Jazz Composer Pat Metheny to Release First Major Album in Six Years

Jazz guitarist and composer Pat Metheny is set to release his first major studio album in six years, Side-Eye III+, on his newly launched record label, Uniquity Music. The record marks the first title on the new label.

Side-Eye III+ is the latest evolution of Metheny's Side-Eye project, a concept he first introduced to showcase the next generation of exceptional young musicians who have come onto his radar in recent years. The album features Metheny alongside Chris Fishman on keyboards and Joe Dyson on drums, the trio at the heart of the Side-Eye ensemble that has toured extensively worldwide. It will be released on February 27.

Metheny explains, "Once I got in the studio with the guys, I realized that while the trio concept was perfect for us as a live ensemble, the music I had written was asking for something bigger. That is where the '+' in Side-Eye III+ comes in. I ended up adding fifteen other musicians to the trio — expanding the sonic world of the record far beyond what we had done before."

Recorded in the studio, Side-Eye III+ brings together an additional cast of musicians, including bassist Daryl Johns, harpist Brandee Younger, percussionist Luis Conte, and a vocal ensemble led by Mark Kibble of Take 6.

Metheny and the Side-Eye III+ band will embark on an extensive world tour throughout 2026. Take a look at the tour dates below and listen to the album’s first single, “In On It,” available now.

PAT METHENY: SIDE-EYE III+ WORLDWIDE TOUR DATES

3/2–3 – Jackson, MS – Duling Hall

3/5 – San Antonio, TX – The Charline McCombs Empire Theatre

3/6 – Austin, TX – The Paramount Theatre

3/7 – Houston, TX – Lillie and Roy Cullen Theater at Wortham Theater Center

3/8 – New Orleans, LA – Orpheum Theatre

3/10 – Orlando, FL – The Plaza Live

3/12-13 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Parker Playhouse

3/14 – Stuart, FL – The Lyric Theatre

3/15 – Naples, FL – Artis—Naples

3/16 – Clearwater, FL – The Capitol Theatre

3/17 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre

3/19 – Charlottesville, VA – The Paramount Theater

3/20 – Richmond, VA – The National

3/22 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium

3/23 – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Symphony Hall

3/24 – Charlotte, NC – Blumenthal Performing Arts Knight Theater

3/25 – Lexington, KY – Lexington Opera House

3/26 – Knoxville, TN – Big Ears Festival @ Tennessee Theatre

3/27 – Savannah, GA – Savannah Music Festival @ Lucas Theatre

3/29 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall

3/30 – Little Rock, AR – Robinson Center

3/31 – Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Performing Arts Center

4/1 – Dallas, TX – The Majestic Theatre

4/3 – St. Louis, MO – The Sheldon Concert Hall

4/4 – Kansas City, MO – Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

4/7 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater

4/8 – Omaha, NE – Kiewit Concert Hall

4/9 – Madison, WI – Wisconsin Union Theater

4/10 – Indianapolis, IN – Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University

4/11 – Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theatre

4/12 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater

4/14 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre

4/15 – Newark, OH – Midland Theatre

4/16 – Columbia, MO – Missouri Theatre

4/17 – Chicago, IL – Symphony Center

4/18–19 – Minneapolis, MN – Dakota

4/21 – Ketchum, ID – Argyros Performing Arts Center

4/23–26 – Seattle, WA – Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley

4/27 – Vancouver, BC, Canada – The Centre in Vancouver For Performing Arts

4/28 – Portland, OR – Newmark Theater

4/29 – Eugene, OR – The John G. Shedd Institute For The Arts

5/1 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic

5/2 – Sacramento, CA – Crest Theatre

5/3 – Santa Cruz, CA – Rio Theatre

5/4 – Los Angeles, CA – Walt Disney Concert Hall

5/5 – Santa Barbara, CA – Lobero Theatre

5/7 – Irvine, CA – Irvine Barclay Theatre

5/8 – San Diego, CA – Humphrey’s Concerts By The Bay

5/9 – Chandler, AZ – Chandler Center for the Arts

6/6 – Flensburg, Germany – Deutsches Haus

6/7 – Lübeck, Germany – Musik-und Kongresshalle Lübeck

6/8 – Hamburg, Germany – Laeiszhalle

6/9 – Wroclaw, Poland – National Music Forum

6/12 – Katowice, Poland – National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra

6/13 – Warsaw, Poland – Palladium

6/15 – Berlin, Germany – Admiralspalast

6/17 – Munich, Germany – Isarphilharmonie

6/18 – Dortmund, Germany – Konzerhaus Dortmund

6/19 – Freiburg, Germany – Konzerthaus Freidburg

6/20 – Nuremberg, Germany – Serenadenhof

6/21 – Frankfurt, Germany – Jahrhunderthalle Kuppelsaal

6/24 – Zürich, Switzerland – Volkshaus

6/29 – Wien, Austria – Wiener Konzerthaus

7/2 – Udine, Italy – Castello di Udine

7/5 – Rome, Italy – Cavea Auditorium Ennio Morricone

7/6 – Pompei, Italy – Anfiteatro degli scavi

7/7 – Giulianova, Italy – Arena del Porto Turstico

7/9 – Milano, Italy – Teatro degli Arcimboldi

7/18–19 – London, UK – Barbican

7/25 – Donostia, Spain – Kursaal

About Pat Metheny

Pat Metheny is a globally acclaimed, genre-defying guitarist and composer. His honors include three gold albums, 20 Grammy Awards, an additional 39 nominations, and more than 20 million records sold worldwide. He has been inducted into the DownBeat Hall of Fame, recognized as an NEA Jazz Master, and honored by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, the Missouri Hall of Fame, and the Library of Congress National Recording Registry. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with icons such as Joni Mitchell, Jim Hall, Ornette Coleman, Ahmad Jamal, Jaco Pastorius, and Charlie Haden.

Photo credit: Jimmy Katz