Avant-garde, jazz, pop, classical, country and western, rock, free, straight-ahead, etc. are ultimately meaningless terms in the face of the music being discussed at best - at worst, those terms often serve as code words for what is in fact a cultural / political discussion more than a musical one.
Pat MethenyIm always trying to find connections between things. That art is the juxtaposition of a lot of things that seem unrelated but add up to something recognizable.
Pat Metheny1962 to 1965, where suddenly the guitar became this icon of youth culture all over the world, thanks mostly to the Beatles. Add to that, that I saw A Hard Day's Night 12 or 13 times, and that the guitar was the one instrument that my parents absolutely refused to let in the house. So you add it up and see that irresistible forces led me to the guitar.
Pat MethenyAs much as I have done collaborations over the years, I am actually kind of a reluctant partner.
Pat Metheny