1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:01,320 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. 2 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 2: If you can speak two or three different languages and 3 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 2: you're thirsty, you're thirsty before you realize, Okay, I'm gonna 4 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 2: have to say this in Fringe because I'm in France, 5 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 2: or I'm gonna have to say this in Spanish because 6 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 2: I'm in Puerto Rico, or I'm gonna say this in 7 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 2: English because I'm in New York. Your thing is you're thirsty. 8 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 2: So to me, ideas and music are like that, there 9 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 2: before any instrument. 10 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:27,639 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast, the show where 11 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: Buzz Knight speaks with musicians of all type about their music, 12 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: their influences, and their aspirations. Today, Buzz speaks with jazz 13 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 1: guitarist Pat Metheni. Pat is a twenty time Grammy winner 14 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:44,880 Speaker 1: who literally reinvented the traditional jazz guitar for a new 15 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: generation of players. He released his first album, Bright Size 16 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 1: Life in nineteen seventy five, which is considered one of 17 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 1: the most quintessential jazz albums in history. Buzz Night is 18 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: joined by Pat Metheni now on Taking a Walk. 19 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 3: Well, thanks Pat for being on Taking a Walk. First 20 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 3: of all, what is a typical day for a lifelong 21 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 3: creator such as yourself. 22 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 2: In a lot of ways, my life is the same 23 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,960 Speaker 2: as it's always been in that I have a real 24 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 2: deep interest in trying to understand music. And it's been 25 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: that way for me since I was I don't know, 26 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 2: eleven or twelve years old. And you know, to be 27 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:32,039 Speaker 2: a good musician it sort of goes a little bit underreported. 28 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 2: It's hard. It's hard to be a good musician, and 29 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 2: it really does require a kind of intense dedication that 30 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 2: is kind of unlike anything else, and it kind of 31 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 2: never stops in a way. It's not like you wake 32 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 2: up one day and you go, Okay, I got it, 33 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 2: you know. In fact, it's the opposite. It's sort of 34 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 2: the better you get and the more you know and 35 00:01:55,920 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 2: the deeper you're understanding is the more you realize you 36 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 2: don't know anything and you're just beginning. And I still 37 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 2: feel like that. I feel like I'm just now starting 38 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 2: to get a sense of it all. And for that reason, 39 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 2: I tend to, you know, spend a lot of time 40 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 2: at it. If I'm not on the road, I often 41 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 2: get up very early, four or five in the morning 42 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 2: because I get three or four hours at that point 43 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 2: where nobody else is up and I can really focus 44 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 2: on whatever it is that I'm doing, and when I'm 45 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 2: on the road, I mean it's you know, the concerts 46 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 2: that I present are often two and a half three 47 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 2: hours long, and I have to prepare for two hours 48 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 2: or so before that, so that's you know, five or 49 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 2: six hours a day right there of working on music. 50 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 2: You know, people often ask about the physical thing of 51 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 2: playing an instrument. Honestly, that's not a huge part of 52 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 2: it for me. It's more about developing ideas and sort 53 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 2: of being able to execute those ideas, whether it's in 54 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 2: the form of writing or you know, you know, figuring 55 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 2: out how to how to get that sound whatever that 56 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 2: idea represents out into the world. And that could be 57 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 2: in many different ways, including you know, the whole thing 58 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 2: of composition, which for me is you know, not something 59 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 2: that initially I would have thought might have been the 60 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 2: main thing for me because I was so interested in 61 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 2: improvising and that tradition. But as it turned out, there 62 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 2: was a way I wanted to improvise that I was 63 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 2: having a hard time finding a way into. And I 64 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 2: realized at a certain point, if I wrote the music 65 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 2: and handed it to a bunch of other people, that 66 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 2: could set up an environment where I could get to 67 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 2: what I wanted to get to as an improviser. So 68 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 2: you know, the basic thing for me is when I 69 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 2: can be working on music, I am working on music, 70 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 2: and it could be anytime day or night. So there's 71 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 2: no one typical day for me. It's it's just kind 72 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 2: of constant. But I went also put an asterisk at 73 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 2: the end of that. I have three wonderful kids, a 74 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 2: great wife, really great family, two dogs, and all that 75 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 2: comes with that. And balance is the key thing for me, 76 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 2: not just in music but in everything else. So it's 77 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 2: not like I neglect the rest of my being to 78 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 2: be that kind of a musician. It you know, it's 79 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 2: it's all equal for me, and in fact, more and more, 80 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 2: it's sort of like the line between what it takes 81 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 2: to be a good musician and just to kind of 82 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,159 Speaker 2: be in the world in a way that I think 83 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 2: represents what the best music represents to me. They kind 84 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:57,160 Speaker 2: of blur together after a while. So, you know, I'm 85 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,840 Speaker 2: always looking for balance in every way, and you know, 86 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 2: probably more balanced some periods than others, depending upon what's 87 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 2: going on. If I have a deadline or something, I 88 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 2: certainly you know, lean a little bit more to this 89 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 2: direction than I do in another direction. But you know, 90 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 