Pat Martino - STRINGS!

 © Copyright ® Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.

Recently, I’ve been spending a lot of time with the music of the late guitarist Pat Martino who died on November 1, 2021.

Pat and I have been “together” for over fifty years: he as a preeminent Jazz guitarist and me as his admiring fan.

In searching for the beginning of our long “association,” I traced it back to the 1967 Prestige recording entitled Strings! [P-7547; OJCCD 223-2]. I’d heard a track on the local FM Jazz station and Pat’s playing completely blew me away.

On Strings!, he is backed by Joe Farrell on tenor sax and flute with Cedar Walton on piano, Ben Tucker on bass and Walter Perkins on drums. I knew the rhythm section quite well but Joe was new to me and his playing on this album - like Pat's - was a revelation.

Also revealing were Mark Gardner liner notes which met the standards of the time by providing a historical context for Pat’s place in the development of the Jazz guitar, details about Pat’s background [he was only 23 years old when this album was recorded and yet had already accomplished a great deal] and an a description of each of the tunes on the LP, the solo order and some personal observations about the qualities of each performance.

Sometimes, I feel that Mark gets a little carried away searching for adjectives to describe the playing of the musicians on each track, but overall, I think his comments and observations are spot on and greatly enhance the listener’s experience.

Fifty plus years later, in an age when information about a musician or a recording can be obtained almost instantaneously with the click of a mouse, I can’t emphasize too strongly how invaluable these liner notes were at the time as an illuminating source about Jazz and its makers.

“Since Charlie Christian first plugged in his amplifier and revolutionized jazz guitar in the late 1930s, each subsequent decade has witnessed the emergence of a handful of new string stylists. Barney Kessel. Jimmy Raney, Billy Bauer, Chuck Wayne and Oscar Moore were the dominant voices of the 'forties. And in the 'fifties Tal Farlow really came into his own to be followed by Jim Hall, Kenny Burrell, Johnny Smith and Wes Montgomery. The 'sixties in turn have produced Grant Green, Bola Sete, Gabor Szabo, George Benson and now Pat Martino. To bracket Martino with the foregoing list of great jazz plectrists warrants some weighty evidence in his favour. After all he is only twenty-three years old and the enclosed sides are the first real jazz sides to be released under his leadership. Which is precisely where the proof of my assertion lies — within this album. It is quite plainly demonstrated on all five tracks that Pat Martino has already conceived a style of his own. 

To arrive at a personal mode of expression so young requires more than heavy chops and good taste, it calls for imagination, the sifting of one's emotional and intellectual resources into an abstract form with discipline. The guitarist has passed through this inner process of self-realization which is essential for every artist before he can begin to create works of lasting importance. Pat is not a 'natural talent' because no such thing exists. He has had to work and work hard to get where he is. As alto saxophonist Sonny Criss remarked recently, 'A lot of people say that Bird was a born genius. That's wrong. He wasn't born with anything except the ability to breathe. Unless you really apply yourself nothing's ever going to happen.' What has happened to Martino, a young man with an exciting future ahead, is the result of the sort of application Sonny spoke of.

But the drive to seek originality did not always grip Pat. 'When I first went on the road at the age of fifteen with guys like Willis Jackson, Red Holloway and Sleepy Henderson I wasn't concerned about being creative. It was just a job to me and I was infatuated with the traveling. What really made me realize this attitude would not fulfill me was a four-month period I spent working with Sonny Stitt. Sonny is such an inspiration and every night on the stand was a challenge. Suddenly I knew I had to meet that challenge.'

Pat was born in Philadelphia on August 25, 1944. Philly has cradled several important guitarists including Thornel Schwartz, Perry Lopez, Billy Bean and Dennis Sandole. The latter two were influences on Martino, 'I used to listen to Billy a lot and loved what he played. Dennis Sandole, who is a wonderful composer, helped me to see the road I wanted to take.' But the first jazz guitarist he heard was Johnny Smith who made some records with Stan Getz which found their way into the Martino household. Pat's father, a singer, encouraged his son to get a guitar. 'I was kind of pushed into it really but once I had the instrument it fascinated me. A cousin of mine who is a guitarist gave me some tips.'

While teaching himself the rudiments of music, Pat was frequently taken along by his father to the Red Hill Inn to hear people like Red Rodney, Johnny Smith, Art Blakey, local boy Lee Morgan, Johnny Collins and John Coltrane. Later he jammed with many of these men and others such as James Moody, Benny Golson, Art Farmer and Jim Hall. 'Philly sure is a beautiful town to study in,' says Pat.

