Artist:Pat Martino
Song:Oleo
Album:Live at Yoshi's
Jazz guitarist Pat Martino has been around since the late 60s as a leader and a popular sideman. After some health problems in the 80s, Martino may be better today. He was born Patrick Azzara Aug. 25, 1944 in Philadelphia. Martino moved to New York City at age 15 and lived with Les Paul. He played New York clubs with Lloyd Price, Willis Jackson, Eric Kloss and organists like Jack McDuff and Don Patterson. This led to Martino's recording debut as a leader in 1967 for Prestige Records. He first recorded the Sonny Rollins standard Oleo on the 1970 album Desperado with Eddie Green on piano, Tyrone Brown on bass and Sherman Ferguson on drums. This album is out of print. Martino recorded for Muse Records in the 70s. That was owned by former Prestige executive Joe Fields. I think those albums are where many jazz fans including myself first heard of Martino. He also recorded a couple of albums for Warner Bros. In 1980 Martino suffered a near fatal seizure due to a brain hemorrhage. This left him with amnesia. So he had to learn how to play guitar all over again. Martino returned in 1987 and he has been recording ever since. Martino recorded for Muse until he signed with Blue Note in 1997. Oleo is from the 2001 album Live at Yoshi's. Yoshi's is in Oakland, CA. Musicians are Joey DeFrancesco on organ and Billy Hart on drums. The album was nominated for a Best Instrumental Jazz Album Grammy. It is available as a digital download. Martino currently records for Joe Fields' new label HighNote. His latest album Formidable was released in 2017. Here's Pat Martino with Joey DeFrancesco and Byron Landham at the 2002 Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy.
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