“I have always, and somewhat actively, resisted the mythology that says that we all need to ‘return’ to some kind of a safe place where the proverbial ‘tradition’ resides, in order for jazz to be considered ‘real’ jazz.”
A PRODIGIOUS jazz guitarist, Pat Metheny (b. 1954) uses his talent and energy as performer and composer in transforming the sounds, rhythms, and spirits of his time to inform and enrich his listeners. His work with the Pat Metheny Group, formed in 1978, is hard to describe—there are elements of folk, world, vocal, even film music—but it remains lyrical and accessible. His esoteric work, notably with Ornette Coleman and Charlie Haden, is fueled by inclusiveness and a passion for trying things. Such accessibility, curiosity, and world mindedness are what make Pat Metheny an inspiring purveyor of jazz in all its ever-evolving diversities.
