...to me if it's anything, jazz is a verb-it's more like a process than it is a thing. Pat Metheny More Quotes by Pat Metheny More Quotes From Pat Metheny I just have never seen anyone build anything significant in any field without having a deep and detailed sense of what they are building on. Pat Metheny buildingmusicianfields Jazz music will continue to thrive, possibly in unexpected ways. Pat Metheny jazzmusicway The beauty of jazz is that it's malleable. People are addressing it to suit their own personalities. Pat Metheny musicpersonalitypeople I met Gary (Burton) at the Wichita Jazz Festival when I was 18 -- he was one of my favorite musicians and I got to play a few tunes with him there. Shortly after that, I joined his band, which was the equivalent of joining the Beatles for me! He was, and still is, one of the greatest musicians I have ever been lucky enough to be around. Pat Metheny musiciantunesplay I try to be prepared for the moment, through understanding, and being warmed up, knowing all about chords and scales, so I don't even have to think and I can get right to what it is I want to say. Pat Metheny understandingknowingthinking What I look for in musicians is a sense of infinity Pat Metheny musicianinfinitylooks My older brother Mike is an excellent trumpet player. By the time he was 12, he was playing around Kansas City in classical situations. He was already an amazing talent. Pat Metheny citiesbrotherplayer I think jazz is actually quite unforgiving in its disdain for nostalgia. It demands creativity and change at its highest level. Pat Metheny creativitylevelsthinking I saw A Hard Day's Night 12 or 13 times. Pat Metheny sawshard-timesnight Somehow trumpet is the reference point for me it was actually my first instrument. Pat Metheny trumpetsinstrumentsfirsts The Unity Band project has been life-changing for me. I have led many groups of talented musicians, but this is unlike anything else. Pat Metheny unitylife-changingmusician I was able to work with the best musicians in Kansas City starting when I was really young Pat Metheny kansas-citymusiciancities I hate the way chorus boxes sound Pat Metheny hatesoundway I was deep in the zone of practicing almost constantly Pat Metheny zone I think that the melodic piece of the puzzle in music is the most esoteric and difficult to quantify. Pat Metheny esotericpiecesthinking As much as I have done collaborations over the years, I am actually kind of a reluctant partner. Pat Metheny collaborationdoneyears The guitar for me is a translation device. It's not a goal. And in some ways, jazz isn't a destination for me. For me, jazz is a vehicle that takes you to the true destination - a musical one that describes all kinds of stuff about the human condition and the way music works. Pat Metheny meyouguitarmusic For me, let's keep jazz as folk music. Let's not make jazz classical music. Let's keep it as street music, as people's everyday-life music. Let's see jazz musicians continue to use the materials, the tools, the spirit of the actual time that they're living in, as what they build their lives as musicians around. Pat Metheny memusictimepeople When talking about writing, I often use the analogy of archaeology. There are these great tunes all around. Your skill as a musician allows you to pick them out without breaking them. Pat Metheny skillgreatyouwriting I would always contend that talent is an element, but over the long run, ultimately, a minor part of it all; it is mostly hard work. Pat Metheny talenthard-workworklong
