Pat Metheny

At just 15 years old, Pat Metheny was already working with Kansas City’s best jazz musicians. In the years since, Metheny developed a versatility nearly without parallel — winning him 20 Grammy Awards® across categories. He has performed with numerous instruments alongside artists like Steve Reich, Ornette Coleman, and David Bowie. In 2015, Metheny was inducted as the youngest member of the DownBeat Hall of Fame and later, in 2018, he was named an NEA Jazz Master, the United States’ highest honor in jazz.

Metheny brings to the stage a trademark playing style that blends the articulation of horn players with advanced rhythm and harmony. His playing, while modern in conception, is grounded deeply in jazz tradition. Metheny’s first album, Bright Size Life (1975), reinvented the traditional "jazz guitar" sound. Throughout his career, Metheny has redefined, sidestepped, and subverted genres by adopting new technology and techniques.

In addition to his musical accomplishments, Metheny works as a music educator. He was the youngest teacher ever at both the University of Miami and the Berklee College of Music before even turning 20. Metheny has taught music workshops across the world from locations like the Dutch Royal Conservatory to the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.