After the stints with Holloway, Henderson and Stitt, Martino had a spell in the Lloyd Price band. 'That was interesting because Jimmy Heath was on tenor and did some of the arrangements and Melba Liston also contributed charts for the band. Jimmy is a very underestimated writer and I'm grateful to him for his encouragement. He urged me to write at that time.’

Pat also played in the Willis Jackson group and his earliest recordings with Jackson are on Prestige. Then I was using my family name which is Azzara. My father always worked under the name Martino and I eventually adopted it too. My dad is Arabian in descent and my mother is Italian, incidentally.'

For the next couple of years Pat toured with 'all the organists-Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff. Jimmy McGriff. Don Patterson. Groove Holmes, Trudy Pitts and others. ‘Much as I dig the combination of guitar and organ it gets to be rather confining after a while. It's more or less one groove all the time.'

In 1966, Martino, weary of constant travel, returned to Philly to take stock of his progress and resume his studies with the Sandole brothers. A comfortable living was there for him in local record, radio and television studios. But the sojourn didn't last long. Over on the West Coast alto saxophonist John Handy had just lost his guitarist Jerry Hahn. Howard Johnson, the tuba player, recommended Martino to Handy as a replacement. A call came through to the studio where Pat was working and Handy on the other end and he asked: “Can you get on the next plane to L.A.?” Ten hours later, Martino walked onto the platform at the University of California as a member of the John Handy Quintet. ‘John had never heard me play. There were no charts so it was a bit of an ordeal. Pat survived. And he values the eight months experience with Handy, Bobby Hutcherson, Albert Stinson and Doug Sides. 'I respect John and what he is trying to do but as the group developed I found that our musical aims were different so we went our own separate ways.'

Martino recorded with Handy for Columbia but as with all his previous disc experience (except for a date with alto saxophonist Eric Kloss on Prestige) he disliked his own contributions. ‘I've never been happy with any of my solos on record until the session with Eric.' Like this album, the Kloss date was taped in the snug atmosphere of Richard Alderson's mid Manhattan studio and Don Schlitten was the producer. ‘Don and Dick are an ideal team to work for because they make everyone feel relaxed’ notes Pat. ‘I’ve been on many recordings that I would rather forget. They were mismanaged efforts.’

Thus far Martino has not enjoyed many good breaks. Some of his original compositions were waxed by Red Holloway for Motown in 1963. They were never released. Strictly speaking his first album should have been issued several years ago. He cut sides for Vanguard with two different rhythm sections - Tommy Flanagan with Ron Carter and Tony Williams; George Tucker and Oliver Jackson. They were not released either. Pat remembers the date with Tucker for a particular reason: it was the bassist's last recorded work. He died from a cerebral hemorrhage the following day. 'George and I had been friends for a long time and I really wanted to make music with him. We only ever did get that one chance. When I heard of his death I couldn’t believe it. I wandered into a church somewhere that night and spent eight hours thinking about the tragedy of it.' 

Pat was  beginning to wonder  if he ever would receive another chance when Don Schlitten stepped into the picture. As an indication of Schlitten's awareness of young and neglected talent it is worth noting that only a couple of weeks before recording Pat he recorded Tal Farlow who had not made an LP for eight years. Listen to him on Sonny Criss' Up, Up And Away (PR 7530). 'I don't want to be limited to the role of guitarist. I do want to compose and grow artistically and have my music accepted without making concessions,' states Pat. With Prestige he is getting the opportunity to achieve these goals. Certainly the Martino Quintet makes no concessions - except to good music - and four of the compositions here are by Pat.

When we met a couple of days before the session Pat said: I’m very excited about it. Joe Farrell is always a gas and it will be nice working with Cedar Walton, a pianist I have a great admiration for. I’ve recorded with Ben Tucker before and he is beautiful. At that stage the drummer hadn’t been fixed. Don suggested Walter Perkins and everybody was happy with the choice.  The  five got  together to make Strings! on a warm day in late September, 1967.

The proceedings went off without a hitch or hassle and the Alderson microphones (which the engineer picks so carefully to suit the character of each instrument) captured a bumper harvest of vibrant sounds, shot through with strength and sincerity.

Martino's four colleagues have all appeared on Prestige previously. Joe Farrell, whose flute work is contrastingly delicate as his tenor solos are robust, comes from Chicago where he was born 30 years ago. His early tenor influences were Johnny Griffin and Stan Getz. Later he listened profitably to Bird, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane. Which is not to suggest that his playing is a mélange of other styles. If you've heard him once Joe's easy to recognize. He took up flute in 1955 and continues to make progress on this 'horn,’ not to mention soprano sax. Farrell worked with Maynard Ferguson, Tito Rodriguez, Jaki Byard and Charlie Mingus in the Sixties and for the last couple of years has been a spark plug of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Band. And there is fine Farrell on The Jaki Byard Quartet/Live! Volumes 1 & 2 (PR 7419, PR 7477) and Dizzy Recce's Asia Minor (Prestige/ New Jazz 8274).

