Pat Metheny taps jazz’s young stars to rework Grammy-winning, Billboard chart-topping “Better Days Ahead”

Article Contributed by Shore Fire Media | Published on Friday, August 13, 2021

As the only musician to win GRAMMYs in twelve separate categories, Pat Metheny’s passion for “seeking breathtaking new vistas” (NPR) at every turn is synonymous with his storied career - from embarking on sonic explorations in jazz, classical, rock, and country to collaborating with cross-genre legends including David Bowie, Herbie Hancock and Steve Reich. But, for Metheny, as much as obliterating the premise of genre is a way of life, so follows his natural impulse to reach across generations.
 
On his new album SIDE-EYE NYC (V1.IV), out September 10 on BMG Modern Recordings, Metheny has handpicked some of the most exciting and innovative new musicians on the New York scene. “I wanted to create an ongoing platform to host a rotating cast of the newer generations of musicians who have particularly caught my interest along the way,” says Metheny. “From my earliest days in Kansas City onward, I was the beneficiary of so many older musicians hiring me, which gave me a chance to develop through the prism of their experiences.”

Pre-order SIDE-EYE NYC (V1.IV) here: https://patmetheny.lnk.to/SideEyeNYC/PR

Better Days Ahead:
 
The latest offering from this SIDE-EYE project comes today, a reworking of Metheny’s harmonically challenging composition, “Better Days Ahead.” An anchor of his GRAMMY-winning and Billboard chart-topping 1989 collection Letter From Home, you can hear this Metheny classic interpreted in a completely new way. Pat says, “It is fascinating to me which of the older tunes have continued to interest new players as they come along, and this one has a form and changes that folks want to play and talk about. What is cool here is the way that James set up a whole different approach to it. He brought a vibe to it that set up a fresh way of looking at it.”
 
Metheny is joined on this new version by 26-year-old Blue Note recording artist James Francies on keyboards (previous collaborators include Questlove and Chance The Rapper) and multi-time GRAMMY-winning drummer Marcus Gilmore “It’s a natural and organic thing for me to play with them,” says Metheny. “They have literally grown up listening to the recordings and playing those compositions as a part of their early musical diets”.

Listen to “Better Days Ahead” here: https://patmetheny.lnk.to/BetterDaysAhead/PR

Pat Metheny Side-Eye on Tour 2021-22:
 
Metheny has added even more shows to his massive 100+ concert dates already set for a 2021-2022 global run. A full, updated list of shows is below; including the tour kick-off in Eugene, OR next month and a just-announced Los Angeles date at The Theatre At Ace Hotel in October.
 
THE SIDE-EYE TOUR will feature the phenomenally talented
pianist/organist/keyboardist James Francies and the newest addition to the ongoing SIDE-EYE family is the exciting young New Orleans drummer Joe Dyson.
 
