As audiences witness, Pat Metheny works his guitar much like an artist at a potter’s wheel — with fingers agile and mind focused on the intricacy of every moment. It is one thing to label Metheny a jazz virtuoso, but the term doesn’t do quite enough justice to the talent associated with it. Rather, Metheny has been lauded as one of the most talented jazz guitarists of his time. His tools of the trade include dozens of rarely used guitars such as the 12-string electric, the guitar synthesizer, and the 42-string Pikasso guitar. His versatility, whether acoustic or plugged in, is unrivaled.
On a tour celebrating American composers, he will be joined on the Strathmore stage Tuesday by his close friend and double bass player, Larry Grenadier.
| Onstage |
| An Evening with Pat Metheny |
| Where: Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda |
| When: 8 p.m. Tuesday |
| Info: $38 to $68, 301-581-5100, strathmore.org |
“This is a special tour for me and has been very exciting and quite well received along the way,” Metheny noted. “We have done about 20 shows now around the country and the reaction has been great. Larry has been one of my favorite playing partners for many years. He is extremely open-minded, a great listener and just a fantastic musician. [This] is a duet tour with just guitar and bass, but we cover a lot of ground.
In truth, wherever Metheny is, there are miles of ground to cover, as proven by the 18 Grammy Awards in categories that include Best Rock Instrumental, Best Contemporary Jazz Recording, Best Instrumental Solo and Best Instrumental Composition.
Songs from his latest jewel, “What’s It All About,” will creep into the evening’s repertoire demonstrating another facet of his musical character. After nearly 40 original recordings, this is the first album without a single Metheny composition.
“I intentionally wanted to make a record that sort of addressed some of the specific music that was on my radar before I ever wrote a note of my own, or in a few cases, even before I played an instrument, Metheny explained. I was born in 1954 and all of these songs were from the Top 40 during my childhood and early teen years. “It was a period when harmony and melody were still important and viable elements in popular music.”
Metheny calls Strathmore “one of the great music venues in the country,” adding “I played there once before and loved the experience … so I am really looking forward to it.”
