ALTERNATIVE GUITAR SUMMIT - Honoring Pat Martino Volume 1
High Note HCD 7333
Rez Abbasi, Sheryl Bailey, Peter Bernstein, Paul Bollenback, Ed Cherry, Nir Felder, Fareed Haque, Joel Harrison, Russell Malone, Jeff Miles, Oz Noy, Adam Rogers, Dave Stryker (guitar); Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar, bass, drums); Kevin Kozol (keyboards); Dezron Douglas, Alex Austin, Chulo Gatewood (bass); Allan Mednard, Greg Fundus, Tobias Ralph (drums); Richard Christian (tablas).
Recorded Figure 8 Recording, NY, Rax Trax Recording, Chicago, Soundscape Productions, NY, various home studios. Most recordings made on 20 March 2021
Back in 2010, I attended a memorial concert for the late British trumpeter and jazz writer Ian Carr. It was a marvellous occasion, as old friends and musical associates celebrated the life of a remarkable man. But as my wife noted at the time: ‘That was amazing. Ian would have loved it. What a pity we don’t do this type of thing when the person is alive, so they can see just how much they are loved and admired.’ Fortunately for guitarist Pat Martino, he got to see and savour this celebration of his life and musical legacy.
By coincidence, The Alternative Guitar Summit was founded in the same year as the Ian Carr concert, by guitarist Joel Harrison. The Summit – which takes place in New York - consists of master classes and a music festival, and each year it honours a living guitarist. In 2021, it chose Pat Martino. It was a timely decision, because Martino had been ill with a respiratory condition for some years, and Harrison had heard that the guitarist was not faring well. Harrison decided not to wait any longer and thank goodness he didn’t, because Martino died eight months after the Summit, which took place in March 2021.
The Summit also occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic, and so the musicians played at various studios and their performances were live streamed. Martino watched the event at home with his wife, and was both touched and delighted by what he saw and heard. It’s a pity he didn’t get to see this release, because it does him proud. It is superbly packaged, with a double fold-out digitpak that has photos of Martino on the front cover, back cover and CD label. There are also three sets of liner notes, from Harrison (who produced the album), associate producer Joseph A. Donofrio, and jazz writer Bill Milkowski, who helped Martino write his autobiography (published in 2011) and also produced the guitarist’s 1997 album, All Sides Now. There are also photographs of all the fourteen guitarists who played on these performances.
Pat Martino was an exceptional musician. Inspired by guitarists such as Les Paul and Wes Montgomery, he went onto play in organ trios with Jack McDuff, Jimmy Smith and (much later) Joey DeFrancesco. He also played with artists such as Lee Ritenour, Jimmy Heath, Sonny Stitt and Stanley Clarke, as well as recording many albums as leader. Martino, along with George Benson, was one of the most influential jazz guitarists of the 1960s. His speed, articulation and tone, as well as his way of playing bop lines through chord changes, inspired many musicians (including John Scofield and Pat Metheny). Martino was known for his rapid-fire picking and fast, single-note lines, and he could play anything: soul-jazz, straight-ahead jazz, or fusion - his 1977 album Joyeous Lake is a jazz-fusion feast. and Martino even plays a guitar synthesiser.
In 1980, Martino underwent complex surgery for a brain aneurysm. The operation involved removing a large portion of his brain, which had a catastrophic impact on his memory, resulting in almost total amnesia – Martino could barely recognise his parents. He forgot how to play guitar, but years of therapy, coupled with computer technology and Martino listening to his own records, enabled him to recover and play again at a high level – miraculous really is a fitting description for this comeback.
Whereas George Benson crossed over to commercial super stardom with hits like ‘This Masquerade’ and ‘Give Me The Night,’ Martino never got the wide recognition or commercial rewards his talents deserved – towards the end of his life, an online appeal for donations was made to help cover his medical bills and day-to-day expenses. This album goes some way to compensate for that. Eight of the nine tunes were written by Martino and it showcases the range of his compositional skills. Five of the tracks have a quartet line-up of guitars, bass and drums, while one tune adds keyboard and tablas to the quartet.
