Pat Metheny

The legendary guitarist will be making his first appearance at the Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest. Metheny was born into a musical family in Kansas City, Mo. in 1954. He started on trumpet at age 8, but switched to guitar at 12, influenced by the Beatles, then later by jazz greats Miles Davis and Wes Montgomery.

By 15, he was already performing in clubs. He was offered a scholarship to the University of Miami, but after a week he was teaching electric guitar as a professor there. He and vibraphonist Gary Burton later taught at the Berklee School of Music. In 1974, Metheny performed on the album “Jaco” with Jaco Pastorius; the next year he joined Burton’s band for three years.

With the release of his first album, “Bright Size Life” (1975), he reinvented the traditional jazz guitar sound for a new generation of players. Throughout his career, Metheny has continued to re-define the genre by utilizing new technology and constantly working to evolve the improvisational and sonic potential of his instrument. He went on to record 11 albums with the Pat Metheny Group, which grew from a quartet to a larger ensemble over the years.

He has performed with diverse artists including Steve Reich, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Hancock, Milton Nascimento and David Bowie. Metheny's compositions have been for solo guitar, small ensembles, electric and acoustic instruments, and large orchestras. His ballet pieces range from modern jazz and rock to classical.

Recent recordings include “Road to the Sun” (2021), “Side-Eye NYC” (2021) and “Dreambox” (2023), which is nominated for a Grammy Award. Metheny has won 20 Grammy Awards in 12 different categories, including Best Rock Instrumental, Best Contemporary Jazz Recording, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, and Best Instrumental Composition.

The Pat Metheny Group won an unprecedented seven consecutive Grammies for seven consecutive albums.

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