Pat Metheny Guitar Tab Books, Instruction DVDs, Solos, Arrangements, Video Lessons

 Pat Metheny Plays "Nothing Personal"

The Johnny Smith Solo Guitar Collection

Pat Metheny - Incredible Jazz Fusion Guitar Master!
Compiled & Edited By Steven Herron

    Pat Metheny was born in Lee Summit, Missouri on August 12, 1954 and has actually been one of the most significant jazz/rock guitarists since the beginning of the early 1970s. Pat's very first musical instrument was the French horn. He began to play the guitar at the age of thirteen and his first jazz heroes were trumpeter Miles Davis and jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery.

    While he was still in high school in Kansas City, Pat Metheny played in numerous jazz groups and also won a "Downbeat" magazine scholarship to a jazz stage band camp. Here he was introduced to Atilla Zoller who invited him to come to New York city and experience the jazz scene there first hand. After this visit Metheny made the choice to pursue a career in music and jazz guitar.

    After Pat Metheny left high school he went to the University Of Miami. There he taught guitar in addition to doing local club and studio work for a year. His very first major career break came at the age of nineteen when he was introduced to vibraphonist Gary Burton in Wichita, Kansas. Burton was very impressed by Metheny's skill and helped him acquire a teaching position at the Berklee School of Music in Boston.

    Gary Burton was also instrumental in getting a recording contract for Metheny with the prominent German record company ECM. Within a short time period Pat ended up being one of ECM's largest selling recording artists. Some of his CDs for this record company have actually gone on to sell over 100,000 copies which was downright remarkable for a young jazz guitar player who was just beginning!

    After leaving Burton's group in 1977, Pat Metheny formed his own band with keyboardist Lyle Mays. This collaboration has shown to be one of the most successful in modern jazz. Since the mid 1970s Pat has played and tape-recorded with lots of the finest jazz artists of the day consisting of Steve Swallow, Paul Bley, Jaco Pastorious, Sonny Rollins, Charlie Haden, Mike Brecker, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Liebman, Ornette Coleman, and Eberhard Weber.

    Metheny likewise backed singer Joni Mitchell for a significant concert tour and has actually also proven himself to be a skilled arranger who has written the musical arrangements for three films. By 1985 three of Metheny's twelve record CDs had won Grammy awards. In jazz terms Pat Metheny is a true superstar! His shows play to sell-out audiences all over the world and every new CD release racks up exceptional sales.

    A gifted composer and improvisor, Pat Metheny has turned into one of the most inspired and prominent jazz/rock fusion guitar players of the day. While playing, recording, and touring with The Pat Metheny Group, Pat played not just the standard 6 string electric and acoustic guitars, but was also one of the very first to explore the guitar synthesizer in addition to the 12 string electric guitar, the 42 string Pikasso guitar, an acoustic sitar guitar, and a baritone guitar!

    2010's "Orchestration" was a really unique project in which Metheny's guitar triggered the playing of a number of acoustic instruments, providing him a chance to "play an orchestra". Among his most current projects has been leading The Unity Band which is a quartet with Chris Potter, bassist Ben Williams, and drummer Antonio Sanchez. Regardless of whether he is playing mainstream jazz standards or his original jazz fusion instrumentals, Pat Metheny remains one of the most exciting and innovative guitar players alive today!