Pat Metheny gets up close and personal with Richard Niles (PART 1)

A RADIO RICHARD SPECIAL PRESENTATION “The only listener I know anything about is myself. I have absolutely no sense of how anybody else perceives anything. I just try to play for the listener inside me.” Pat Metheny

Pat Metheny is one of the most significant musicians of the last 50 years. In 2007, he invited me into his NYC home studio for my BBC Radio 2 series “Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life”. Over the next 3 days we talked about the myriad aspect of a career of unprecedented achievement, revolutionizing both the guitar and jazz itself - from Metheny’s first realization of his affinity for music to his wisdom accrued from years of dedicated musicianship - at practice, in the studio and on the road. Also interviewed are Metheny’s close collaborators including Gary Burton, Lyle Mays, Jack De Johnette, John Patitucci, his brother Mike Metheny and the late Michael Brecker. My friend Jack Gwizdala accompanied me for these interviews and played bass with Pat on some of the musical examples.

“The Pat Metheny Interviews” published by Hal Leonard in 2009, including musical transcriptions of Metheny’s musical performances illustrating his creative concepts. “Limpid, lucid, fluid, flowing, open, optimistic: you could apply these words to both Pat Metheny’s music and this book, a series of interviews by Dr Richard Niles, a gently humorous man whose strong work ethic has been rewarded with worldwide success in more than one genre. Niles’s banter gets the best out of his old friend. If you’re interested in music and ideas for a better future this book will help. If you’re already converted to Pat Metheny then it’s essential.” JAZZ JOURNAL

“the book goes beyond the usual biographical and guitar specific material that is normally found in a Metheny interview. It is a chance for musicians and non-musicians alike to learn more about the artistic process that fuels this legendary guitarist, composer and bandleader.” GUITAR CHRONICLE

“Niles has known Metheny since the mid-1970s, and he knows what questions to ask. The responses he gets are smart, funny and revealing. He has done pretty much everything right. People will still be learning from Metheny’s music for many more decades. And they can learn a lot about why it matters from this book. “ CALIFORNIA CHRONICLE

“Like eavesdropping on a conversation between two long-time friends and musicians, The Pat Metheny Interviews, is an insightfully revealing dialogue between American jazz guitarist and composer, Pat Metheny, and Richard Niles, a renowned composer, producer and songwriter.” MY 3 BOOKS

Available from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1423474694/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_2ZJRVTA97F4BXQB07MWF