s “Everything That Lives Laments” that features one of Sullivan’s most intense bass soloing. Perhaps these last two tracks are laying the foundation for more thematic albums by Transcendence in the future.