Pat Martino - 1998 "Stone Blue"

 

 

Guitarist Pat Martino exhibits his long-standing appreciation for the urban lifestyle of New York City and Philadelphia on his latest album Stone Blue. That cocky feeling of self-assurance one develops from living and working in the city gives rise to strutted rhythms, deliberate tempos, and melodies that range from sixteenth-note-laden confetti clusters to dreamy skyborne shouts. Sharing the front line with tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, Martino presents nine of his compositions with the support of keyboardist Delmar Brown, bassist James Genus and drummer Kenwood Dennard. You can find complete biographical information about guitarist Pat Martino at http://www.patmartino.com/ .

Genus' six-string electric bass and Dennard's cymbal ride drive the album; all but one piece are presented up-tempo with an emphasis on deliberate rhythms and front line conversation. Alexander's tenor saxophone voice is earthy and confident, while Martino's guitar enthuses with its desire to speak out. Together, they gel as one voice. The ballad "Never Say Goodbye" is a tearful dedication to guitarist Michael Hedges, who passed away last November in a tragic automobile accident at the age of 43. Over twenty years ago, while Martino was recovering from brain surgery, Hedges visited him in the hospital and played for him at his bedside.

Other dedications on the album include nods to Wes Montgomery and Jack McDuff. "13 To Go" and "Mac Tough" include organ romps from Brown. "Joyous Lake" is a happy tune that was originally recorded in 1977 just before Martino's ten-year hiatus. Adhering to the album's urban theme, the arrangement juxtaposes a Brazilian carnival backdrop with lyrical offerings from guitarist, saxophonist, and keyboardist. An overt enthusiasm and hearty front line drive Martino's latest album through timeless city streets. Recommended.

Few musicians in any genre or on any instrument can boast guitarist Pat Martino's combination of supple, fast mobility and rich, tight control. In the 1960s, Martino earned his chops playing in a number of organ combos with Jack McDuff, Richard "Groove" Holmes, and Jimmy Smith, so the overall concept of hard-hitting, funky music has been familiar to the guitarist for decades. On Stone Blue, he pushes the concept with his usually rotund sound and lightspeed dexterity, drawing off James Genus's sinuous electric bass and Eric Alexander's ultra-tight tenor saxophone execution. Martino takes many of the tunes off into the realm of jazz fusion circa mid-1970s, thanks in part to the keyboards of Delmar Brown. The music is always explorative, tossing together the group's funky collective feel and Martino's tense lines, where he runs parallel phrases at astonishing paces, and then lets his guitar sing in the background while his accompanists blast off funky solos. A rare longtimer in jazz, Martino shows stone cold genius on Stone Blue.

"The guitar master is at it again on this collection of original tunes. Mixing up bop and funk with heavy doses of pop, he offers up a very listenable album with lots of character". Jim Santella from All About Jazz noted: "Guitarist Pat Martino exhibits his long-standing appreciation for the urban lifestyle of New York City and Philadelphia on his latest album Stone Blue. That cocky feeling of self-assurance one develops from living and working in the city gives rise to strutted rhythms, deliberate tempos, and melodies that range from sixteenth-note-laden confetti clusters to dreamy skyborne shouts".

This recording resurrects a superb band from some years ago, Joyous Lake. The inimitable Pat Martino is the featured soloist on electric guitar, but does not dominate the disc.

The tunes tend to have a bit of a funk or rock feel to them, but vary in tone and texture. The first track blast off high into the stratosphere of tight, swinging, jumping jazz--with an unforgettable head. Of course, every solo by Mr. Martino is excellent, given his tone, speed, phrasing, octaves, and accompanying. The drummer, Mr. Dennart is quite a marvel--endlessly inventive with a magical left hand on the snare. Mr. Alexander on tenor saxophone knows how to go inside and outside with deftness. You hear a bit of Coltrane and Bird in this playing, but he is his own man.

The keyboard playing is fine, but uses more special effects than I would prefer. Give me the Hammond B-3 with a gifted player anytime, such as Pat Bianci, who is now touring with Pat Martino's trio. One should be grateful for music of this caliber. There is objective beauty in the universe, as manifested by these gifted creatures.

The All About Jazz critic Josef Woodard commented: "What sounds timeless here is the leader, wailing with a kind of concurrent wisdom and go-for-broke commitment to improvisational abandon. The truth is that Martino stands up every time he plays. Hints of Martino's unique power is contained in each episode of his work, this latest chapter included".

R.I.P. Pat Martino

Track listing:

All compositions by Pat Martino

    "Uptown Down" – 4:25
    "Stone Blue" – 6:46
    "With All the People" – 9:15
    "13 to Go" – 7:27
    "Boundaries" – 8:09
    "Never Say Goodbye" – 3:40
    "Mac Tough" – 6:13
    "Joyous Lake" – 13:26
    "Two Weighs Out" – 0:33

Personnel:

    Pat Martino – guitar
    Eric Alexander – tenor saxophone
    Delmar Brown – keyboards
    James Genus – bass
    Kenwood Dennard – drums, percussion