LOL, Wes "invented his own style." IOW, he learned every Charlie Christian solo note for note, and over time, after years of experience on gigs playing with great musicians, settled into a perfectly classic hard bop style of guitar playing. That's "inventing his own style." As if Wes self-consciously thought to himself, "I gotta re-invent the wheel." He played w/ his thumb by accident, for instance, so he could practice late at night w/out bothering his family.
Coleman Hawkins and Django Reinhardt, to name but two, were trying as hard as they could to sound like Pops on their respective instruments. This process of trying to do precisely the opposite of what Pat speaks, trying hard to sound like someone else, had a big hand in who they became. Jazz is a style of music, not a philosophy or doctrine like Pat wants it to be.
He's totally wrong about the "not cool to sound like others." Jazz, as much as it's the history of great mavericks like Armstrong and Parker, is the history of thousands of GREAT musicians trying to sound like them, following the lead of these geniuses. Schools of player's whole style was trying to sound like Lester Young (Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, Al Cohn, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Paul Quinichette, the "Vice Pres," etc.) -- and this is just Prez; let's not even start w/ Bird!!!
I've been looking for a good Metheny interview for a long time, this is it! Thanks a lot!! It's nice to know that one of my musical heroes is an inteligent and articulate person. Great.
LOL, Wes "invented his own style." IOW, he learned every Charlie Christian solo note for note, and over time, after years of experience on gigs playing with great musicians, settled into a perfectly classic hard bop style of guitar playing. That's "inventing his own style." As if Wes self-consciously thought to himself, "I gotta re-invent the wheel." He played w/ his thumb by accident, for instance, so he could practice late at night w/out bothering his family.
VonNashman 4 days ago
Coleman Hawkins and Django Reinhardt, to name but two, were trying as hard as they could to sound like Pops on their respective instruments. This process of trying to do precisely the opposite of what Pat speaks, trying hard to sound like someone else, had a big hand in who they became. Jazz is a style of music, not a philosophy or doctrine like Pat wants it to be.
VonNashman 4 days ago
He's totally wrong about the "not cool to sound like others." Jazz, as much as it's the history of great mavericks like Armstrong and Parker, is the history of thousands of GREAT musicians trying to sound like them, following the lead of these geniuses. Schools of player's whole style was trying to sound like Lester Young (Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, Al Cohn, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Paul Quinichette, the "Vice Pres," etc.) -- and this is just Prez; let's not even start w/ Bird!!!
VonNashman 4 days ago
I've been looking for a good Metheny interview for a long time, this is it! Thanks a lot!! It's nice to know that one of my musical heroes is an inteligent and articulate person. Great.
arsofe 3 weeks ago in playlist Pat Metheny Interview with The Standard
"Jazz is the opposite of Nostaligia" - so true.
ornleifs 6 months ago 2
SUCH A WISE PERSON
titevillar 10 months ago 5