Friday, August 28, 2015

Pat Martino - 1970 [1989] Desperado

Desperado is a 1970 post-bop jazz album by Pat Martino.
“A key album in the shift in Pat Martino's sound at the end of the 60s -- with one foot in the soul jazz camp in which he got his start, and the other in the freer, open-minded style he used a lot in the 70s!”

Jazz critic Scott Yanow described the album as “funky in spots, electric, and swinging when called for” and extols Martino’s performance as “consistently inventive"[3]
“Even this difficult instrument doesn’t dampen his proficiency.”

Recorded at the legendary Rudy Van Gelder studios, Mr. Martino chose a 12 string guitar to define his interpretations of his own compositions and "Oleo" by Sonny Rollins  

Guitarist Pat Martino's first five recordings as a leader were made for the Prestige label, and this one (the fifth) has been reissued on CD by Original Jazz Classics. Martino performs Sonny Rollins' "Oleo" and five of his originals, using the 12-string guitar. The rhythm section (keyboardist Eddie Green, electric bassist Tyrone Brown, and drummer Sherman Ferguson) is funky in spots, electric, and swinging when called for. Eric Kloss makes a guest appearance on soprano for the opening "Blackjack," but otherwise, most of the focus is on Martino's consistently inventive playing. 

Track listing
  1. "Blackjack" (Martino) – 7:45
  2. "Dearborn Walk" (Martino)– 3:50
  3. "Oleo" (Sonny Rollins) – 4:53
  4. "Desperado" (Martino/Green) – 7:55
  5. "A Portrait of Diana" (Martino) – 4:30
  6. ”Express” (Martino) – 6:43 
 Personnel

8 comments: