It is not that Pat Metheny cannot speak to the audience. He addressed us at length after playing for almost an hour, and he sounded comfortable and happy to communicate.

But for most of Friday evening at Chicago's Symphony Center, the virtuoso guitarist chose to let his music do the talking. It is with his guitar that Mr. Metheny is most comfortable communicating. He played his signature jazz fusion - some more jazz and some more rock - to the delight of a sold-out theater. He switched among guitars and drew a variety of sounds from each. Personally, I most enjoyed the Spanish style he played on an acoustic guitar, but his technical proficiency makes all his music enjoyable.

And he assembled a band of top-notch musicians (bass, keyboards, drums, percussion, and (sometimes) vocals) that accompanied his performance admirably. This sextet provided a fuller sound and a different experience from the trio I witnessed in 2021.

But Metheney's excellence made this another excellent show.