The album starts with the guitar duet of Adam Rogers and Peter Bernstein playing ‘Inside Out,’ a swinging number with a relaxed feel. The guitarists complement each other nicely, with one playing the lead and the other comping, and then switching roles effortlessly. Bassist Dezron Douglas also plays a good solo. On ‘Black Glass’ Kurt Rosenwinkel plays over a backing track of bass and drums he had recorded earlier (he also overdubs a second guitar). The original version, on the 1994 album Interchange, had Martino playing with a jazz quartet that included piano. This version has a sparser sound and a harder edge to the guitar playing – it’s a very good cover.
‘Line Games’ is the first of two tracks from the album Joyeous Lake. Although it’s a jazz-fusion composition, Fareed Haque (backed by a band that includes keyboard, bass, drums and tablas) plays fast and furiously on an acoustic guitar (it’s the only non-electric guitar performance), with the band offering strong support – Kevin Kozol plays a good solo on electric piano. The tune also has a very neat false ending.
‘Willow,’ played by Sheryl Bailey and Ed Cherry, has a mellow sound with a Latin feel. The two guitarists’ playing is smooth and silky, and they intertwine, like two dancers gliding together across a dance floor. ‘Noshufuru’ features Rez Abbasi and Jeff Milnes (plus Dezron Douglas on bass and Allan Mednard on drums) on this swinging, uptempo piece, with both guitarist firing on all cylinders. Russell Malone – on solo guitar- plays the only cover on the album, J.J. Johnson’s beautiful and melancholic ballad, ‘Lament.’ Martino had played this as a duet with keyboardist Gil Goldstein on the 1976 album We’ll Be Together Again,’ but this version has more space and Malone plays with great feeling – it’s a very impressive performance.
The uptempo ‘On The Stairs’ has Dave Stryker and Paul Bollenbeck firing off notes with abandon. Drummer Allan Medhand plays an equally energetic drum solo at the coda. The title track from ‘Joyeous Lake’ is another guitar duet, this time featuring Nir Felder and Oz Noy. This fizzing jazz-fusion performance includes lots of fast picking, vibrato and fiery phrases by both guitarists. The album concludes on a mellow note with a solo guitar performance by Joel Harrison, who plays the ballad ‘Country Road’ with a lovely, light, tender touch – it’s a superb ending to an excellent tribute to one of jazz guitar’s finest. Can’t wait for Volume 2!
Reviewed by George Cole
High Note HCD 7333
Rez Abbasi, Sheryl Bailey, Peter Bernstein, Paul Bollenback, Ed Cherry, Nir Felder, Fareed Haque, Joel Harrison, Russell Malone, Jeff Miles, Oz Noy, Adam Rogers, Dave Stryker (guitar); Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar, bass, drums); Kevin Kozol (keyboards); Dezron Douglas, Alex Austin, Chulo Gatewood (bass); Allan Mednard, Greg Fundus, Tobias Ralph (drums); Richard Christian (tablas).
Recorded Figure 8 Recording, NY, Rax Trax Recording, Chicago, Soundscape Productions, NY, various home studios. Most recordings made on 20 March 2021
Back in 2010, I attended a memorial concert for the late British trumpeter and jazz writer Ian Carr. It was a marvellous occasion, as old friends and musical associates celebrated the life of a remarkable man. But as my wife noted at the time: ‘That was amazing. Ian would have loved it. What a pity we don’t do this type of thing when the person is alive, so they can see just how much they are loved and admired.’ Fortunately for guitarist Pat Martino, he got to see and savour this celebration of his life and musical legacy.
By coincidence, The Alternative Guitar Summit was founded in the same year as the Ian Carr concert, by guitarist Joel Harrison. The Summit – which takes place in New York - consists of master classes and a music festival, and each year it honours a living guitarist. In 2021, it chose Pat Martino. It was a timely decision, because Martino had been ill with a respiratory condition for some years, and Harrison had heard that the guitarist was not faring well. Harrison decided not to wait any longer and thank goodness he didn’t, because Martino died eight months after the Summit, which took place in March 2021.
The Summit also occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic, and so the musicians played at various studios and their performances were live streamed. Martino watched the event at home with his wife, and was both touched and delighted by what he saw and heard. It’s a pity he didn’t get to see this release, because it does him proud. It is superbly packaged, with a double fold-out digitpak that has photos of Martino on the front cover, back cover and CD label. There are also three sets of liner notes, from Harrison (who produced the album), associate producer Joseph A. Donofrio, and jazz writer Bill Milkowski, who helped Martino write his autobiography (published in 2011) and also produced the guitarist’s 1997 album, All Sides Now. There are also photographs of all the fourteen guitarists who played on these performances.
