An in-depth exploration of the style and influence of Pat Metheny, a truly distinctive musical voice of our time.

Guitarist and composer Pat Metheny, among the most acclaimed, visionary musicians of our time, has for five decades toured with his many creative musical projects, most prominently the Pat Metheny Group, while collaborating with celebrated artists, including Charlie Haden, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Ornette Coleman, and Steve Reich.

BobGluck, whose perspective as pianist, composer, and educator has illuminated the music of Herbie Hancockand Miles Davis inhis two previous books, now focuses his lens on the music of Metheny.Neither a biography nor chronological record of Methenys musical output,Pat Metheny: Stories beyond Wordsinstead captures Methenys self-conception as a musician and the threads that unite and distinguish his creative process. Drawing upon a wealth of new interviews and close readings of musical examples, Gluck offers a birds-eye view of Methenys musical ideas. Among these are the metaphor of storytelling, the complementarity of simplicity and complexity, and the integrated roles of composer, performer, and band leader. Much like Methenys signature style, this book is accessible to a wide range of readers, presenting new clarity, musical insight, and historical perspective about the legacy of Methenys groundbreaking music.