Pat Metheny: Stories beyond Words

by Bob Gluck

Overview

An in-depth exploration of the style and influence of Pat Metheny, a truly distinctive musical voice of our time.

Guitarist and composer Pat Metheny, among the most acclaimed, visionary musicians of our time, has for five decades toured with his many creative musical projects, most prominently the Pat Metheny Group, while collaborating with celebrated artists, including Charlie Haden, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Ornette Coleman, and Steve Reich.

Bob Gluck, whose perspective as pianist, composer, and educator has illuminated the music of Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis in his two previous books, now focuses his lens on the music of Metheny. Neither a biography nor chronological record of Metheny’s musical output, Pat Metheny: Stories beyond Words instead captures Metheny’s self-conception as a musician and the threads that unite and distinguish his creative process. Drawing upon a wealth of new interviews and close readings of musical examples, Gluck offers a bird’s-eye view of Metheny’s musical ideas. Among these are the metaphor of storytelling, the complementarity of simplicity and complexity, and the integrated roles of composer, performer, and band leader. Much like Metheny’s signature style, this book is accessible to a wide range of readers, presenting new clarity, musical insight, and historical perspective about the legacy of Metheny’s groundbreaking music. 

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780226825274
Publisher:	University of Chicago Press
Publication date:	08/05/2024
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Bob Gluck is professor emeritus at the University at Albany, and author of You’ll Know When You Get There: Herbie Hancock and the Mwandishi Band and The Miles Davis Lost Quintet and Other Revolutionary Ensembles, both also published by the University of Chicago Press. He has released twelve recordings of jazz and electroacoustic music on the FMR, Ictus, and EMF labels.
 

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction
Chapter 1. Neither This nor That
Chapter 2. Stories We Listen To
Chapter 3. New Ideas about Musical Form
Chapter 4. Motif and Improvisation
Chapter 5. Developing That Sound: Guitars and Sonic Space
Chapter 6. Pat Metheny Group as an Expression of an Unfolding Idea
Chapter 7. Drummers and Wordless Vocals
Chapter 8. The Way Up and Reflections on the Pat Metheny Group
Chapter 9. Listening Interpretively: “America Undefined” and “Is This America? (katrina 2005)”

Appendix 1. Remarkable Sounds: Manzer Guitars, the Roland Synthesizer in Non-PMG Settings, and Sonic Density
Appendix 2. The Way Up: A Closer Look at an Extended Form
Notes
Bibliography
Discography
Index

Editorial Reviews

"Bob Gluck gives Pat Metheny fans—and that includes this reader—a series of listening guides that deepens our appreciation of Metheny’s music. Outlining the innovative approaches Metheny utilizes to produce the music we cherish, Gluck compels us to re-listen to the music we thought we already knew with newly expanded ears. Gluck’s remarkable book traces Metheny’s musical ideas that have shaped his music, enabling us to enjoy the guitarist’s myriad accomplishments in a deeply connective, heartfelt way. This book is for more than just Metheny’s many fans, however—it is for anyone who wants to think about and, perhaps more importantly, feel music more deeply, more intensely, and more profoundly."

Kevin A. Fellezs

"Pat Metheny performances have quickened the soul of the academic, the layman and the musician for many years. He has been so much a part of the furniture for so long, one needs a book like this as a reminder of his considerable contribution to American cultural life. Written in a breezy, inclusive style, this book should be on the shelf of anyone who enjoys Pat’s music and would like to know why; anyone who wants to know more about his process and methodologies; and anyone who simply wants to know how to listen more closely."

Bill Bruford

One of the first recordings [by Pat] that got my attention was Bright Size Life, and I was impressed by his compositions and his improvising. It’s still one of my favorite recordings of his. It was my pleasure to put together a band with my all time favorites Herbie Hancock and Dave Holland, Pat and I discussed it and he agreed to coproduce and be part of it. We also toured. Parallel Realities turned out to be an important historical recording that people still talk about. He’s a visionary innovator who is constantly challenging himself in the most creative ways… that’s what a great artist is supposed to do. Thank you Pat!"

Jack DeJohnette

We were all blown away when we first heard Pat play. His touch is so sweet and so lyrical. I love that vocal sound. I like to try to get that in myself as much as I can. Even at a really young age, you could already hear these qualities and his incredible vocabulary. His ability to hold onto his sensitivity and perfectionism all these years is a serious strength. As a guitar teacher, Pat was really supportive to me and to a lot of other players. It would be natural to write a book about someone quite as accomplished as Pat. I really dig his music, that’s for damn sure.” 

Mike Stern