Pat Metheny: The Orchestrion Tour

American jazz guitarist Pat Metheny, who has won and been nominated for more Grammy Awards than any performer in history, drops into Barbican Hall on his groundbreaking Orchestrion Tour. Ask most people today who or what Metheny is and they would probably make some quip about a field full of cows. But the truth is that 55-year-old Metheny is one of modern jazz's foremost components, an indefatigable touring musician who has collaborated with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Ornette Coleman and Brad Mehldau, a long-haired philosopher of sound who is constantly breaking down barriers and exploring new musical ideas. "Orchestrionics" is just that: a way of presenting music onstage using instruments which are mechanically controlled (think the magically moving keys of a piano replicated across a whole orchestra). Check out his website www.patmetheny.com for a full explanation and a video preview - but the best way to really get your head around this musical phenomenon is to snap up tickets to this concert, and fast. The performance will feature music from Metheny's forthcoming CD of all new original compositions, as well as some older tunes from the artist's illustrious songbook. Not to miss.