This is an excerpt from an interview with guitar great Pat Metheny.The interview was printed in the Washington Observer/Reporter on June 8th 1993 and was conducted by reporter Lynne Margolis.
……..Being a road warrior may be hard on certain relationships, but it can foster
others,like the one he has with Washington native Tony Janflone Jr. Janflone was traveling and performing on the hotel circuit with his dad, Washington resident Tony Sr.,and his brother several years ago. One night, after having driven several hours through a snow storm to get to Fredonia,N.Y.,gig where they faced uninterested lounge lizards, the Janflones were pretty depressed. Then Pat Metheny walked up and told them,”This is the first time I’ve ever heard music come out of a Holiday Inn.”
Metheny, who was staying at the hotel after playing at a near by college, recalls the meeting perfectly. He and Tony Jr. stayed in touch, and Metheny has recommended him to other jazz artists in need of a guitarist.”He’s an exceptional player, no doubt about it,”Metheny says of Janflone, whom he’s confident will go on to greater fame.