2: if it's time for parent teacher conferences and all else 91 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 2: like that, I lean that way. So I think there's 92 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 2: a way to get everything in and you know, I 93 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 2: try to enjoy every bit of all of it. 94 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 3: So, Pat, who were the players as a fifteen year 95 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 3: old wizard that impacted you to this very. 96 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 2: Day, Well, like everybody, I had my heroes. I mean, 97 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 2: my main hero probably wouldn't be a musician if it 98 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 2: wasn't for my older brother bringing home a Miles Davis 99 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 2: record when I was eleven or twelve. The record was 100 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 2: four and more And you know, that was just one 101 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:02,280 Speaker 2: of those like life changing, you know, light bulb moments 102 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 2: for me, and that would be probably the most significant 103 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 2: thing I could say. The Miles Quintet of the sixties 104 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:14,840 Speaker 2: was just the model of everything for me. And to 105 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 2: this day it's like that may be, you know, one 106 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 2: of the highest levels of human achievement that has occurred 107 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 2: so far in our species. You know, that band really 108 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 2: on all five fronts just got to it. But in 109 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 2: particular on my instrument was Wes Montgomery. It still is 110 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 2: Wes Montgomery. I mean there's other players I loved. Kinney 111 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 2: Burrell especially and Jim Hall were the other two big 112 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 2: ones for me, But it was mostly about Wes. And 113 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 2: there are many things about Wes as an improvisor that 114 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 2: I actually still feel are kind of under reported on 115 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 2: and underrecognized, particularly the melodic development aspect of it. And 116 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 2: you know, saxophone players Sonny Rollins of course, Charlie Parker, 117 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 2: John Coltrane, and trumpet players like Clifford Brown and Freddie 118 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 2: Ubbard in particular were also huge from me in very particular. 119 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: Kinds of ways. 120 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 2: But my favorite band of that era was the Gary 121 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 2: Burton Quartet of the late sixties. I mean, that was 122 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 2: a band that from me just kind of represented a 123 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 2: major change in the culture in a lot of ways, 124 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 2: and the fact that I wound up joining that band 125 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 2: really just a couple of years later is something that 126 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 2: I still kind of have to pinch myself for. But 127 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 2: kind of having said all those famous dudes, the main 128 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 2: thing for me were the musicians in Kansas City that 129 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 2: started hiring me when I was fourteen fifteen, sixteen years old, 130 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 2: that I was able to play with for several years 131 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 2: before I even got out of high school, and I 132 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 2: really learned to play from being on the bandstand with 133 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 2: those musicians. There was a drummer in particular named Tommy Ruskin, 134 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 2: who to this day would be in the top five 135 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 2: drummers I've ever played with. And the fact that I 136 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 2: got to sit next to that guy for several years, 137 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 2: I mean I can trace almost everything about the way 138 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 2: that I think about time and groove and rhythm to 139 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 2: those moments being by his side. Often in his living room. 140 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 2: He would just invite me and Kevin, my good friend 141 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 2: who was a bass player, and we would just play 142 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 2: get the chance to play with him. But also two 143 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 2: other musicians, Gary Sibbles and Paul Smith, were great musicians 144 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 2: around Kansas City that gave me lots of chances to play. 145 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 2: And one of the greatest musicians I've ever been around 146 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 2: was an organ player named Russ Long, who was I 147 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 2: think the best organ player I've ever heard in terms 148 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 2: of just making stuff up. I mean, he was a 149 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 2: true improviser. And you know, I got to play with 150 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 2: all those guys you know, at you know, such a 151 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 2: formative stage, and that was huge for me. 152 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 3: How did the skill set of you being a trumpet 153 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 3: player ultimately shape your style of guitar playing. 154 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 2: It's interesting for me because I don't think about an 155 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:17,679 Speaker 2: instrument too much. I think about music. And you know, 156 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 2: some people are often surprised to hear me say I 157 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 2: write almost everything on piano, and the reason for that 158 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 2: is because it's like fifty times easier than the guitar. 159 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 2: I mean, if you have a piano that's in tune, 160 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 2: it's just been tuned, and it's a really good piano 161 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 2: and you play a reasonably good voicing, people go, wow, 162 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 2: you're a genius, you know. I mean, it's not the thing. 163 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 2: It's that the piano itself is an amazing instrument, and 164 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:48,680 Speaker 2: you know, it might take ten years to learn how 165 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 2: to play that same chord on a guitar and make 166 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:58,200 Speaker 2: it have that same kind of an effect. And then also, 167 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 2: you know, the trump good thing for me was huge. 168 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,559 Speaker 2: My older brother Mike great trumpet player. My dad was 169 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,119 Speaker 2: an excellent trumpet player. My mom's dad was a professional 170 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 2: trumpet player. I started on trumpet, you know, very young. 