**1/2 Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny

BEYOND THE MISSOURI SKY (SHORT STORIES)

(Verve)

This listenable album could have been a major advance for both artists. But bassist Haden and guitarist Metheny play it safe by recording acoustic duets (pointlessly sweetened half the time by synclavier) in a style aptly described by Haden as "contemporary impressionistic Americana." That artful phase encompasses covers of tunes by Mancini and Morricone, which sound like mushy fusion. The inspiring moments -- offered by half of the 13 tracks -- come when Haden and Metheny listen to each other attentively, with sentimentality in check. Their own compositions, particularly Haden's "Waltz for Ruth" and Metheny's "Message for a Friend," are highpoints showcasing Haden's rich tone and Metheny's haunting voicings.

A slightly melancholy tone permeates the album, as if these guys realized they've become too cosmopolitan ever to look homeward again to their shared Missouri roots but are making the attempt anyway. Perhaps that wistful, approach/avoidance gesture toward the Midwest explains why this may be the only album ever to sequence Ennio Morricone's "Theme from Cinema Paradiso" after Roy Acuff's "Precious Jewel." A moody and stimulating, if not groundbreaking, meeting of major players.

-- Norman Weinstein