Pat Martino

Pat Martino ( born August 25, 1944 in Philadelphia as Patrick Azzara ) is an American jazz guitarist and composer. He has established itself as an influential guitarist, who influenced many other guitarists, " with consummate technique, sense of sound and an unparalleled differentiating his percussive attack ". "His flowing lines and unusual harmonic interpretations be picking staccato with thick soft plectrum and breathtaking speed make him " according to Martin Kunzler " distinctive. "

Life and work

Martino has Italian -Arab ancestors and began early to play the guitar. His father, who was active as a musician, took him early to concerts. The stage name Martino Pat Martino wears in honor of his father, Carmen " Mickey" Azzara, who also appeared with the stage name Martino. After lessons from a cousin, and later with Dennis Sandole he has worked with 15 years as a professional guitarist. He went on tour with Red Holloway. Then he worked with Sleepy Henderson, Lloyd Price, Benny Golson, James Moody, and Willis Jackson, with whom he also grossed several albums as of 1963. He belonged to the band of Eric Kloss. He also played with the organist Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Don Patterson, Jack McDuff and Richard Holmes. In 1966, he became known as a member of the band of John Handy to a wider audience and took off in 1967 several own albums. From 1979 he taught as a guest lecturer at the Guitar Institute of Technology in Los Angeles; He also began to write textbooks.

1980 rescued him two emergency surgeries on a brain aneurysm life, however, caused a widespread loss of memory, which meant that he had temporarily completely lost interest in playing the guitar and access to his musical skills. That Pat Martino had to relearn to play the guitar from the ground, is a common, but false legend.

1984 Martino stepped in a club in Philadelphia for the first time live on, but under his birth name, Pat Azzara, because he did not want to prove by his own admission, to be back to the "old". In 1987 he played with Steve LaSpina and Joey Baron - again as Pat Martino - the album The Return in order to comply with contractual obligations. He had a real comeback but only after him in an operation had a brain tumor removed in 1994. He has performed in New York and made ​​several albums on, inter alia, with Les Paul and Mike Stern. He also worked on recordings by Woody Herman, Stanley Clarke, Barry Miles, Charles McPherson, Sonny Stitt, Trudy Pitts, Jimmy Heath, Joe Pesci, Eric Alexander, Joey DeFrancesco, Royce Campbell and Lee Ritenour.

Selection Discography

This list includes recordings under his own name, either regularly called by other musicians as a highly influential on their own musical development, or a relatively high popularity ( airplay, sales figures) have. A detailed list of recordings Pat Martino can be found here:

• El Hombre (1967 ), Prestige
• Baiyina ( The Clear Evidence) (1968), Prestige
• The Visit (1972 ), Cobblestone ( also titled Footprints again given out )
• Live! (1972 ), Muse ( also titled Head & Heart again given out )
• Consciousness (1974 ), Muse ( also titled Head & Heart again given out )
• Exit ( 1976), Muse ( also titled Comin '& Goin' re given out )
• We'll be together again (1976 ), Muse
• Joyous Lake ( 1976), Warner Bros.
• Stone Blue ( 1998) Blue Note
• Remember: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery (2006), Blue Note

Writings

• Pat Martino Linear Expressions, REH 1983
• Pat Martino Jazz for Guitar, Hal Leonard 1984/96
• Pat Martino, Bill Milkowski: Here and Now: The Autobiography of Pat Martino, Backbeat Books, 2011

DVD

• Pat Martino Creative Force: Complete, Alfred 2007 ( re-release of REH instructional video from 1987)
• Ian Knox, Paul Martino Unstrung Brox - A Brain Mystery, Sixteen Films 2008