171 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 2: By all accounts, I was terrible. I don't doubt that. 172 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 2: But one thing that is true is that even you know, 173 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 2: as I got into playing the guitar, for some reason, 174 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 2: I breathe as if I'm playing the trumpet, and I 175 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 2: think that helps, meaning like if I'm going to play 176 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 2: a phrase, I go and then I play what I'm 177 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 2: going to play, and then when I'm out of breath, 178 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 2: I take another little pause, take a breath, and then 179 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 2: play some more. And one thing I do notice about 180 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 2: guitar players, piano players, vibes players, bass players, drummers, if 181 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 2: they don't have that sense of breath somehow, I think 182 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:56,319 Speaker 2: just our human reaction to that is that we need 183 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 2: those pauses, We need those breaths because it's it's like 184 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 2: in conversation if somebody just talks all the time into 185 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:04,440 Speaker 2: one and then to ever take a you know, you 186 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 2: kind of tune out after a minute. And music is 187 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 2: a representation of the way we talk and the way 188 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:14,440 Speaker 2: we communicate. So I would say the breath aspect of 189 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 2: being an early trumpet player really did affect me. And 190 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:22,959 Speaker 2: it's interesting how many of my favorite musicians that are, 191 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 2: you know, non wind instrument musicians. I'm thinking of, like 192 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:31,960 Speaker 2: Steve Swallow, the great bass player. I think even Gary 193 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 2: Burton started on trumpet or a wind instrument. So I 194 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 2: think that does inform the way you become a musician. 195 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 3: Later, Pat, when did you realize that you had this 196 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 3: other skill set, that of a teacher. 197 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 2: It's kind of funny that you mentioned that, because I 198 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:52,719 Speaker 2: did just make a visit out to my hometown out 199 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 2: in Missouri, and I was reminded of something that I 200 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 2: hadn't thought about too much, which is I actually started 201 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 2: teaching other kids about two months after I started playing, 202 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 2: because one of my mom's friends asked if I could teach, 203 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 2: you know, their six year old some guitar, and I 204 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 2: was like, yeah, I can teach them, you know, whatever 205 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 2: it is I know, And then that mom told another mom, 206 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:23,440 Speaker 2: and the next thing I knew, you know, probably would 207 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 2: have been twelve or thirteen, you know, a couple of 208 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 2: days a week, I had four or five little kids 209 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 2: come over and I was teaching them E and a 210 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 2: minor and stuff, and so I guess from then. But 211 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 2: you know, for me, I'm not sure if I am 212 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 2: a good teacher or I was a good teacher, because 213 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:49,079 Speaker 2: I do think that my teaching thing often was related 214 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:52,240 Speaker 2: to whatever I was thinking about, or what I was 215 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 2: working on, or what I felt like I needed to 216 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 2: communicate to get a gig myself or something would be 217 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,199 Speaker 2: kind of what I would emphasize to whoever happened to 218 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 2: be my students at the time. You know, maybe that's 219 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 2: not terrible because I was like then, like now, I 220 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:13,200 Speaker 2: never was thinking about, oh, well, you want to be 221 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 2: better than the kid that's sitting next to you. My 222 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 2: sense always was like, well, you know, there was there 223 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 2: was Bach, and we all kind of are nowhere near that, 224 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 2: and there was Wes Montgomery, and there was even you know, 225 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 2: Jimmy Hendrix. I mean, it's sort of like I never 226 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 2: thought about it in terms of comparing anything to probably 227 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 2: an age appropriate connection to what a kid might be. 228 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 2: It would be like more, you know, have you listened 229 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 2: to Joe Henderson or you know whatever, because you know, 230 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 2: to me, that is kind of the standard. So I 231 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 2: always kind of maintained that standard. 232 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 3: And what teachers in your life inspired the teaching bug. 233 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 2: Well, all of us and lisum at Missouri were very, 234 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 2: very lucky to have as the head of the band 235 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 2: music program in our little town a guy named Keith House, 236 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 2: who is a legendary educator in the state of Missouri 237 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 2: for thousands of people. How he happened to pick Lee 238 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 2: Summit and wind up in lie Summit. I don't know, 239 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 2: but men, all of us are really lucky. He was 240 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 2: not a jazz guy at all, but he was an 241 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 2: incredible musician who was one of those kind of tough 242 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 2: love kind of teachers who somehow would get you know, 243 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 2: a bunch of you know, a lot of farm kids 244 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 2: and rural kids playing you know, Wagner and you know, 245 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 2: like really hit music Mozart and you know, and that 246 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 2: we didn't even have an orchestra. This was all concert 247 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 2: band stuff, you know. They it was just you know, 248 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 2: wind instruments basically, and he was incredible, and you know, 249 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 2: in my case, he realized pretty early because I was 250 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 2: already into stuff that was not kind of in line 251 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 2: with Lisa of Missouri by being interested in the music 252 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 2: I was interested in and also, as noted, probably not 253 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 2: a very good trumpet player. So I switched to French hoorn, 254 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 2: where I was even worse. But still I was in 255 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 2: his bands. And he finally said to me, he said, okay, 256 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 2: you're going to write something for the band. And I 257 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 2: was probably fourteen, and I was like, oh, okay, you know, 258 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 2: and you know, he kind of, you know, almost insisted 259 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 2: that I developed that skill because I think he saw 260 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 2: in me that that was something that could happen, and 261 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 2: it was a great opportunity for me. There was no 262 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 2: jazz program at the school at that time because we 263 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 2: had no saxophone players. I don't know why, but that 264 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 2: wasn't an instrument that was in our realm. So I 265 