For the first time since his 1980 release 80/81, guitarist Pat Metheny has recorded with a band that features tenor saxophone. Unity Band introduces a new Metheny ensemble with Chris Potter on sax and bass clarinet, longtime collaborator Antonio Sanchez on drums, and the up-and-coming Ben Williams on bass. The album features nine new Metheny compositions.

John Scofield updates his early '90s quartet with drummer Bill Stewart, saxophonist Joe Lovano, and bassist Larry Grenadier. For an artist equally adept at jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul, and rock, getting to the root of jazz means channeling the blues. Scofield describes Past Present as 'futuristic blues': he and Lovano craft unison melodies before separating then intertwining invigorating improvs.