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Pat Martino: Remember: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery
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
Pat Martino
guitar
David Kikoski
piano
John Patitucci
bassScott Allan Robinson
drums
Daniel Sadownick
percussionAlbum information
Title: Remember: A Tribute To Wes Montgomery | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Blue Note Records
About Pat Martino
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