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Pat Metheny

Pat Metheny is a guitarist, composer, bandleader, producer, and educator whose catalog spans solo guitar, small groups, Pat Metheny Group, orchestras, and new instruments.

GuitarComposerBandleaderProducer4 current shows
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Photo source · Photo: badosa, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Career Overview

About Pat Metheny

Metheny’s official biography traces a Kansas City musical upbringing, early work with Gary Burton, and the leader debut Bright Size Life. It documents a guitar language rooted in jazz melody, swing, and blues while incorporating electronic instruments, custom guitars, orchestration, and varied ensemble sizes.[1]

The official music archive distinguishes solo records, Pat Metheny Group releases, trios, quartets, orchestral projects, film scores, and the mechanical Orchestrion. This catalog makes clear that the Pat Metheny Group is one major strand within a broader body of work.[1][2]

Ensembles and Career Threads

Bands & Projects

Co-leader, guitarist, composer, and producer

Pat Metheny Group

The long-running group developed a distinct ensemble catalog combining acoustic, electric, and electronic instrumentation.[1][2]

Leader, guitarist, and composer

Pat Metheny trios and small groups

The official catalog includes multiple trio and quartet formats separate from the named Group.[2]

Solo guitarist, composer, and instrument developer

Solo guitar and Orchestrion

Metheny’s solo and mechanical-instrument projects explore repertory and composition outside his recurring bands.[1][2]

Selected, Not Exhaustive

Recordings to Know

1976 · ECM Records

Bright Size Life

Leader, guitarist, and composer

Metheny’s official biography identifies the trio album as his first leader release and a defining early guitar statement.[1][2]

Release details

1982 · ECM Records

Offramp

Pat Metheny Group co-leader, guitarist, and composer

The Group album documents Metheny’s integration of guitar synthesizer, ensemble composition, and studio production.[1][2]

Release details

1992 · Geffen Records

Secret Story

Leader, guitarist, composer, and producer

The large-form project expands Metheny’s writing beyond the regular Group through orchestral and international instrumentation.[1][2]

Release details

Artist-Authorized Destinations

Start Listening

Official music archive

Browse Metheny’s solo, group, trio, orchestral, film, and collaborative recording catalog.

Pat Metheny on Bandcamp

Stream the artist-authorized edition of From This Place and related material.

Live Calendar

Upcoming Jazz DateBook Shows

Sat, Sep 19, 8:00 PM

Pat Metheny

Ensemble Arts – Miller Theatre · Philadelphia

Show details

Sat, Sep 19, 8:00 PM

Pat Metheny at Miller Theater

Miller Theater · Philadelphia

Show details

Wed, Sep 23, 7:00 PM

Pat Metheny at The Egg

The Egg · Albany

Show details

Tue, Sep 29, 8:00 PM

Babeville (Code: SIDEEYE) at Babeville

Babeville · Buffalo

Show details

Evidence-Based Connections

Related Musician Guides

Connections below come from shared current Jazz DateBook bills or normalized documented performance roles—not subjective similarity.

Adam TvrdýGuitar · ComposerShared documented roles: Guitarist · Composer · BandleaderAl Di MeolaGuitar · ComposerShared documented roles: Guitarist · Composer · BandleaderAsante Santi DebrianoDouble bass · GuitarShared documented roles: Guitarist · Composer · BandleaderBill FrisellGuitar · ComposerShared documented roles: Guitarist · Composer · BandleaderGene PritskerComposer · GuitarShared documented roles: Guitarist · Composer · BandleaderGilad HekselmanGuitar · ComposerShared documented roles: Guitarist · Composer · Bandleader

Sources

Career copy is original synthesis from the artist, label, and project sources below. Current dates come from Jazz DateBook event inventory.

  1. [1] Official biography, instruments, and career history

    Pat Metheny

  2. [2] Official complete recording archive

    Pat Metheny