Pat Metheny redefined the role of the electric guitar in contemporary art music during the ‘80s, bringing his mellow tone and precise, fiery playing to both jazz and classical recordings. He can deliver tricky compositions with his orchestra-imitating electronic setup (“Antonia”) and cut loose over a vamp with a pianist like Brad Mehldau. Either way, Metheny's charm lies in his ability to blend relaxed and resonant sonics with a rush of melodic ideas. Recent projects like Unity Band recall the febrile innovation of his early explorations with free jazz bassist Charlie Haden.