We had timing issues when we tried to set up an interview between Bob and jazz guitarist Pat Metheny late last month. Pat was only available for one day and Bob was scheduled to be out of town that day. But wait a minute – Bob was going to New York. And that’s where Pat Metheny was going to be too. Luckily the timing worked out and Bob and Pat were able to get together for a great conversation. In doing our research before the interview, we turned up a strongly worded rebuke of Kenny G. written by Metheny a few years ago. Bob and Pat talked about it a bit in the interview, but the specifics were left out. Here’s an excerpt, with the most offensive words only hinted at.
“…but when kenny g decided that it was appropriate for him to defile the music of the man who is probably the greatest jazz musician that has ever lived [Louis Armstrong] by spewing his lame-ass, jive, pseudo bluesy, out-of-tune, noodling, wimped out, f***ed up playing all over one of the great louis’s tracks (even one of his lesser ones), he did something that i would not have imagined possible. he, in one move, through his unbelievably pretentious and calloused musical decision to embark on this most cynical of musical paths, s**t all over the graves of all the musicians past and present who have risked their lives by going out there on the road for years and years developing their own music inspired by the standards of grace that louis armstrong brought to every single note he played over an amazing lifetime as a musician. by disrespecting louis, his legacy and by default, everyone who has ever tried to do something positive with improvised music and what it can be, kenny g has created a new low point in modern culture – something that we all should be totally embarrassed about – and afraid of.”
Here‘s a link to a site that includes the full (uncensored) text.
You can find Pat Metheny‘s official website here.
Here is a link to Linda Manzer‘s site. She’s the creator of the 42-string Pikasso “guitar.” You can also see a short video of Pat Metheny playing the Pikasso here.
@Richard Mitnick: Unfortunately, the Bob Edwards Weekend podcast only makes available the interviews aired on the two-hour "best of" weekend show. To hear all of the interviews discussed on the website, you need to join the millions of us who subscribe to XM Satellite Radio and listen to The Bob Edwards Show every weekday morning on XM Public Radio, Channel 133, or purchase the daily show from Audible.com.
(Me, I’m still chomping at the bit for the Les Paul interview…)
I don’t understand. How does one access the interview? Nothing I click on here brings it up.
Still looking for the Pat Metheny podcast.
>>RSM
WNYC
podcasts of our weekend show are usually available by friday afternoons. and remember we’ll be slowly adding to our archives until we get back to our very first show from january 2006.
Hey!! Where’s the podcast???
>>>RSM