Spending 23 years of his life learning about this instrument and
the music was the focus for Pat Martino. A devastating brain
aneurysm took that lifestyle away for several years. In 1980,
Martino underwent brain surgery to have the aneurysm, an
excessive localized enlargement of an artery, removed. The
removal of the aneurysm, which saved his life, removed his
memory of how to play the guitar.
A temporary paralysis of the mind is a typical outcome for many
people experiencing this kind of operation.
For most professional jazz musicians, to lose the ability to
make their music is as close to living a walking death as there
is. Undergoing any operation always brings with it the potential
of not recovering.
Surviving surgery, however, brings forth its own set of
unforeseen problems. Even when the surgeon warns the patient of
some of the recovery and rehabilitation possibilities, no one
person can prepare another person for the actual pain and
suffering of relearning how to live.
Basic physical functions: like how to bend your thumb or
fingers, how to tie your shoe, how, simply to take a shower,
become daily puzzles requiring an energy and problem- solving
skill heretofore never imagined by the person in recovery.
Laying a few of these obstacles before you is necessary in order
for you to understand the absolutely remarkable story of Pat
Martino's courage, resolve, and living testimonial of how strong
the human spirit is when it is harmonious with the rest of its
world.
- The Early Years
-
Philadelphia has been home to some of the giants in jazz. People
like Stan Getz, Benny Golson, Buddy Greco, the Heath brothers,
Charlie Ventura, Specs Wright, Red Rodney, Luckey Roberts,
Philly Joe Jones, Jimmy De Preist, Billy Bean and Adolph and
Dennis Sandole, among many others, all grew up in Philly.
In 1944, Pat Martino entered Philadelphia into a Roman Catholic
family. His father had been a singer and played guitar. By the
time Pat was 13, he was studying guitar with the late (see Jan,
2001 tcg) guitar giant, Dennis Sandole.
"To be honest with you, I studied Dennis more as a person
than I did study his approach to music. I never really
understood how to make use of his music information. It dealt a
great deal with scales and with modes. Since I was self-taught,
I spent just four months with Dennis before leaving for Harlem
at the age of 15. What I do is totally different than what
Dennis taught."
Teenager Pat moved to Harlem in New York City in order to learn
the music of jazz from some of its creators.
Imagine a white kid going to Harlem in 1960, to live among
people he didn't know. Yet, here he was embraced and protected
by the people from whom he had come to learn. "Racially,
there were no problems. In Harlem, jazz was one of the cultural
priorities at that time. Therefore, whoever came into that area
of activity was accepted immediately.
"Jazz was seen as a form of sophisticated improvisation, no
matter what it was applied to. I think that had a great deal to
do with my own personal definition of what jazz meant. I think
my Mom and Dad were aware of that, in a general way. They saw
that as an amplification that was turning into a greater
evolution of what they really wanted in me.
"They wanted a sensitive person. They wanted someone who
was creative."
While this was a type of education that he would have been
unable to receive in a typical educational setting, it isolated
him in many ways from the rest of society.
"Not until later on did I find an interest in other people,
other than black people. It wasn't until the late '60s that I
began performing with other Caucasian musicians," he
laughed.
"At my age, at 15, being very small in structure and
weight, people were very concerned. They were very amused that a
youngster of this capacity would have the nerve to come in and
try to put roots there. I was absorbed into the culture.
"They were very protective of me and referred to me as The
Kid. I was there until the mid-'60s." How did a
15-year-old support himself? Easy-if you have the talent. He
worked with musicians like Willis Jackson, Don Patterson, Billy
James, Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, and Lloyd Price.
In 1963, he made his recording debut with Willis Jackson. During
the remainder of the '60s, he worked in several organ combos,
including Brother Jack McDuff and Richard Groove Holmes.
Philadelphia beckoned him home in 1966. From that point on, he
led his own groups. Such illustrious jazz musicians who worked
in his groups included people like Cedar Walton, Billy Higgins,
Richard Davis, and Gil Goldstein.
