Search - Pat Martino :: Starbright / Joyous Lake

10-star albums

E. Minkovitch | Montreal, Quebec | 09/08/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pat Martino embraces fusion at long last! Bit of a latecomer, but hey, that did not seem to deter him in any way. Fusion bands were collapsing around this time, but Pat's efforts seem to be genuine and full of enthusiasm. There were hints of fusion on his earlier albums like Desparado and Consciousness, but you can tell he was holding back. I think it's not so much because he is traditionalist, but rather because he is a purist. However on these two gems he seems to have embraced fusion wholeheartedly and unapologetically. Yet it may be strange to hear Pat Martino play pure fusion, with distortion, synthesizers and heavy drums, to those who are more familiar with his work in the hard-bop arena. But it's not hard to accept, because he is a natural at it.



The first album contains dreamy interludes, bad-ass funk, gritty jazz-rock and even a classical solo guitar piece played with passion and dazzling dexterity (who said Al D had the heaviest chops in classical fusion?). The second album contains some serious odd-meter workouts, soaring solos, knockout riffs, powerful drumming and break-neck group runs all wrapped up in heavy atmospheres. Despite the thick vibe, Pat's trademard bebop phrasing and pristine guitar tone can be heard throughout the album. He does plenty of that cool modal comping as well, during keyboard solos. Speaking of those, the evil twins, Minimoog and Rhodes totally dominate, so those alergic to analog electronics are advised to visit a nearby pharmacy and get some medicine.



These are truly fabulous fusion recordings, and it's sad that they did not get as much attention as some others, but that may be because of their relatively late release date. It's possible that Pat's illness interrupted his intrepid forays into the distant realms of fusion, although his comback did produce another brilliant, if more grounded fusion recording, Stone Blue. This is a brilliant musician, capable of amazing things. Do youself a favor and get this album."

Martino in his fusion period

C. Moore | Brownsville, Texas | 03/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pat Martino was my favorite jazz guitarist for many years, and I bought everything he recorded as soon as it came out. When I first picked up Starbright I was very disappointed - I thought he'd "sold out." But as I listened to it more it grew on me, and the second album Joyous Lake was even better, totally smoking 70's fusion. This is a must have for any fan of Martino."