“The guitar for me is a translation device. It’s not a goal. And in some ways jazz isn’t a destination for me. For me, jazz is a vehicle that takes you to the true destination—a musical one that describes all kinds of stuff about the human condition and the way music works.”
Pat Metheny (quoted in Ben Ratliff, “Pat Metheny: An Idealist Reconnects With His Mentors,” New York Times, February 25, 2005)