Cedar Walton is deservedly 'house pianist' for Prestige. His own album Cedar! (PR 7519) was one of the real ear-openers of 1967 and his flexibility is such that he can easily adapt to most contexts and the needs of a great variety of soloists. On Prestige he has backed Sonny Criss, Teddy Edwards, Eric Kloss, Houston Person and many others. A tasty ‘comper,’ Cedar is a consistently interesting soloist and he was at the top of his game on this one.

The ubiquitous bassist Ben Tucker, from Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the  unsung masters of the big fiddle.  But fellow musicians know his true worth which is why he is always in demand for session work. I could fill this sleeve with the names of leaders who have employed him. Warne Marsh, Art Pepper, the late Carl Perkins, Billy Taylor and Herbie Mann were among them. Ben’s large tone and nimble walking has enhanced Prestige dates by Eric Kloss and Teddy Edwards.

Walter  Perkins, like Joe Farrell, is a native of the Windy City. At one time, he fronted an excellent group the MJT+3 and he has propelled lots of combos - Ahmad Jamal, Art Farmer & Jim Hall, Lucky Thompson, Errol Garner, Sonny Rollins, Teddy Wilson etc.— during a productive career. He played a vital part in Booker Ervin's Prestige debut album Exultation! (PR 7293) and was present on one of Lucky Thompson’s releases, Happy Days Are Here Again (PR 7394). Walter is a steady and unobtrusive percussionist.

A forty eight-bar Martino structure, Strings! opens the set on a lifting note Cedar states the little pattern in the bass that runs right through the piece. The rhythm (helped by two guests handling Latin percussion for such was the spontaneous party feel of the session) is an insinuating, hypnotic one - and very danceable. Joe (on flute) weaves in and out of the theme statement artfully. Pat has the floor to himself and he shapes a wonderful solo that has every element - suspense, surprise, logic continuity and depth. You will detect his respect for Wes Montgomery. But the name written on the music is unmistakably Martino.

Minority, a durable Gigi Gryce composition first recorded by the saxophonist with the late Clifford Brown in 1953, signals an acceleration of mood and tempo. Pat and Joe (tenor) burn up the thirty bar melody. And Farrell is off at the starting flag and into a boiling solo of seven dynamic choruses. With the rhythm section up tight behind him, Joe gives one of his best performances on record to date. If his wailing fails to get your adrenalin working — call a doctor. Pat takes the next five and does he ever go! Dig the way he latches onto one phrase to raise the tension. Cedar follows with six flowing choruses and to conclude a Minority that earns a majority of points Joe and Pat ‘peck’ the final measures in simultaneous improvisation - and harmony.

Lean Years, the second Martino chart, refers to tough times in the past. But don’t look for self-pity or sentimentality in this performance but rather the determined fight and victory over adversity. There is a menacing atmosphere laid down by Pat in the tune’s opening thirty-two bar section but on the sixteen-bar modal bridge Joe and Pat bring a surging release indicating the hope ahead. The last twelve measures telescope the original theme. Joe again leads the solo order with more virile blowing . Cedar follows and Pat has the final potent say. The suspended rhythm is superbly carried by Ben Tucker while Walter Perkins is ever alert and tasteful.

The very beautiful Mom paints a placid picture that is an eloquent tribute to the lady concerned. This particularly melodic example of Pat’s writing shows how well he has learned from Dennis Sandole.  Martino and  Farrell  (flute)  treat the delicate tune with great sensitivity and Pat has a deliciously serene solo.

As we started, so we close - in a Latin bag. Pat on this occasion pulls out a swinging, swaying jazz rhumba — Querido. The beat is irresistible, as conceived by Walter Perkins. The tune is simple and this whole south of the border sortie turns out to be a happy gas. Pat, Cedar and Joe (flute) all dance some and catch that carefree fiesta spirit.

Pat Martino knows where his music is heading. ‘I want my music to be accepted, naturally. But rather than sell out, I would rather quit. I don't want any part of the so-called new thing. If economics dictated that I had to play that stuff or nothing I would sooner become a butcher or a baker. I have ideas for writing for sixteen or seventeen guitars. The possibilities of that sound have never been fully explored and I've already experimented by multi-tracking by myself. You know the guitar is possibly the most abused instrument in music which is sad when you think it is probably the most beautiful. I would like to help restore its dignity.'

With this LP that task of loving restoration is handsomely begun. And jazz lovers in this instance will be glad there are strings attached to the singing guitar of Mr. Martino.”

Notes: Mark Gardner (Jan.. 1968)