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 2: had to write music for four frenchhorn, three trombones and 266 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 2: five trumpets and a rhythm of section and we would 267 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 2: play at the basketball games for the cheerleaders and stuff 268 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:11,960 Speaker 2: like that. And then I eventually ended up writing a 269 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 2: pretty significant piece for trumpet and concert band, you know, 270 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 2: by the time I was a junior in high school, 271 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 2: you know, stuff that I would definitely not have done 272 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 2: had there not been a mister House there. So he 273 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 2: was a big one for me. And then I have 274 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 2: to then add, even though I was in his band 275 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 2: as a you know, side man and playing you know, 276 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 2: all over the world, just standing next to Gary Burton 277 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 2: night after night after night was probably the best possible 278 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 2: education I could ever have gotten, because in addition to 279 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 2: just being able to describe in detail music the way 280 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 2: he has, he has an incredibly thorough eloquent way of 281 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 2: you know, basically breaking down harmony for improvisers that is 282 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 2: just unbelievably efficient. He was also another kind of tough 283 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 2: band leader type person who because I was really young. 284 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 2: I mean when I started playing with Gary, I was 285 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 2: eighteen and you know, had only been playing for a 286 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 2: few years. Even though I had been playing a lot 287 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:17,359 Speaker 2: in Kansas City, it wasn't the same kind of thing. 288 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, Gary's thing was definitely at the 289 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 2: highest international level, and pretty much after every concert I 290 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:29,439 Speaker 2: would get an hour or two talk about, you know, 291 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 2: on the D minor seven flat five going into the 292 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 2: third chorus, you played an a natural you know, that 293 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 2: didn't really fit, you know, I mean stuff like that, 294 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:45,400 Speaker 2: And you know, maybe three years or so into the gig, 295 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 2: I was like, okay, I got it, you know. But man, 296 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 2: the first couple of years it was it was really 297 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 2: valuable for me. And you know, so I have to 298 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:57,879 Speaker 2: always put Gary high up in there, and I have 299 00:17:57,920 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 2: to put Steve Swallow in there too, who is the 300 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 2: big player who in Gary's band, who was always very 301 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 2: giving in terms of advice and particularly in the in 302 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 2: the area of writing tunes. He had written the tune 303 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:18,200 Speaker 2: Falling Grace, which for me defined a generation of harmony. 304 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 2: It just changed everything, and to that to this day, 305 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 2: I feel that tune sort of set the stage for 306 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 2: a whole new way of thinking about harmony. And to 307 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 2: be around Steve for a few years was incredible for me. 308 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more of the Taking a 309 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:43,919 Speaker 1: Walk Podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 310 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 3: Pat, could you have imagined years later the respect that 311 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:52,360 Speaker 3: people have for the album Bright Size Life. You're playing, certainly, 312 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 3: and your introduction in the world of Jaco Pastorius the 313 00:18:57,880 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 3: great bass player? 314 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 2: Honestly, not in a million years, because my sense of 315 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:07,880 Speaker 2: that record for the first ten or twelve years after 316 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 2: it came out was that I had completely blown it. 317 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,200 Speaker 2: That that band was so much better than what that 318 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 2: record seemed to represent. I could barely even listen to it, 319 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:22,679 Speaker 2: because you know, it was a six hour session. We 320 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 2: came back the next day and I think did one 321 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 2: more little thing and then mixed it and that was that. 322 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,360 Speaker 2: And Jocko had never been to Europe. He was jet 323 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 2: lagged out of his mind and kind of nuts at 324 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 2: that stage. Not the same version of nuts that he 325 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:42,239 Speaker 2: became later, but the organic Jocko of that era was 326 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:49,639 Speaker 2: a pretty intense person already. And you know, it was 327 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:54,440 Speaker 2: quite a thing, I have to say. And then probably 328 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:58,439 Speaker 2: fifteen years after it came out, I had an experience where, 329 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 2: and this happens every and then, where I hear something 330 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:07,920 Speaker 2: from a distance, like in somebody's you know, car or 331 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:11,640 Speaker 2: something like that, And I remember hearing that and thinking, Wow, 332 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 2: what's that? That sounds really good? 333 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: What is that? 334 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,359 Speaker 2: And then I realized it was that record, So it 335 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,679 Speaker 2: was kind of like the first time I'd ever really 336 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 2: heard it. But still it didn't really get to the 337 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:28,199 Speaker 2: thing that it seems to have now until maybe twenty 338 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,920 Speaker 2: twenty five years after it came out. Certainly within the 339 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:35,840 Speaker 2: culture within even within the community of our thing, it 340 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:40,239 Speaker 2: didn't really get much attention at the time, you know, 341 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:46,120 Speaker 2: the Jocko's sort of emergence onto the scene on that 342 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 2: record than his debut record, the Joni Mitchell record, Juzira 343 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 2: and a couple tracks on an early Weather Report record. 