Question and Answer

Dear Mr.Pat Metheny: Hi! My name is Pablo Rocha Rojas, I am 18 years old, I live in Monterrey Mexico. I started playing guitar since I was 12. I would like to ask you a very important question. I love jazz, since I noticed all this incredible universe and specially foccused on your music.

How can I achieve my goal of being a jazz composer and a good improvistational guitarrist if here in Monterrey there are no jazz clubs neither jazz players or teachers , What I have learned is by hearing Jazz guitarrist lp´s and tapes and tryinag to take solos, but virtually no teacher because here doesnt exist. And even more, Mexicos government is not interested in helping their oun artists and education. I dont have the money to go to a good university in the united states as Berklee. So you may give me a great advice that I shurly follow or maybe you can recomend me books.

Hoping to receive your help, I wish you the best and hope meet you personally someday.

sincerly, Pablo Rocha Rojas.

hi pablo,

for what it's worth, when i started out, there were no teachers or jazz guitarists in my area, so i was faced with a similar situation. (but i did have my older brother and his friends all of whom were into jazz - and then later kansas city, so i was luckier than you....) - but anyway, on my own i was able to learn a lot from going to the library and reading lots of books about jazz and music history in general - and by practicing many hours everyday and listening to and transcribing lots of music from great jazz musicians on records - every day was filled with work. ultimately though, you have to get into a situation where you will be playing with other musicians, hopefully musicians who are much better than you. for this, it sounds like somehow, you will have to move to another place where there are other players.

good luck with your music pablo!

best from pat