Quotes from Pat Metheny

There are some musicians who are talented and see themselves as some kind of natural geniuses or something because of a certain amount of natural ability. But that is often rarely the case over the long term.

The first thing I learned was the theme from Peter Gunn.

The Unity Band project has been life-changing for me. I have led many groups of talented musicians, but this is unlike anything else.

People sometimes say it takes a long time to become a Jazz fan, but for me it took about five seconds.

More and more as time has gone on, I realize that playing is really more about listening than it is about playing.

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.

One of the things jazz has always excelled at is translating the reality of the times through its musical prism.

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.

I think I represent a more left-wing view of what jazz is.

It's more about conception and touch and spirit and soul than whether my hardware was in place.

I love playing and working on music. It is something that I feel really lucky to be able to spend my life doing. And I don't sleep much!

I'm always inspired when there's a robustness to the material in front of me.

I'm triggering acoustic instruments. I'm literally beating, smacking, hitting, blowing, doing physical things. It's an incredibly exciting way to make music.

Whatever my recorded output is, it's a reflection of a general love of music.

A lot of jazz artists think people should like what they're doing just because it's jazz. I don't buy that.

I have three young kids and a great family. I love hanging out with them more than anything.

From 1962 to 1965, the guitar became this icon of youth culture, thanks mostly to the Beatles.

Somehow, trumpet is the reference point for me - it was actually my first instrument.

I was deep in the zone of practicing almost constantly.

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.

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.

I think I have a basic sound aesthetic that is in most of what I do.

If we are going to list guitar influences, the biggest one by far is Wes Montgomery. Also, Gary Burton was obviously huge for me in a number of ways. But beyond that, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard.

I think jazz is actually quite unforgiving in its disdain for nostalgia. It demands creativity and change at its highest level.