"We Had a Sister" is a Pat Metheny composition featured on Joshua Redman's 1993 album Wish, with Metheny on electric guitar, Charlie Haden on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The piece is a ballad performed at approximately 56 beats per minute, built on an unusual 20-bar form in G-flat minor. The nonstandard structure and dark tonality give the composition a distinctive, melancholic character that sets it apart from the album's more conventional forms. Metheny takes the first solo with one chorus on electric guitar, his lyrical phrasing and rich harmonic choices perfectly suited to his own composition. Redman follows with one chorus on tenor saxophone, his warm, full-bodied sound navigating the unusual form with an emotional intensity that complements the song's contemplative mood. The brevity of both solos, one chorus each, reflects the musicians' sensitivity to the material, allowing the composition's inherent beauty to remain at the forefront rather than using it merely as a springboard for extended improvisation. Haden and Higgins provide a cushion of support that is at once spacious and deeply attentive. The track represents one of the quieter, more introspective moments on Wish, demonstrating the range and versatility of this remarkable quartet beyond the album's more energetic performances.
