Guitar legend Pat Metheny is known for his original and genre-breaking music and emotional tone that can be recognized easily. In fact, his music is so inclusive that classifying him as jazz musician seems rather inadequate.

Metheny was born in Lee Summit, Mo. in 1954. Exposed to jazz virtually from birth, he grew up listening to the likes of Wes Montgomery, Ornet Coleman and John Coltrane. He took up the guitar at the age of 13 and developed so quickly to begin teaching the instrument at the University Of Miami and the Berklee College Of Music in Boston when he was just a teenager. His recording debut was in 1974 with Paul Bley and Jaco Pastorius, but it was Gary Burton's group that brought Metheny to the spotlight. After his three-album stint with the group, he teamed up with keyboardist and his longtime partner Lyle Mays to form the Pat Metheny Group in 1978 along with Mark Egan (bass) and Dan Gottlieb (drums). The group debuted with the self-titled set in 1974 and its sophomore set 'American Garage' sold 200,000 copies in its first two months of release. The band has infused various kinds of music from country and Latin to rock and pops on such albums as 'Offramp', 'Travels' and 'First Circle' (from ECM), 'Still Life', 'Letter From Home', 'The Road To You' and 'Quartet' (Geffen), and 'Speaking Of Now' (Warner Bros.).

While leading the PMG, Metheny was involved in a number of solo projects which kicked off with 'New Chautauqua' (1978) and collaborated with such diverse artists as Chalie Haden, Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Jim Hall and rock icon David Bowie throughout the 80s and 90s.

Metheny has released his latest solo album 'One Quiet Night' in May, 2003. Featuring baritone guitar for the first time and performing covers by the likes of Keith Jarrette and Norah Jones, the album sees the guitar virtuoso once again pushing both himself and jazz music to its limits. Pat Metheny, who has been exploring both innovative and accessible jazz/fusion over the past 30 years, looks set to continue his pursuit of new music and commercial success.