When it comes to the multiple facets of jazz, Pat Metheny has always been a trailblazer, a relentless explorer of sound. Which might explain why he's the only person to have won Grammys in 10 different categories. His latest album, MoonDial, continues this tradition, marking a return to the solo guitar format that fans cherished in 2003’s One Quiet Night and 2011’s What's It All About. This time, however, Metheny introduces a new player to his palette: a custom nylon string baritone guitar, crafted by renowned luthier Linda Manzer.

The story of MoonDial began while on tour last fall, when Metheny experimented with this new guitar night after night. The unique tuning, inspired by a childhood memory from Missouri, and the discovery of the perfect nylon strings from Magma in Argentina, allowed the instrument to sing in ways previously unattainable. The result was a revelation, prompting Metheny to immediately record an album with this newfound sound. "With the release of Dream Box in the spring of 2023, I embarked on a long solo tour," Metheny shares. "Sitting alone onstage for two and a half hours for the first time was both daunting and exhilarating. It was an opportunity to revisit and extend the concepts from my past solo projects and introduce this new baritone guitar." The tour became a crucible for Metheny’s new instrument, gradually integrating it into his performances. "At first, it was just one tune," he explains. "By the end of the tour's first leg, the nylon-string baritone guitar was featured for twenty to twenty-five minutes of the concert. It opened up a beautiful, rich, almost infinite new world for me."

The winter break of 2023 provided the perfect opportunity for Metheny to capture this magic in the studio. MoonDial was recorded over several clear December nights in upstate New York, with the moon as a silent witness to his creative process. The album features a mix of new originals, revisited older tunes, a piece dedicated to Chick Corea, and beloved songs by other composers. "The central vibe of MoonDial is one of resonant contemplation," Metheny reflects. "This guitar allows me to go deep, to a place I maybe have never quite gotten to before. It’s a dusk-to-sunrise record, hardcore mellow."

For Pat Metheny, MoonDial isn't just an album; it's a personal journey, a harmonic realm that offers something unique for insomniacs and night owls. "There were a lot of clear nights during that December, and it seemed like the moon was checking out what I was searching for. This music is a reflection of those solitary winter hours and represents a new realm that I hope everyone will enjoy as much as I have enjoyed exploring it."