September 14, 2021 - McDonald Theater - Eugene, OR
September 15, 2021 - Washington Center for the Performing Arts - Olympia, WA
September 16, 2021 - Jazz Alley - Seattle, WA
September 17, 2021 - Jazz Alley - Seattle, WA
September 18, 2021 - Jazz Alley - Seattle, WA
September 19, 2021 - Jazz Alley - Seattle, WA
September 21, 2021 - Revolution Hall - Portland, OR
September 22, 2021 - Cascade Theater - Redding, CA
September 24, 2021 - Monterey Jazz Fest - Monterey, CA
September 25, 2021 - SFJazz Center Miner Auditorium - San Francisco, CA
September 26, 2021 - SFJazz Center Miner Auditorium - San Francisco, CA
September 27, 2021 - Crest Theater - Sacramento, CA
September 29, 2021 - Lobero Theatre - Santa Barbara, CA
September 30, 2021 - The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park - San Diego, CA
October 1, 2021 - Irvine Barclay Theatre - Irvine, CA
October 2, 2021 - The Theatre at Ace Hotel - Los Angeles, CA  
October 3, 2021 - Mesa Arts Center - Mesa, AZ
October 5, 2021 - Fox Tucson Theatre - Tucson, AZ
October 6, 2021 - National Hispanic Cultural Center - Albuquerque, NM
October 7, 2021 - Boulder Theatre - Boulder, CO
October 8, 2021 - Strings Music Pavilion - Steamboat Springs, CO
October 9, 2021 - Paramount Theatre - Denver, CO
October 11, 2021 - Lied Center Performing Arts - Lincoln, NB
October 12, 2021 - Pantages Theatre - Minneapolis, MN
October 14, 2021 - Pabst Theatre - Milwaukee, WI
October 15, 2021 - Thalia Hall (2 shows) - Chicago, IL
October 16, 2021 - Memorial Hall - Cincinnati, OH
October 17, 2021 -Orchestra Hall - Detroit, MI
November 4, 2021 - Flying Monkey - Plymouth, NH
November 5, 2021 - State Theatre - Portland, ME
November 6, 2021 - Foxwoods- The Fox Theater - Mashantucket, CT
November 7, 2021 - Wilbur Theatre - Boston, MA
November 9, 2021 - Ridgefield Playhouse - Ridgefield, CT
November 11, 2021 - Keswick Theater - Glenside, PA
November 12, 2021 - State Theatre New Jersey - New Brunswick, NJ
November 13, 2021 - The Music Center at Strathmore - N Bethesda, MD
November 14, 2021 - Patchogue Theater of Performing Arts - Patchogue, NY
November 16, 2021 - Williams Center for the Arts - Easton, PA
November 18, 2021 - Kodak Theater - Rochester, NY
November 19, 2021 - Troy Music Hall - Troy, NY
November 20, 2021 - Academy of Music - Northampton, MA
February 3, 2022 - State Theatre - State College, PA
February 4, 2022 - Ferguson Center for the Arts - Newport News, VA
February 5, 2022 - Jefferson Center - Roanoke, VA
February 7, 2022 - Schermerhorn Symphony Center - Nashville, TN
February 8, 2022 - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium - Asheville, NC
February 9, 2022 - Carolina Theater - Durham, NC
February 11, 2022 - Blumenthal Knight Arts Theater - Charlotte, NC
February 12, 2022 - Variety Theater (2 Shows) - Atlanta, GA
February 13, 2022 - UAB’s Alys Stephens Center - Birmingham, AL
February 14, 2022 - Charleston Music Hall - Charleston, SC
February 16, 2022 - Lyric Center - Stuart, FL
February 17, 2022 - Dr. Phillips Center - Orlando, FL
February 18, 2022 - Arsht Center Knight Concert Hall - Miami, FL
February 19, 2022 - Florida Theatre - Jacksonville, FL
February 20, 2022 - Capitol Theatre - Clearwater, FL
February 23, 2022 - One World Theater - Austin, TX
February 24, 2022 - One World Theater - Austin, TX
February 25, 2022 - Cullen Theater - Houston, TX
February 26, 2022 - Majestic Theatre- Dallas, TX
April 26, 2022 - Sono Centrum- Brno, Cz
April 27, 2022 - Wiener Konzerthaus- Vienna, Au
April 28, 2022 - MUPA - Budapest, Hgy
April 29, 2022 - Forum Karlin - Prague, Cz
May 1, 2022 - Alte Oper Erfurt - Erfurt, Gr
May 2, 2022 - Alte Oper - Frankfurt, Gr
May 3, 2022 - Tollhaus Karlsruhe - Karlsruhe, Gr
May 4, 2022 - Tonhalle Dusseldorf - Dusseldorf, Gr
May 6, 2022 - Grand Teatro Geox - Padova, It
May 7, 2022 - Teatro Alighieri -Ravenna, It
May 8, 2022 - Teatro Umberto Giordano - Foggia, It
May 9, 2022 - Auditorium Parco della Musica - Rome, It
May 11, 2022 - Auditorium Del Lingotto - Torino, It
May 12, 2022 - Teatro degli Arcimboldi - Milano, It
May 13, 2022 - Volkhaus - Zurich, Sw
May 14, 2022 - Philharmonie im Gasteig - Munich, Gr
May 15, 2022 - Philharmonic Luxembourg - Luxembourg
May 17, 2022 - Admiralspalast - Berlin, Gr
May 19, 2022 - Oetkerhalle Halle - Bielefeld, Gr
May 20, 2022 - Geblasehalle - Neunkirchen, Gr
May 21, 2022 - L’Olympia - Paris, Fr
May 22, 2022 - Ancienne Belgique - Brussels, Bl
May 24, 2022 - Beethoven Saal - Stuttgart, Gr
May 25, 2022 - Konzerthaus Dortmund - Dortmund, Gr
May 27, 2022 - Haus Auensee - Leipzig, Gr
May 28, 2022 - Laeiszhalle - Hamburg, Gr
May 29, 2022 - De Roma - Antwerp, Bl
May 30, 2022 - Tivoli Vredenberg - Utrecht, Hld
May 31, 2022 - Glocke - Bremen, Gr
June 2, 2022 - Opera Nova - Bydgoszcz, Pl
June 3, 2022 - Opera Lesna - Sopot, Pl
June 4, 2022 - Palladium - Warsaw, Pl
June 6, 2022 - National Forum of Music - Wroclaw, Pl
June 7, 2022 - Centrum Spotkania Kultur - Lublin, Pl
June 8, 2022 - Church of St. Kolbe - Bielsko-Biala, Pl
June 9, 2022 - Kunsthaus Weiz - Weiz, Aus
June 12, 2022 - Hammersmith - London, UK
June 14, 2022 - Rocher de Palmer - Cenon, Fr
June 15, 2022 - Sala Mozart - Zaragoza, Sp
June 17, 2022 - Aud. Mar de Vigo - Vigo, Sp
June 18, 2022 - Botanical Garden - Madrid, Sp
June 19, 2022 - Teatro de la Maestranza - Seville, Sp
June 21, 2022 - Palau de la Musica - Barcelona, Sp
June 22, 2022 - Palau de les Arts - Valencia, Sp

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