Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Pat Martino: Remember: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery

334

Pat Martino: Remember: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery

By

Sign in to view read count
Pat Martino: Remember: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery
Make no mistake—this is a tribute not only to Wes Montgomery, but also the resilience of human creativity. While this might smack of hyperbole, it should be remembered that Martino completely forgot how to play the guitar some 26 years ago as a result of brain surgery, and if diligence and application can supply the kind of results heard here, then any suggestion of hyperbole is surely questionable.

To hear a musician as in touch with his or her instrument as Martino is on the likes of "Unit Seven" is arguably to hear a musician who is not on the face of this earth to do anything else. The fact that Martino has everything from the point of view of technique would amount only to an exercise in clinical efficiency if, however, it wasn't for the fact that he's able to ally that with a fertile imagination—if anything, even more important to an improvising musician.

Similarly, on "If I Should Lose You," Martino shows that he also knows the value of economy. Here his theme statement is nothing if not majestic. Indeed, comparing and contrasting this reading of the song with a version for Blue Note cut 46 years ago by Hank Mobley (on Soul Station) offers an object lesson in how diverse jazz musicians can be.

If, however, Martino's mood there is reflective, he offers an up-tempo solo on "Twisted Blues" in which the balance of technique and tonal nuance is so finely struck that it can only be remarkable. The fact that the same is also true of the guitar-piano unisons on the theme statement of "Full House" suggests that if the last 26 years of Martino's life have been some kind of journey, then he has reached some kind of ultimate destination with this quintet release.

Jazz guitarists at this moment in time are nowhere near as thick on the ground as jazz singers, or singers who would claim some sort of affinity for the music. More pertinently, there's only one Pat Martino. No one who professes an interest in improvised music should overlook this evidence of a master at work.

Track Listing

Four on Six; Groove Yard; Full House; Heartstrings; Twisted Blues; Road Song; West Coast Blues; S.K.J.; If I Should Lose You; Unit 7.

Personnel

Album information

Title: Remember: A Tribute To Wes Montgomery | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Blue Note Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.