Pat Martino - Remember: A Tribute To Wes Montgomery

Remember: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery Review

 

by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

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Pat Martino and Wes Montgomery were two of the most famous guitarists to emerge out of the '60s jazz scene, an era that saw the guitar raised to the status of saxophones and trumpets. Martino and Montgomery's styles, however, were quite different, one rapid-fire post-bop, the other blues-based hard bop. This doesn't mean, however, that Martino wasn't -- like everyone else -- influenced by Montgomery. Martino's Remember: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery, then, isn't so much an album that seeks to mimic the style of another guitarist, but a loving tribute that reflects without copying Montgomery's style. Yes, Martino does pull gems from the Montgomery catalog like "Four on Six" and "West Coast Blues," and he even references his use of octaves more than once, but this is more reflective than stylistic. Martino is joined on this outing by pianist David Kikoski, bassist John Patitucci, and percussionists Scott Allan Robinson and Daniel Sadownick for solid takes on Montgomery's "Road Song," Carl Perkins' "Groove Yard," and Sam Jones' "Unit Seven." While it might be revealing to compare these and other sides to Montgomery's recordings, it's probably more fun for listeners to just allow these reinterpreted recordings to wash over them. For Martino and Montgomery fans, and for anyone who loves good guitar music, Remember is a well-conceived and executed album.

   Pat Martino   Remember    A Tribute To Wes Montgomery   

1. "Four On Six" (Wes Montgomery) - 6:00
2. "Groove Yard" (Carl Perkins) - 5:51
3. "Full House" (Montgomery) - 7:01
4. "Heartstrings" (Milt Jackson) - 6:50
5. "Twisted Blues" (Montgomery) - 5:13
6. "Road Song" (Montgomery) - 7:07
7. "West Coast Blues" (Montgomery) - 7:17
8. "S.K.J." (Milt Jackson) - 7:10
9. "If I Should Lose You" (Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin) - 7:41
10. "Unit 7" (Sam Jones) - 5:41

Recorded on August 9 & 10, 2005 at Avatar Studios, New York

• Pat Martino – guitar 
• David Kikoski - piano
• John Patitucci - bass
• Scott Allan Robinson - drums
• Daniel Sadownick - percussion

Remember: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery is an album by jazz guitarist Pat Martino. It was recorded on August 9 & 10, 2005 in New York City, and was released by Blue Note Records in 2006. In addition to Martino, the album features David Kikoski on piano, John Patitucci on bass, Scott Allan Robinson on drums, and Daniel Sadownick on percussion.^[1]

When Martino was 14, his father took him to see Montgomery at a local club, and Martino got to meet him in person.^[2] Martino, who had memorized Montgomery's solos as a youth, reflected: "What I found most interesting about Wes were his emotional interpretations. The magic of curiosity and its result. Like Wes, I was primarily self taught, mostly from melodies I heard, and not scales."^[2] Martino would initially pay tribute to Montgomery on his 1972 album The Visit!, subtitled "Inspired by and dedicated to Wes Montgomery."

From Wikipedia