Pat Metheny’s recording of John Zorn’s Tap: The Book of Angels, Vol. 20 from Zorn’s Masada Book Two is out this week. Metheny and Zorn spoke with the New York Times about this, their first collaboration. "An impressive feat of imagination, and a strikingly clear distillation of both artists’ distinctive languages," writes the Times' Nate Chinen, "the album strongly suggests an artistic dialogue." Metheny and Zorn appeared on BBC Radio 6 Music for Stuart Maconie's Freak Zone in the UK, where the album earns four stars from the Daily Telegraph, the Scotsman, the Times, and the Independent, which concludes: "It's all dazzlingly virtuosic and evocative."

Nonesuch Records and Tzadik simultaneously release guitarist Pat Metheny’s recording of John Zorn’s Tap: The Book of Angels, Vol. 20 from Zorn’s Masada Book Two on May 21, 2013. This album is the first collaboration between the two artists, considered among their generation’s most innovative musicians. Besides his frequent collaborator, drummer Antonio Sanchez, Metheny plays all other instruments—guitars, sitar, tiples, bass, keyboards, orchestrionics, electronics, bandoneón, percussion, flugelhorn, and more—himself.

Pat Metheny, who won his 20th Grammy Award this week for Unity Band, releases his latest album, The Orchestrion Project, today. Recorded at a church in Brooklyn, the album showcases the full evolution of the Orchestrion as documented at the end of a sprawling world tour. The two-disc set features all five tunes from Metheny's Orchestrion—“a soaring five-movement suite featuring some of the most intricate music he's ever created" (Boston Globe)—plus eight additional Metheny compositions, which he plays on his phalanx of remarkable, custom-made instruments via solenoid switches and pneumatics. Q and Mojo give the album four stars, as does the Observer which calls it "fresh, elegant and surprising."

Congratulations to all of the Nonesuch artists who were presented with Grammy Awards at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles last night: The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach, Dr. John, Pat Metheny, and Björk. Together, these artists earned a total of seven awards, including three for The Black Keys. And congratulations to all of the Nonesuch artists who were nominated for Grammy Awards this year, including Amadou & Mariam, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Ry Cooder, and Brad Mehldau. To celebrate, MP3 and FLAC editions of all this year's nominated albums are discounted this week.

Congratulations to all of the Nonesuch artists who were nominated for the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, announced last night by The Recording Academy: The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach, Amadou & Mariam, Björk, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Ry Cooder, Dr. John, Brad Mehldau, and Pat Metheny. Together, these artists have garnered an astounding 14 nominations, including a remarkable five nominations for The Black Keys' latest album, El Camino. You can hear music from all the nominated albums on the new Nonesuch Radio channel "2012 Grammy Nominees."

With the recent release of Unity Band, Pat Metheny introduced a new ensemble featuring Chris Potter on sax and bass clarinet, Antonio Sanchez on drums, and Ben Williams on bass. All About Jazz described the record as "unequivocally one of Metheny's finest—an album that's sure to find its way to 'best of' lists for 2012." Now, All About Jazz has dedicated a week to the project, offering Catching Up With feature articles on all four band members. The Unity Band resumes its US tour on Saturday, September 1.

The Pat Metheny Unity Band—Chris Potter on sax and bass clarinet, Antonio Sanchez on drums, and Ben Williams on bass—takes its month-long European tour to Italy this week. That follows Sunday's show at London's Barbican Hall, to which the Guardian gives four stars, calling the Unity Band "a group of blazing virtuosi with musical intelligence to match." Jazzwise says: "Metheny’s solos remain a thing of wonder: melodic at any tempo and packed with fresh ideas." The European tour continues through July 22; the US tour begins at the Caramoor Festival on July 29.

The North Sea Jazz Festival takes place this weekend in Rotterdam, Netherlands, featuring a diverse array of artists, including several familiar to readers of the Nonesuch Journal: Joshua Redman, James Farm, Pat Metheny, Brad Mehldau Trio, Punch Brothers, Lianne La Havas, Fatoumata Diawara, and Oumou Sangare. Redman, in fact, is this year's North Sea Jazz Artist in Residence and as such performs on each festival day with varied musical projects.

The Pat Metheny Unity Band—featuring a new ensemble from the guitarist with Chris Potter on sax and bass clarinet, Antonio Sanchez on drums, and Ben Williams on bass—launches an extensive international tour in Europe, starting this weekend in Germany, followed by stops throughout the continent and in the UK. The band tours the US later this summer and into the fall. The tour includes songs from the band's new album, which earns four stars in the Guardian, Evening Standard, and the Financial Times.

Pat Metheny's new album, Unity Band, featuring Chris Potter on sax and bass clarinet, Antonio Sanchez on drums, and Ben Williams on bass, is out now. The Evening Standard and the Guardian give the album four stars. BBC Music calls it "arguably one of Metheny’s best releases in recent times." Guitarist gives it five stars, calling it "a sterling example of why Metheny is so relevant and respected today ... Most impressive." All About Jazz says the new album is "unequivocally one of Metheny's finest—an album that's sure to find its way to 'best of' lists for 2012." Watch the new Pat Metheny podcast, featuring music from the album and commentary from Metheny, here.