- Early Recordings -
During the late '60s and the decade of the '70s, Pat worked and
recorded in a variety of settings. Always studious and curious
about people and their environments, he became intrigued with
Eastern music. Sounds from India enveloped him.
His recordings on the Prestige label (see Discography) began
receiving critical attention. He was being written and talked
about. His music was being heard on the radio. He was touring.
Life was good for Pat Martino.
- Headaches -
Toward the end of 1979, his vision blurred. Headaches became
commonplace. What was happening? The decision was made for him
to have brain surgery. In 1980, the aneurysm was removed.
- On the Road Again -
Willie Nelson may have given new life to the phrase, On the Road
Again, with his hit song of some years back, but Pat Martino
engineered a spirit and determination expressed by only a few
people in the course of humanity.
From the time people begin learning, experiences become
implanted in their souls. These manifest themselves like a
spiral from which ideas pop up at various times throughout one's
lifetime.
This type of experience is very similar to theosophy, which,
paraphrasing Webster's, 'is the various forms of philosophical
or religious thought that claims mystical insight into the
divine nature.'
"The only difference is, musically, it is idiomatic."
With Pat's history of studying people, their cultures and
spiritual centers, it is not surprising that he would be
attracted to a woman who also centers herself in spirituality.
Theosophy is a philosophy reaching to achieve a knowledge of God
through special individual relationships, while seeking a
universal fellowship, heavily flavored by Hindu, Buddhist and
Zen teachings, but also by all other religions.
Complicated by definition, perhaps, achieving the optimum spirit
of this thinking may well be summed up by Western religious
teaching of The Golden Rule: Do Unto Others As You Would Have
Them Do Unto You. Treat one another with respect. Such an easy
concept. So difficult for most people to grasp and act out.
Not so for Pat Martino.
- A Spirit Evolving -
He began this process while still in his teens. "Curiosity,
more than anything," created this awareness. "I was
born and raised as a Roman Catholic. My interest began to
spread, globally, in terms of different cultures and religions.
Eventually, it turned into theosophy, which is the study of all
religions.
"In that context, it allowed me to be free of mind and to
consider different opinions with regards to perception itself.
There was a great deal of sensitivity that was amplified due to
that process. I was more interested in many things surrounding
the creative act of music-in terms of that particular language.
Not specifically as a musician, even to this day, I am pretty
far away from being a craftsman as a musician as a career.
"My interest has always been, in seeing whatever the
instrument may be, whether it's a guitar or a ballpoint pen,
whatever. I find it necessary to be just as creative with
whatever tool I am using.
"The music business itself, can also be seen as a tool for
other reasons. It depends upon what the nexus (bond or tie) is
eventually going to become for any individual. When that becomes
consciously sought, it becomes a reference point, which meets
all points."
It was this ingestion of his beliefs that provided a context for
his rehabilitation to proceed. Muscles have memories. Conscious
thought may have been erased, but the years he spent practicing
was still a part of his experience and unconscious memory.
And sometimes those "forgotten" experiences emerge
unexpectedly. For example, a fragment of a song he wrote years
ago appeared, almost at its own will, while Pat was in concert.
"It seems to be sequential. Even more than that, it seems
to be seasonal. There seems to be an amplification of certain
things that have happened with long periods of time in between
them happening with a repetitive entrance and exit at certain
moments.
Something he wrote for one type of music years ago now
occasionally drifts into his playing today. "A good example
was for an album called Baiyina in 1968. I never wrote again
that way. Of course, part of me saw that and considered that to
be a loss of interest in that type of music: exotic forms of
approach, such as systems from India.
"In 1974 came Starbright. There were cuts on that album
that were along the same lines, with exotic rhythms and timings.
I had no intentions of doing it for that purpose. It just seemed
to reemerge when least expected.
"I think for that to continue in my life, it has forced me
to keep an open mind and not to cling to anything with regards
to its value... even if it's marketing.
"That has been one of the things that's been very difficult
for me in my career. To keep a broad sense of perception in
tact. No matter what the elements are to surface that surround
that perception, it remains to be open for other opinions and
other possibilities."
