CHARLIE HADEN & PAT METHENY: BEYOND THE MISSOURI SKY (SHORT STORIES)

If you ever wish to experience musical majesty from two true masters of their craft--and in an album form which never lets one down (though don't be expecting endless noodling, instead be ready for atmospheric paintings that capture the spirit and feel of the Missouri landscapes. Half of the songs are compositions of one of the two performers while the other half are covers of songs by much respected other artists like Jimmy Webb, Ennio and Andrea Morricone, Henry Mancini, Johnny Mandel, and Roy Acuff. The two performers are both iconic, each having earned critical and listener respect and praise from early years and throughout their long and distinguished careers, and I have to say this album may be one of the most satisfying emotional jaunts through nostalgia of the raw beauty of our American landscapes since Ry Kooder's soundtrack to the Wim Wenders film Paris, Texas. Do yourself a huge favor: listen to this album. You can YouTube it while you cook or read or work on a puzzle. It's gorgeous music in the way background music can soothe and heal the soul. (It may not, however, be prog. But, here we are!)