Pat Martino was an exceptional musician. Inspired by guitarists such as Les Paul and Wes Montgomery, he went onto play in organ trios with Jack McDuff, Jimmy Smith and (much later) Joey DeFrancesco. He also played with artists such as Lee Ritenour, Jimmy Heath, Sonny Stitt and Stanley Clarke, as well as recording many albums as leader. Martino, along with George Benson, was one of the most influential jazz guitarists of the 1960s. His speed, articulation and tone, as well as his way of playing bop lines through chord changes, inspired many musicians (including John Scofield and Pat Metheny). Martino was known for his rapid-fire picking and fast, single-note lines, and he could play anything: soul-jazz, straight-ahead jazz, or fusion - his 1977 album Joyeous Lake is a jazz-fusion feast. and Martino even plays a guitar synthesiser.
In 1980, Martino underwent complex surgery for a brain aneurysm. The operation involved removing a large portion of his brain, which had a catastrophic impact on his memory, resulting in almost total amnesia – Martino could barely recognise his parents. He forgot how to play guitar, but years of therapy, coupled with computer technology and Martino listening to his own records, enabled him to recover and play again at a high level – miraculous really is a fitting description for this comeback.
Whereas George Benson crossed over to commercial super stardom with hits like ‘This Masquerade’ and ‘Give Me The Night,’ Martino never got the wide recognition or commercial rewards his talents deserved – towards the end of his life, an online appeal for donations was made to help cover his medical bills and day-to-day expenses. This album goes some way to compensate for that. Eight of the nine tunes were written by Martino and it showcases the range of his compositional skills. Five of the tracks have a quartet line-up of guitars, bass and drums, while one tune adds keyboard and tablas to the quartet.
The album starts with the guitar duet of Adam Rogers and Peter Bernstein playing ‘Inside Out,’ a swinging number with a relaxed feel. The guitarists complement each other nicely, with one playing the lead and the other comping, and then switching roles effortlessly. Bassist Dezron Douglas also plays a good solo. On ‘Black Glass’ Kurt Rosenwinkel plays over a backing track of bass and drums he had recorded earlier (he also overdubs a second guitar). The original version, on the 1994 album Interchange, had Martino playing with a jazz quartet that included piano. This version has a sparser sound and a harder edge to the guitar playing – it’s a very good cover.
‘Line Games’ is the first of two tracks from the album Joyeous Lake. Although it’s a jazz-fusion composition, Fareed Haque (backed by a band that includes keyboard, bass, drums and tablas) plays fast and furiously on an acoustic guitar (it’s the only non-electric guitar performance), with the band offering strong support – Kevin Kozol plays a good solo on electric piano. The tune also has a very neat false ending.
‘Willow,’ played by Sheryl Bailey and Ed Cherry, has a mellow sound with a Latin feel. The two guitarists’ playing is smooth and silky, and they intertwine, like two dancers gliding together across a dance floor. ‘Noshufuru’ features Rez Abbasi and Jeff Milnes (plus Dezron Douglas on bass and Allan Mednard on drums) on this swinging, uptempo piece, with both guitarist firing on all cylinders. Russell Malone – on solo guitar- plays the only cover on the album, J.J. Johnson’s beautiful and melancholic ballad, ‘Lament.’ Martino had played this as a duet with keyboardist Gil Goldstein on the 1976 album We’ll Be Together Again,’ but this version has more space and Malone plays with great feeling – it’s a very impressive performance.
The uptempo ‘On The Stairs’ has Dave Stryker and Paul Bollenbeck firing off notes with abandon. Drummer Allan Medhand plays an equally energetic drum solo at the coda. The title track from ‘Joyeous Lake’ is another guitar duet, this time featuring Nir Felder and Oz Noy. This fizzing jazz-fusion performance includes lots of fast picking, vibrato and fiery phrases by both guitarists. The album concludes on a mellow note with a solo guitar performance by Joel Harrison, who plays the ballad ‘Country Road’ with a lovely, light, tender touch – it’s a superb ending to an excellent tribute to one of jazz guitar’s finest. Can’t wait for Volume 2!
Reviewed by George Cole