- The Blindfold Test -
The great jazz historian, Leonard Feather, started a test in
Down Beat magazine called The Blindfold Test. For this test, he
asked a musician to identify and rate recordings done by various
other musicians. Leonard gave star ratings to recordings, with a
1 valued as don't waste your money to a 5 valued as a must-have
in your collection.
When he asked Pat Martino to participate as one who would take
the test, Pat agreed, but only under the following conditions.
"I mentioned to Leonard that I really couldn't be critical
of any of the things he was playing. Either I give them all five
stars or I give none of them any stars at all. He agreed to run
it that way. I was either the first artist or one of the few who
would not give a judgmental rating on any of the records
played."
- The National Association for Music Therapy -
The National Association for Music Therapy and the National
Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) awarded Pat the
1997 recipient of the Songs from the Heart Presidential
Award.
'This award recognizes artists whose music captures the soul and
spirit of music therapy, and the poignancy of music in our
lives. The 1997 Award pays tribute to the power of your music
and the dramatic impact it has had on your life.' From the
letter to Pat from Executive Director Andrea H. Farbman, EdD.
"When I reactivated my interest, in terms of interaction
socially in terms of the arts, it became of interest in terms of
my own capacity and the degree of motion that was beginning to
take place at that time and wanting to know more about this. I
wanted to know how therapy was helpful for me after an event of
total loss of memory.
"As well as relearning from scratch how to play all over
again. I think the Society's contacted me for that reason. They
wanted to find out more about me, which eventually turned out by
my winning their award: The Song of the Heart Award."
- Making Pat's Heart Sing: Ayako Asahi -
They met in Tokyo at the On-Air East concert theater in 1995.
"I was signing autographs and I saw her the following day
at a seminar. I came back to the States and we began to
correspond. A year later, she came to the United States and
she's never gone back.
"My wife, Ayako Asahi, is from Japan and is primarily a
Buddhist. She is extremely Zen-oriented. In that context, she
always needs change. In that way, she and I are very much alike.
"When I say the word 'generally,' I do so to protect her
privacy. I don't want to know exactly how she looks at things. I
want her to tell me when she feels it is necessary to do
so."
Is she a lucky lady! To which he laughed.
- Full Circle -
Hammond B3 organ maven Joey DeFrancesco is another Pennsylvania
native, coming from Springfield, while drummer Billy Hart,
originates from Washington, DC. Together with Pat, they have
been working across the United States. "We performed at the
Iridium in NYC. I called Joey and asked him if he's like to join
the trio. I had been using Larry Goldings on the organ prior to
that. Larry was in Europe when this engagement at the Iridium
came up so I asked Joey.
"I called Billy to see if he would like to go out on tour
with me. The last time we had done a recording together was in
1975."
Working with organ players was typical for the early Pat
Martino. He has never lost his love for the configuration of
guitar, organ, and drums. This past December, he, Joey, and
Billy thrilled audiences fortunate enough to attend Yoshi's
Supper Club in Oakland.
Happily, Blue Note recorded these performances and will be
releasing this new CD sometime in early to mid-2001. All of the
songs played were original songs of Pat's. Right now, the title
will probably be Live at Yoshi's, The Pat Martino Trio featuring
Joey DeFrancesco and Billy Hart.
Watch for notice of this release at www.patmartino.com Website,
as well as at your favorite record store.
- The Courage To Be -
Theologian and philosopher, Paul Tillich, wrote a marvelous book
called The Courage to Be. It was not a book so much about
religion as it was discovering how to live. It is well worth
reading and rereading.
I had not thought of that book in a long time. My telephone
conversation with Pat Martino, however, reminded me of the book.
Pat is really the essence of Tillich's content.
Living takes courage. To restart the process in the throes of
young adulthood requires resources straight from the heart and
soul. Add a major scoop of talent into the mix, a splash of
humor, and a blend of humility and intelligence and you can
paint your own picture with but one resulting image:
This article was written by Jude
Hibler. It originally appeared in the February 2001
issue of 20th
Century Guitar magazine. Thanks to both Jude and TCG
for their permission to reprint this article on our website!