344 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 2: That was the guy that I knew, you know, because 345 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 2: he and I already had been playing together for a 346 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 2: few years by that time down in Florida, both of 347 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 2: us completely unknown. And then I got the gig with 348 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:10,960 Speaker 2: Gary a couple of years before he joined Weather Report, 349 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:13,400 Speaker 2: and he started coming up to Boston and we would 350 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 2: do gigs, and of course everywhere he went around that time, 351 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:19,680 Speaker 2: including when he was playing with Wayne Cochran, nobody had 352 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:24,440 Speaker 2: ever heard anything like that. And at the same time, 353 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 2: you know, maybe even more than those other situations playing 354 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:32,639 Speaker 2: with me, I've always joked that I was probably the 355 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:36,399 Speaker 2: only person that ever said, you're playing too many notes, 356 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 2: it's too loud. I mean, I didn't really have the 357 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:46,200 Speaker 2: awestruck response to his thing that I think everybody else 358 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 2: had not for any reason other than I was probably 359 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:51,920 Speaker 2: the first person or one of the fearst people he'd 360 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:55,400 Speaker 2: run into that was just as stubborn and sort of 361 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 2: whatever as he was, and that made a really interesting 362 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 2: between the two of us that continued actually across the years, 363 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:08,480 Speaker 2: even as we went in very very different lifestyle directions. 364 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,120 Speaker 2: He was the only person I had ever met who 365 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 2: was as straight as me, and that I at that 366 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 2: point it never had a drink or any drugs or 367 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 2: anything at all, and that's still true to this day. 368 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 2: When he joined Weather Report, he became a completely different 369 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:28,199 Speaker 2: person and almost an unrecognizable person to me in many ways. 370 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:32,879 Speaker 2: Yet at moments along the way when he needed something, 371 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:36,879 Speaker 2: he would always call me and we would have talks 372 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 2: because he knew that I knew him from before. And 373 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 2: also I was probably the person closest to the level 374 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 2: of sudden attention that he had been getting too. So 375 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:53,119 Speaker 2: we had a real special thing. And I realize, of 376 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:57,399 Speaker 2: course now that record captures many things about what our 377 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 2: relationship was like, and Moses too. I mean, that was 378 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 2: a real band. We did a lot of gigs together, 379 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:08,240 Speaker 2: had a real band dynamic, and so I'm glad that 380 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 2: record does exist. 381 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:15,439 Speaker 3: When did you develop your innovation skills that led to 382 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 3: the invention of some really unique guitars And is there 383 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:22,119 Speaker 3: anything new that you can share that you might be 384 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 3: dreaming up? 385 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:27,919 Speaker 2: In many ways, my early years were very conventional. You know. 386 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 2: It was a hollow body Gibson guitar and an amp 387 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 2: and that was it, because that was the realm of 388 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 2: that era. Somewhere in there I found a guitar that 389 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 2: was a nylon string guitar that had a pick up 390 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:46,440 Speaker 2: on it that I brought to a Russ long organ 391 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 2: trio gig, and suddenly there was this other kind of 392 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 2: sense of orchestration in that band, and you know, I thought, oh, well, 393 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,480 Speaker 2: guitar is interesting because it can be all these different things. 394 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 2: And I started to embrace that more and more, and 395 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:05,439 Speaker 2: then I realized that, you know, it's an instrument that 396 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:08,720 Speaker 2: is utterly undefined even at this point, and you can 397 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 2: really make it be anything. And that led to me 398 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:17,040 Speaker 2: led me to first, you know, restringing instruments or getting 399 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:19,880 Speaker 2: a twelve string and doing some wacky stuff to it. 400 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 2: You know, they weren't infinitely malleable because they would just 401 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:30,160 Speaker 2: kind of do one thing. But I started to think 402 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:33,640 Speaker 2: of the guitar as being just this paint box, and 403 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:36,760 Speaker 2: that led me to then getting people to make special 404 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:41,399 Speaker 2: instruments to be able to get to an idea that 405 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 2: I had. But it was always led by the idea that, 406 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 2: to me is something that I try to describe to 407 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 2: people too. That because I know I'm a guitar player, 408 00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:52,160 Speaker 2: people think of me as a guitar player and all that. 409 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 2: But if I have an idea of like if I 410 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 2: imagine in my brain, I'm going to improvise a chorus 411 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:04,239 Speaker 2: on my funny Valentine right now, I'm doing that, and 412 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 2: I could pick up a trumpet and I would attempt 413 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,679 Speaker 2: to play that idea that and it would sound terrible, 414 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 2: but that's what I would go for. Or I could 415 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 2: go over to the piano and I would play that 416 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:19,280 Speaker 2: same idea, and then I would pick up the guitar 417 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:22,200 Speaker 2: and I would also play that same idea much better 418 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:25,480 Speaker 2: than in the other two cases. But it's the idea 419 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 2: that's before any of that stuff, and the way I 420 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:30,439 Speaker 2: describe it to people, it's sort of like if you 421 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,680 Speaker 2: can speak two or three different languages and you're thirsty, 422 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 2: You're thirsty before you realize, Okay, I'm going to have 423 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 2: to say this in French because I'm in France, or 424 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 2: I'm gonna have to say this in Spanish because I'm 425 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:43,879 Speaker 2: in Puerto Rico, or I'm going to say this in 426 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:47,520 Speaker 2: English because I'm in New York. You know, your thing 427 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 2: is you're thirsty. So to me, ideas and music are 428 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 2: like that, there before any instrument. But sometimes I need 429 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:58,600 Speaker 2: to develop a language to express those ideas. And it's 430 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 2: pretty abstract in that analogy that I s gave breaks 431 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:07,199 Speaker 2: down very quickly. But I have found that sometimes an 432 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 2: instrument can lead you to places you know based on 433 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 2: you know, something that is instigated by an idea that 434 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 2: you might have that finally, with an instrument in hand 435 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,679 Speaker 2: takes you someplace that you might not have expected. 