Pat Metheny: Stories beyond Words

This book offers 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 and visionary musicians of our era, has toured for five decades with his many creative musical projects, most notably the Pat Metheny Group. He has also collaborated with celebrated artists, including Charlie Haden, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Ornette Coleman, and Steve Reich.

Bob Gluck, whose perspective as a pianist, composer, and educator has illuminated the music of Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis in his two previous books, now focuses his lens on Metheny's music. Neither a straightforward biography nor a chronological record of Metheny's musical output, Pat Metheny: Stories beyond Words instead captures Metheny's self-conception as a musician and uncovers the threads that unite and distinguish his creative process. Drawing upon a wealth of new interviews and close readings of musical examples, Gluck provides a bird's-eye view of Metheny's core musical ideas. These include the metaphor of storytelling, the complementary nature 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, offering new clarity, musical insight, and historical perspective about the legacy of Metheny's groundbreaking music.