doc taz Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 Pat Martino quintet at Birdland, NYC (1st set @ 9:00 PM, May 22, 2004) Pat Martino - guitar (Custom Gibson Signature model, and some ported cabs. I don't know the brand of those. Perhaps someone can help me.) Barry Miles - piano Eric Alexander - saxophone Mark Egan - 5 string electric bass (Pedulla 5 string, some SWR amp, and SWR Goliath 4x10) Scott Allan Robinson - drums (Drum Workshop drums, various Zildjian and Sabian cymbals) My dad came across the idea of going to see Pat earlier in the day. He has an instructional video of his, and one of his albums, "East". We arrive at Birdland's just around 8:00. That gives us enough time to eat dinner, and to be there before Pat makes his way on stage. It's well worth coming in early, as the food is quite good. I had a swordfish steak, and my dad had roasted chicken with collard greens. Our waitress was built like an amazon woman of sorts. Yeah, she was taller than me, had nice, dark, curly hair, and could probably have knocked me over by accident had I not watched myself. And, yes, I loved watching her walk around the restaurant. (OK, enough of that silliness...) The first band was just a piano and acoustic bass duo. They seemed to be two college age guys playing some of their own compositions. That was a nice, short, 45 minute set. Nothing spectacular, but it helped set the mood for the evening. As for the main attraction, I wasn't prepared for the man that is Pat Martino. As all the members came on stage, the whole place was practically howling, but in a manner that befitted a jazz club. The band wasted no time in starting their tunes. A few counts from Pat, and off the band went. While the entire unit was solid, Pat was clearly the main attraction. His lines and chords were played with the authority of a true master. He wasted very few notes, and his runs were deliberate. Even as some of the songs suggested lighter moods, Pat still burned. But, to his credit, it made perfect sense. Pat was certainly playing as if each note were his last. His band can certainly rock in its own right. As for the other members, the most notable of them was the drummer, Scott. He played with a rock 'n roll intensity, and a jazzy finesse in many of his solos. Scott certainly is in the league of Dave Weckl or Chad Wackerman. Thanks to his drumming, the show took on an incredible presence that matched Pat's playing. So, what of the other members, then? Certainly, Mark Egan held the ship together. His solid bass work and smooth movement kept things from falling into disarray, and the Jazz Bass-like tone of his Pedulla was just right. Barry was pure classic jazz piano, never straying away too much from the pieces' harmonic content. Eric, the only member in a suit (and a few feet away from my table), managed to weave his notes through the controlled chaos. He also harmonized some melodies in unison with Pats guitar. For the last number, Pat dedicated it to an organist named Jack McDuff. I know nothing about Jack's work, but "Mac Tough" seemed to be a good ending to a fabulous show. If Pat comes to town where you live, you'd better go see him. It's amazing that he can still play as he does in his advanced age. Better to witness that while Pat's still at the height of his powers. You won't regret it. sevenstring.org profile my flickr page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 WOW. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedro Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 I've only heard a little of Pat Martino, but I liked what I heard. It's amazing that he experienced memory loss after a brain aneurism and basically had to relearn how to play guitar. Everybody knows rock attained perfection in 1974. It's a scientific fact. - Homer Simpson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauldil Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 Thanks for the review! I've seen Martino twice, although it was many years ago. He totally blew me away both times. He has a very commanding presence and it shows in his playing. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlChuck Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 A correction for the names you weren't sure about, from Pat's website: Quintet with Eric Alexander (Sax), Barry Miles (Piano), Mark Egan (Bass), Scott Allan Robinson (Drums) That song dedicated to Jack McDuff is titled "Mac Tough." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D_dup3 Posted May 23, 2004 Share Posted May 23, 2004 Pat may turn out to be one of the most influential musical theorists of our time. I've noticed that Larry Carlton's approach to playing is a bit like what PM descibes as his own (based on variations of augmented & diminished chords to derive majors & minors). It also seems to be getting popular with keyboard players; a recent issue of Keyboard magazine outlined an approach (unfortunately not crediting Martino) that's identical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc taz Posted May 23, 2004 Author Share Posted May 23, 2004 Thanks for the corrections, Al. sevenstring.org profile my flickr page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrmac Posted May 24, 2004 Share Posted May 24, 2004 Since a friend was working with Pat Martino while he was on tour here in Japan I was lucky enough to be his guest at three of his four shows in Osaka. I have been a fan since the early 70's and it was a thrill to see him play and an honor to meet him and talk with him after the shows. I swore to myself to never miss his show again if possible. Scott Robinson also was here in Japan with him and he sure does play them drums! Mac Bowne G-Clef Acoustics Ltd. Osaka, Japan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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