436 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 3: Well, what do you think your secret X factor is 437 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,880 Speaker 3: behind your collaboration skills. 438 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:33,680 Speaker 2: It's funny because I know that I've done a lot 439 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:37,639 Speaker 2: of things with a lot of people, but I'm also 440 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 2: really picky about what I do. And I mean by that, 441 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:45,600 Speaker 2: I mean I have said no to way more things 442 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 2: than I've said yes to, including things that would shock 443 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 2: people along the way and even me when I think 444 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 2: back on it. I mean there was a period I 445 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 2: just said no to everything. When I started my band, 446 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:03,439 Speaker 2: I decided I'm not going to do anything except my 447 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 2: own thing, and from the years between nineteen seventy seven 448 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:10,400 Speaker 2: and nineteen eighty seven, which is when Mike Brecker asked 449 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 2: me to be on his first record, I literally did 450 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 2: not do anything. I think maybe there's one little thing 451 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 2: I did, but I only did my own thing, and 452 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 2: maybe there were some benefits to that. I think there 453 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:27,600 Speaker 2: probably were, actually, but man, when I think it's some 454 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:29,359 Speaker 2: of the stuff I could have done in there, it 455 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:33,160 Speaker 2: kind of blows my mind. But basically, to me, there's 456 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:36,399 Speaker 2: two things that happened. One is I'm going to either 457 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:39,439 Speaker 2: have to go play in somebody else's yard, which is 458 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:45,200 Speaker 2: mostly what it is, and I do enjoy that. I mean, 459 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 2: the period from nineteen eighty seven to maybe around the 460 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 2: year two thousand, I did a lot of stuff with 461 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 2: some great musicians like Kenny Garrett or Mike Brecker, who 462 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 2: I mentioned. You know, I had a great collaborative band 463 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:02,640 Speaker 2: with Herbie Hancock and Acti Janet and Dave Holland, and 464 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:09,560 Speaker 2: you know, lots of things. And you know, for me, 465 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,879 Speaker 2: it's it's when I'm going to go play in somebody 466 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:15,679 Speaker 2: else's yard, I want that yard to be like a 467 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:18,199 Speaker 2: place where I'm going to come back from that with 468 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 2: a whole new perspective. And maybe the ultimate example of 469 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 2: that would have been the collaboration with Ornette Holman, who 470 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 2: had been a hero for me and became a very 471 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:34,199 Speaker 2: good friend, and as much as I love his music 472 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,879 Speaker 2: to this day, is one of the greatest human beings 473 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:41,120 Speaker 2: I've ever had the opportunity to be around. But it's 474 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 2: always a thing where either I know right away, oh 475 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 2: that's a good idea, or I don't, and if I 476 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 2: have to think about it, I usually don't do it. 477 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:56,920 Speaker 2: And it's kind of simple in that respect. But the 478 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 2: favorite thing for me is somebody who I don't necessarily 479 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:03,720 Speaker 2: have to go play in their yard, and they are 480 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:07,480 Speaker 2: capable of coming and playing in my yard, which does require, 481 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 2: you know, some skills that are unique in the sense 482 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 2: that you've got to be able to really hang with 483 00:29:14,760 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 2: harmony as an improviser, and that is not always the 484 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:22,360 Speaker 2: case even with advanced players. And there are some particular 485 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 2: things about my stuff in particular that are often even 486 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 2: befuddling to the very best you know, improvisers in this 487 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 2: general community, and that there's times when it's like, you know, 488 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 2: very simple, and it's not hard at all for me 489 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 2: to find people who can play really complicated. It's very 490 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 2: difficult for me even now to find people who can 491 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 2: play very complicated but can also play very simple. And 492 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 2: in fact, I would say it's much harder to play 493 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:58,960 Speaker 2: something that's effective at a very simple level of harmony 494 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 2: or Melow and have it do what it needs to 495 00:30:02,320 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 2: do than the guys who I can find all over 496 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 2: the place who can play their cool little arrangement of 497 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 2: I hear Rhapsody in fifteen eight backwards with every substitute question. 498 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:15,600 Speaker 2: I mean, there's lots of that, but there's you know, 499 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:17,440 Speaker 2: it's hard for me to find somebody who can play 500 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,680 Speaker 2: the melody of Farmers trust you know, it's a ballad 501 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 2: of mine, you know, and make it do what it's 502 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 2: supposed to do. So yeah, it's kind of like that. 503 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 3: How did the David Bowie collaboration come about? And what 504 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 3: was that experience like? 505 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:35,680 Speaker 2: In the midst of all this, somewhere in my mind 506 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 2: I had always thought, well, you know, I love films, 507 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:41,040 Speaker 2: I love film music. I wonder if I could do that, 508 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:44,000 Speaker 2: And over the years I did, I don't know, ten 509 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 2: or twelve films, different levels, different budgets, different you know, 510 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 2: kinds of things. And one of them in there was 511 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 2: a movie called The Falcon and the Snowman with one 512 00:30:57,280 --> 00:31:00,240 Speaker 2: of my favorite directors, John Slessinger, the guy who done 513 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 2: The Midnight Cowboy, who was a very musical person too. 514 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 2: He also conducted or was the director of operas and 515 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:13,920 Speaker 2: just really had had a very evolved sense of music. 