Pat Metheny's accessible sound has attracted a huge audience ever since he struck out on his own 30 years ago, but the guitarist has never been shy about experimenting musically with others.

For example, consider his work with saxophonist Ornette Coleman, with whom the guitarist recorded Song X in 1985. His latest joint venture is a quartet with pianist Brad Mehldau. And on Saturday, that hard-to-beat combination pulls into the Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place, for an 8 p.m. concert.

In a telephone conversation, Metheny notes, "I've been enthusiastic about Brad from the moment I first heard him, and I'm flattered that he lists me as a person who had an impact on him. When we would see each other, we would always say that we should play together sometime. We made several attempts to do that but it seemed that we were both constantly busy. In the summer of 2005, I saw Brad in Europe and we just set a date. We didn't tell anyone: We were just doing it for ourselves."

When they finally did get together, Metheny continues, "I never have experienced that kind of productivity before. The music was dense, hard and complicated and we could just instantly play together. It was weird - and inspiring."

The first Metheny/Mehldau disc came out in 2006, largely featuring guitar/piano duets. The second CD, Metheny/Mehldau Quartet just hit the shelves.

Because the stop in Denver is at the start of the quartet's tour, the guitarist says, "I don't know exactly what we'll be doing." But when you listen to the CDs the two have done together, whatever they decide to do will be just fine.

Mehldau has taken piano-trio music up a notch and the quartet at the Paramount is, in fact, the pianist's superb threesome (with Larry Grenadier on bass and Jeff Ballard on drums) plus Metheny. And it's a collaboration that definitely works. Tickets for the show are $49 to $69 (303-830-8497).

ALSO ON TAP: In addition to the Metheny/Mehldau Quartet, this week also finds the ageless singer Tony Bennett doing his timeless thing at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Bennett swings into town at 7:30 tonight ($49.50-$125, 303-830-8497). By now, jazz fans around this area know that Bennett's longtime pianist Ralph Sharon has retired here – retired from the road that is. You can hear Sharon and his trio play every Wednesday night at Dazzle, 930 Lincoln, at 7 p.m. (303-839-5100) and on Fridays at the Boulder Country Club.

• Stanley Jordan is also in town with his out-of-the-ordinary, hammering guitar style. Jordan plays at 9 p.m. today at the Soiled Dove Underground, 7401 E 1st Ave., beneath the Tavern Lowry ($30, 303-366-0007). Singer Lisa Bell opens for Jordan.

• At 7 and 9 tonight, guitarist Dale Bruning plays the music of Jimmy Van Heusen at Dazzle. He'll be joined by saxophonist Chuck Schneider, trumpeter Bob Gillis, bassist Mark Simon, drummer Paul Romaine and narrator Jude Hibler ($12).

• At 6 p.m. Sunday, there's a "Music for Life" benefit concert at the Soiled Dove Underground with a host of players, including trombonist Fred Wesley (who added some jazzy funk to the James Brown band), saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa and keyboardist Bernie Worrell. The group Pockit, singers Hazel Miller and Sheryl Renee, bassist Kim Stone and guitarist Bill Kopper are also on the bill. The event starts at 6 p.m. and tickets are $75.

• At 6:30 p.m. Sunday, bassist Kent McLagan, cornetist Ron Miles and drummer Jill Fredericksen get to hang at the West Side Book Annex, 3434 W. 32nd Ave. The music is free. (303-480-0220).

• Then on Wednesday, donnie betts has a party at Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret, 16th and Arapahoe streets in the D&F Tower, to celebrate the arrival of his fine documentary on Oscar Brown Jr. on DVD. The party with music runs from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. and then the sounds continue to 10 p.m. (303-293-0075).

• At 7 and 9 p.m. Thursday, the Stranahans (father Jim Stranahan on saxophone and son Colin Stranahan on drums) bring a quintet to Dazzle at 7 and 9 p.m. Joining the family members, there's Eric Gunnison on piano, Bijoux Barbosa on bass and Al Hood on trumpet ($10).

Normanprovizer@aol.com