Pat Metheny Group - Letter from Home [Argentina Import]

Pat Metheny Group's Letter from Home arrives here as an Argentina import, a fitting passport for a 1989 album steeped in South American colour and wide-open longing.

Recorded at New York's Power Station and produced by Metheny himself, the record marked the welcome return of Argentine multi-instrumentalist Pedro Aznar, whose voice had helped define the group's sound on First Circle. Alongside keyboardist Lyle Mays, bassist Steve Rodby, drummer Paul Wertico and percussionist Armando Marçal, the band sounds relaxed and completely in sync, trading big fusion statements for compact, melodic pieces that feel like postcards from somewhere warm. It went on to win a Grammy for Best Jazz Fusion Performance.

"Have You Heard" opens things with an irresistible lift, Metheny's guitar soaring over a bright, rolling groove before Mays answers on piano. "Every Summer Night" slows the pulse to a dusky glow, while "Better Days Ahead" packs a whole sunny afternoon into three minutes of nimble, hummable melody. Elsewhere, charango, marimba, accordion and Aznar's wordless vocals drift in and out, giving the album its distinctly homesick character.

It's a record about distance and belonging, and it still feels like coming home after a long trip. Drop the needle as the light starts to fade and let it do its quiet work.