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Pat Metheny
Jazz guitar innovator Pat Metheny first appeared in the mid-'70s as a prodigy in Gary Burton's band, and soon thereafter he was leading his own group. He is among the few jazz artists who've become household names--his music has appeal well beyond the typical jazz audience, yet his artistic integrity is unquestionable, and he has used his success to pursue many less-commercial side projects. Ever the explorer, Metheny has been a pioneer of the guitar synthesizer, a champion of the avant garde, and a unifier of musical styles, incorporating rock, folk, world music, and even country influences into his unique musical paradigm.
b. 12 August 1954, Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Although classed as a jazz guitarist, Metheny has bridged the gap between jazz and rock music in the same way that Miles Davis did in the late 60s and early 70s. Additionally, he played a major part in the growth of jazz's popularity among the younger generation of the 80s. Throughout his career, his extraordinary sense of melody has prevented his work from becoming rambling or self-indulgent.
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Artist Biography - Pat Metheny
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 His first musical instrument was a French horn, and surprisingly he did not begin with the guitar until he was a teenager. His outstanding virtuosity soon had him teaching the instrument at the University Of Miami and the Berklee College Of Music in Boston. He joined Gary Burton in 1974, and throughout his three-album stay, he contributed some fluid Wes Montgomery-influenced guitar patterns. Manfred Eicher of ECM Records saw the potential and initiated a partnership that lasted for 10 superlative albums. He became, along with Keith Jarrett, ECM's biggest-selling artist, and his albums regularly topped the jazz record charts. Metheny has also been one of the few jazz artists to make regular appearances in the pop album charts, such is the accessibility of his music.
His early albums, Bright Size Life (featuring the late Jaco Pastorius), and Watercolors showed a man who was still feeling his way. His own individual style matured with Pat Metheny Group in 1978. Together with his musical partner (and arguably, his right arm), the brilliant keyboard player Lyle Mays, whose quiet presence at the side of the stage provided the backbone for much of Metheny's work, he initiated a rock band format that produced album after album of melodious jazz rock. Following a major tour with Joni Mitchell and Pastorius (Shadows And Light), Metheny released New Chautauqua, on which he demonstrated an amazing dexterity on the 12-string guitar. The album made the US Top 50. He returned to the electric band format for American Garage, which contained the country-influenced "(Cross The) Heartland". The double set 80/81 featured Michael Brecker, Jack DeJohnette, Charlie Haden and Dewey Redman, and was more of a typical jazz album, featuring in particular the moderately avant garde "Two Folk Songs'. Nevertheless, the record still climbed the popular charts. During this time, Metheny constantly won jazz and guitarist polls. Mays" keyboards featured prominently in the band structure, and he received co-authorship credit for the suite As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls.
Metheny had by now become fascinated by the musical possibilities of the guitar synthesizer or synclavier. He used this to startling effect on Offramp, notably on the wonderfully contagious and sexual "Are You Going With Me?". The double set Travels showed a band at the peak of its powers, playing some familiar titles with a new freshness. The short piece "Travels" stands as one of his finest compositions; the low-level recording offers such subtle emotion that it becomes joyously funereal. Rejoicing was a modern jazz album demonstrating his sensitive interpretations of music by Horace Silver and Ornette Coleman. First Circle maintained the standard and showed a greater leaning towards Latin-based music, though still retaining Metheny's brilliant ear for melody. In 1985, he composed the score for the movie The Falcon And The Snowman, which led to him recording "This Is Not America" with David Bowie. The resulting UK Top 20/US Top 40 hit brought Metheny many new young admirers.
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For more information , enjoy the official homepage of Pat Metheny
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