516 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:21,800 Speaker 2: And it was very a great film, true story that 517 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 2: starred Sean Penn and Timothy Hutton. And I went down 518 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:33,160 Speaker 2: to Mexico where they were filming, and watched a day 519 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 2: or so of filming and went back to the hotel 520 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:38,240 Speaker 2: room and wrote that the tune that is the basically 521 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 2: the theme of the movie, which is the song this 522 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:46,480 Speaker 2: is Not America. And as we were working on you know, 523 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:50,800 Speaker 2: the score and everything about it, John Slessenger said we 524 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:54,480 Speaker 2: should get somebody to sing this song for the end credits. 525 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 2: And I was like, okay, you know, sure, and he 526 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:01,640 Speaker 2: mentioned David Bowie, who I was not that familiar with. 527 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 2: That's not a statement of anything that me. 528 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,479 Speaker 4: But I got to go to the store and got 529 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:10,080 Speaker 4: a couple of records and I was like, oh, this 530 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 4: guy's the perfect I mean, this is the perfect kind 531 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:14,880 Speaker 4: of voice to sing this song, for sure. 532 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:19,000 Speaker 2: And so he was invited to a screening David Bowie 533 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:22,000 Speaker 2: whiz and I sat next to him and hung out 534 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:25,800 Speaker 2: with him and was kind of extremely aware of being 535 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 2: in the presence of a super evolved human being. I mean, 536 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 2: I have to say he's one of the most intelligent, 537 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:37,160 Speaker 2: just bright people I think I have ever had the 538 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:42,200 Speaker 2: good fortune to be around. And so he liked the 539 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 2: whole idea. I send him, you know, four or five 540 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:51,440 Speaker 2: versions of my tune. He was living in Switzerland at 541 00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:56,920 Speaker 2: that time and did some stuff with my versions. He 542 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 2: added kind of a bass drum part, and then he 543 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:03,360 Speaker 2: sang kind of a demo oh for the tune that 544 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 2: was kind of not exactly what I had written. It 545 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,960 Speaker 2: was sort of almost like a counterline that was really cool. 546 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 2: But the main thing was the words were amazing, incredible words. 547 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:17,840 Speaker 2: So my band at the time that was working on 548 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:22,160 Speaker 2: this score with me, we all flew to Switzerland jet 549 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 2: lagged out of our minds because of the way the 550 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:29,760 Speaker 2: scoring had gone. Had to do like the last seventy 551 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 2: two hours of the scoring sessions, we were awake the 552 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,920 Speaker 2: entire time. Everything had run late. So then flew to 553 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 2: this studio in Montro, the famous it was owned i 554 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:45,240 Speaker 2: think by Queen, the band Queen in Montro And you know, 555 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:47,680 Speaker 2: we spent two days in the studio with him and 556 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:52,400 Speaker 2: did that track, which was very interesting, and you know, 557 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 2: it was sort of like being around you know, Sonny 558 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:57,400 Speaker 2: Rollins there somethime. It was like this guy is a 559 00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:01,120 Speaker 2: master and it was a incredible experience. 560 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:06,800 Speaker 3: Tell us about the creative process behind your newest album, 561 00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:07,440 Speaker 3: Moon Dial. 562 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:11,360 Speaker 2: The latest record I have out is called moon Dial, 563 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:14,799 Speaker 2: which is kind of the third in a series of 564 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:21,240 Speaker 2: really purely solo guitar records that I've done on baritone guitar, 565 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:24,600 Speaker 2: and most people don't know what a baritone guitar is. 566 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:27,160 Speaker 2: It's just what you would think halfway between a regular 567 00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:31,320 Speaker 2: guitar and a bass guitar. And a gentleman in Missouri 568 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 2: when I was growing up showed me a cool way 569 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:37,280 Speaker 2: of using a baritone guitar was to tune the middle 570 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:40,479 Speaker 2: two strings up in octave, so you get this sort 571 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:43,080 Speaker 2: of bass realm, but you also get this sort of 572 00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:46,440 Speaker 2: middle zone that's almost like a violin, and then the 573 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:49,759 Speaker 2: lead sound on top is like a viola, and it's 574 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:53,800 Speaker 2: a really cool thing. And the first time I addressed 575 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:58,560 Speaker 2: that was a record called One Quiet Night. Then I 576 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:02,680 Speaker 2: kind of learned it, like in detail from playing it 577 00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:05,520 Speaker 2: night after night, and I don't know, a number of 578 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:08,760 Speaker 2: years later did a record What's It All About, which 579 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:11,080 Speaker 2: was the first time I'd ever done a record where 580 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:13,759 Speaker 2: I play only other people's music, including you know, a 581 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:17,240 Speaker 2: lot of pop tunes that I used to like drive 582 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:20,279 Speaker 2: into gigs in high school and stuff, some seventies kind 583 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:23,759 Speaker 2: of tunes. And then this one is different in the 584 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:27,280 Speaker 2: sense that both those records were done on steel string 585 00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:30,400 Speaker 2: baritone guitars. I had always wanted to get a nylon 586 00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:34,000 Speaker 2: string baritone guitar going, but could never find the strings. 587 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:38,400 Speaker 2: I put out another a different kind of solo record 588 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:42,720 Speaker 2: last year called dream Box that's all on electric guitar, 589 00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 2: overdubbed like two electric guitars, but still just me, and 590 00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:51,400 Speaker 2: it went off on a long tour for in support 591 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 2: of that record, where just as that tour is beginning, 592 00:35:55,239 --> 00:35:58,320 Speaker 2: I found a way of stringing up a nylon string 593 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:02,400 Speaker 2: baritone guitar for the first time that was effective, started 594 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:04,080 Speaker 2: playing it on the first night of that tour and 595 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 2: kind of fell in love with it and found a 596 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:09,000 Speaker 2: whole new world in there. On the first break of 597 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 2: the tour, after about fifty five sixty gigs, while it 598 00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:16,640 Speaker 2: was still fresh for me, I took that baritone nolin 599 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:19,879 Speaker 2: string guitar off into a little room with a good 