Customer Reviews

The Pat Metheny Interviews

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This book is written by one of the best musicologists in the business. Niles has been interviewing many of the great people in the current music world. This book is great. He gets so much out of his subjests and Metheny is one of the greats of current music. It's interesting that Metheny was Niles' teacher at Berkeley College of Music. Niles is one of the great orchestraters and someone that excels in every field of music.This is worth shef space in your library. You'll want to browse it again.

Richard Niles has written a terrific, in depth musical biography, based on his personal interviews with one of the jazz world's most gifted and influential guitarists. Pat Metheny's originality, compositions and innovative musicianship has thrilled and inspired lovers of jazz guitar throughout the world.
Author Richard Niles' close friendship with Metheny has allowed him to interview and relate in explicit style and with extreme accuracy the focused and compelling journey that has made Pat Metheny one of the greatest jazz guitarists of all time.
This is a must read.
Steve Rowland (Record Producer, London, England)

I think a little reality check is needed with this publication.
Firstly, this is a presumably faithful transcript of four radio interviews (plus brief comments from Gary Burton & others) - it is NOT an in-depth biography or exploration of "all things" Metheny; for this, I think a journey through Pat's website (particularly the "Q&A" Section) has far more detail, particularly for the period before "Speaking of Now".
Secondly, the interviews are conducted more in the nature of a "fawning" fan than a musicologist - I'm not dissing the man's credentials but alas there's too much familiarity here & not enough genuine questioniong/critiquing or dare I say controversy (eg what does Pat think of his Kenny G comments 20(?) years on; what does he think of Wynton Marsalis' views on "jazz" etc??). Others have noted that Niles' closeness to Metheny allows him to get "more" out of him but to my mind, having read lots of interviews with Pat, I find he is pretty open & forthcoming in all of them.
Thirdly, seems to me that Metheny's pre-Nonesuch career is already pretty well documented so I was REALLY hoping that this book would spend a lot of time exploring the period from & including "Speaking of Now" & that magnificent opus "The Way Up"(new Band members, philosophy behind TWU etc etc). Alas in hastening to the "present" (ie. the Trio dates with Sanchez & McBride) the interviews skate over this period almost as if it never existed.
So, overall not a "bad" book but hardly satisfying for anyone wanting to really get down deep inside this acclaimed musician.

Nice discussion between journalist musician and Pat Metheny, the former who knew Pat since his student days at the Berklee School of Music.

A really great book by one the most important Jazz artists of his generation. I could not put this book down.
It was great to read about his upbringing especially those first years of him playing guitar, the records he
check out and who inspired him. What was fascinating most of all was his tenacity for practicing and dedication.
Looking forward to reading it again.

Pat Metheny has always been bad on the guitar and i have always respected his tone, feel and overaal vibe with his music direction. this book is well written and i enjoyed detailed information and insight.it's the kind of jounalism missing in alot of todays music Q&A between writer and Artist.

It doesn't matter of what discipline you speak,the real secret to success , if the quest for your truth would be success,is to have faith in the calling and to never shortchange your commitment.This guy committs in spades... Truly inspiring.