600 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:24,600 Speaker 2: mic and recorded that whole record across a week or so. 601 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:28,960 Speaker 2: And it's a really special record. It's got a very 602 00:36:28,960 --> 00:36:31,520 Speaker 2: different sound than the other two. But I think the 603 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:33,640 Speaker 2: fact that it was new to me and a new 604 00:36:33,719 --> 00:36:38,160 Speaker 2: sound brings something novel to it all too. And it's 605 00:36:38,239 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 2: off to a great start at this point. You know, 606 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:45,759 Speaker 2: people seem to really like it's a record that has 607 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:48,839 Speaker 2: that quality that I always hope for where you can 608 00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:51,480 Speaker 2: just kind of have it on and it's fine, or 609 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:53,279 Speaker 2: you can turn it up as loud as you can 610 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:56,480 Speaker 2: turn it up and really listen to the details. And 611 00:36:56,520 --> 00:37:00,440 Speaker 2: there's other stuff in there too that I think will 612 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:03,799 Speaker 2: reveal itself to people over the time they spend with it. 613 00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 2: So I'm pretty happy with that one, and I'm you know, 614 00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:13,040 Speaker 2: continuing on a tour that's including it and many other 615 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:16,879 Speaker 2: things about what I have done over the years as 616 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:21,000 Speaker 2: a solo guy making records. So there's quite a variety 617 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:25,600 Speaker 2: in the evening of things that happen, you know. I 618 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:29,719 Speaker 2: did a record some years back called Zero Tolerance for 619 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:32,880 Speaker 2: Silence that it was a very different approach to playing solo. 620 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:36,759 Speaker 2: There was a record New Chautauqua early on that had 621 00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:40,440 Speaker 2: strumming and almost like a kind of country feeling and 622 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:43,839 Speaker 2: other things along the way too. So I've been kind 623 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:47,359 Speaker 2: of looking at all those in this tour and it's 624 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:48,360 Speaker 2: really been fun for me. 625 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:52,840 Speaker 3: Can you talk about the work that the Metheni Music 626 00:37:52,960 --> 00:37:53,960 Speaker 3: Foundation does. 627 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:58,319 Speaker 2: This was a project that was started by my older 628 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:01,640 Speaker 2: brother Mike in Missouri to you know, help young musicians 629 00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:05,000 Speaker 2: in our hometown of Lease. Summit, go to study at 630 00:38:05,120 --> 00:38:08,080 Speaker 2: summer camps, and each year there's kind of a I 631 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:10,359 Speaker 2: don't want to say a competition, but people send in 632 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:16,840 Speaker 2: tapes of their playing, and you know, we were a 633 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:23,520 Speaker 2: committee of people pick the person who seems to deserve, 634 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:27,160 Speaker 2: you know, a little support. And it's been going on 635 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:30,080 Speaker 2: now for a while and it's a not for profit 636 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:33,480 Speaker 2: thing out in the state of Missouri, so it's cool 637 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:35,520 Speaker 2: to be a part of that. Well. 638 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:39,719 Speaker 3: Patent closing anybody on your dream list that you'd like 639 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:42,359 Speaker 3: to work with in the future, you. 640 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:47,719 Speaker 2: Know, that's an interesting one. There are many people I've 641 00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:51,000 Speaker 2: already worked with that I look forward to working with again. 642 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:53,200 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, Brad Meldow and I did a 643 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:57,799 Speaker 2: set of recordings that were kind of okay. I mean, 644 00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:02,080 Speaker 2: you know, they were kind of documentations of our very 645 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:05,759 Speaker 2: first meeting, which happened in a studio. Then we went 646 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:09,120 Speaker 2: out and toured a lot across a number of months 647 00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:13,600 Speaker 2: and that's where it really got good. And you know, 648 00:39:13,920 --> 00:39:16,520 Speaker 2: at some point we do have a lot of recordings 649 00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:18,640 Speaker 2: of live gigs. It'd be great to put those out 650 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:22,080 Speaker 2: and then maybe do some more playing together. Kenny Garrett 651 00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:26,080 Speaker 2: is one of my favorite musicians of all time. And 652 00:39:26,280 --> 00:39:29,120 Speaker 2: I would love to play with Kenny Moore, but I 653 00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:31,759 Speaker 2: mean pretty much everybody I've ever played with, I would 654 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:33,640 Speaker 2: love to play with all of them more, you know. 655 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:36,960 Speaker 2: I mean, right now, my focus has been playing with 656 00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:40,080 Speaker 2: younger musicians that are just starting out, because I had 657 00:39:40,120 --> 00:39:43,600 Speaker 2: that opportunity myself, and I feel like that's a great 658 00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:47,120 Speaker 2: thing to be able to share with people. Is this 659 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:50,359 Speaker 2: ongoing thing. So I do hire a lot of you know, 660 00:39:50,440 --> 00:39:54,400 Speaker 2: twenty something guys now. And Joe Dyson is a drummer 661 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:57,359 Speaker 2: that's been kind of in my various things these last 662 00:39:57,360 --> 00:39:59,920 Speaker 2: couple of years, who is one of the greatest dru 663 00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:03,040 Speaker 2: I've ever been around, and I just love him. Chris 664 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:05,239 Speaker 2: Fishman has been playing with me in the side I 665 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:11,239 Speaker 2: thing also just an amazing musician and the perfect fit 666 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:14,200 Speaker 2: for what I'm up to in that realm. And we 667 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:16,400 Speaker 2: have a new record, the three of us, with a 668 00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:19,239 Speaker 2: bunch of other musicians joining us that's going to come 669 00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:24,880 Speaker 2: out that I'm unbelievably excited about. And then Joe Dyson 670 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:27,439 Speaker 2: and I just were in Japan for a week playing 671 00:40:27,480 --> 00:40:31,520 Speaker 2: trio with one of our main heroes, the Great Ron Carter, 672 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:37,480 Speaker 2: And you know, I'm hoping that maybe some of that 673 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:42,319 Speaker 2: will come out at some point, and you know, who 674 00:40:42,360 --> 00:40:44,359 Speaker 2: knows what else is going to happen. I've always got 675 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:46,440 Speaker 2: lots of ideas of things, and. 676 00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:51,680 Speaker 3: So yeah, thanks so much to Pat Metheny for being 677 00:40:51,719 --> 00:40:53,480 Speaker 3: on the Taking a Walk podcast. 678 00:40:54,520 --> 00:40:56,960 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 679 00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:00,920 Speaker 1: Walk Podcast. Share this and other episode It's with your friends, 680 00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:04,479 Speaker 1: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 681 00:41:04,520 --> 00:41:08,399 Speaker 1: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 682 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:10,919 Speaker 1: and wherever you get your podcasts