For You Lot Pat Martino - 2003 Get-Go Light; Joyous Lake - Starbright

"First Light" is a compilation of the legendary Pat Martino's 2 recordings for Warner Bros., "Starbright"(1976) together with "Joyous Lake" (1977). They stand upwardly for the guitarist's flirtation amongst jazz-rock fusion together with conduct maintain to live on taken inwards that context. "Starbright" is the to a greater extent than varied of the two, featuring several lovely duets amongst electrical pianist together with longtime accompanist Gil Goldstein, together with an first-class solo acoustic piece, "Prelude." Many of the cuts characteristic funky keyboards together with rhythms similar to Herbie Hancock together with Chick Corea's run of the era ("Deeda" begs to live on sampled), piece others are to a greater extent than pastoral, including the championship track, which pops upwardly inwards several variations throughout. One of his close rewarding listens. "Joyous Lake" is to a greater extent than strictly a fusion record, amongst a regular band (including the slap-up drummer Kenwood Dennard). Synthesizers together with electronic effects are far to a greater extent than prominent, notwithstanding Martino's agency (much less rockish than Coryell, McLaughlin or DiMeola)shines through. The championship cutting together with "Line Games" are the strongest cuts. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 chip dated, yes, exactly a fun listen. These are the final 2 recordings Martino made earlier the encephalon aneurysm that sidelined him for many years together with forced him to larn to play in 1 lawsuit again past times reading his ain literature together with listening to his ain recordings was discovered. Not the house to starting fourth dimension for the curious, exactly worth checking out for a consummate pic of 1 of the best.

'Joyous Lake' has been out of impress for quite a piece now. Thank sky it has been reissued equally job of 'First Light'. Pat is at the hap of his game here, exactly at the fourth dimension 'Joyous Lake' was released, the band was the existent news. At that time, Kenwood Dennard (drums) was at Berklee, together with Delmar Brown (keyboards) was inwards NYC performing amongst cats similar Hiram Bullock, Will Lee, Steve Jordan, The Brecker Brothers, Jaco together with the residue of the 70's New York fusion jazz monsters. Together amongst Mark Leonard (bass) together with Pat, Woody together with Delmar (who had played together quite a chip inwards NYC at that point) broke novel soil amongst their unique styles together with skilful technique. Brown's deep keyboard colorizations together with Dennard's driving, complex together with flawless drumming brand this tape genuinely unique, together with 1 of the greatest fusion studio performances ever. Dennard (a erstwhile pupil of the slap-up Elvin Jones) demonstrates his amazing mightiness here. I conduct maintain heard people state that 'Joyous Lake' contains some of the best fusion drumming ever recorded. (Think Weckl, Chambers, White) Kenwood, Delmar together with Mark were kids at the fourth dimension 'Joyous Lake' was recorded. Hat's off to Pat Martino for recognizing immature talent agency dorsum then. No wonder he had them "play it again" on 'Stone Blue'. If you lot similar Pat Martino, fusion or slap-up musicianship, therefore your collection needs to include 'First Light'.

Guitar together with fusion fans volition for certain welcome this first-class 32 Jazz fix featuring all of Joyous Lake together with Starbright, guitarist Pat Martino's 2 1976 Warner Brothers albums. Martino left Muse Records inwards 1976 amongst the hope of mega-giant Warner's clout to accomplish a wider audience. Usually that spells concession to pop tunes or sellable formulas. And piece this music is oft to a greater extent than fusion-oriented than anything Martino had recorded upwardly to this point, there's no sell out.

Joyous Lake catches Martino amongst keyboardist Delmar Brown together with Kenwood Dennard, who reunited amongst the guitarist on final year's similar Stone Blue (also featuring Martino's delightful "Joyous Lake," which prefigures the music of Pat Metheny past times nearly a decade). Here, electrical bassist Delmar Brown likewise helps the quartet deed roughly several flavors of funky fusion that retrieve then-sounds of Magical Shepherd -era Miroslav Vitous together with Allan Holdsworth amongst nods toward Headhunter funk ("M'Wandishi")and Eleventh House stone ("Song Bird").

Starbright features a larger, all together dissimilar Martino grouping featuring iii keyboardists (Gil Goldstein, Warren Bernhardt together with Mike Maneri), iii percussionists, bass, violin, flute together with tabla. There are Martino's patented ruminations ("Starbright," reminiscent of Al DiMeola/Return to Forever, together with "Prelude"), worthy fusion ("Law," "Deeda," "Blue Macaw) together with 2 of Wayne Shorter's to a greater extent than contemplative ballads from Miles' 1967 opus Nefertiti ("Fall," "Nefertiti").

As always, Martino remains an engaging technical dazzler - equally opposed to all those forgotten 70s guitar heroes who idea speed together with audio meant goodness playing. Martino fifty-fifty experiments amongst guitar synthesizers together with other effects (especially during the Joyous Lake tracks). But the strength of the guitarist's melodic personality, especially during signature solos, is never inwards question.

This is music that tin live on enjoyed good beyond 1977. Over 2 decades later, at that topographic point is total together with sustenance to Pat Martino's music together with First Light is a valuable job of this slap-up guitarist's ever-enduring legacy.

Tracklist:

Joyous Lake
1     Line Games     3:55
2     Pyramidal Vision     7:42
3     Mardi Gras     8:56
iv     M'Wandishi     5:30
v     Song Bird     7:55
vi     Joyous Lake     7:33

Starbright
seven     Starbright     3:37
8     Eyes     2:36
ix     Law     3:37
10     Fall     2:03
xi     Deeda     3:43
12     Starbright Epilogue     0:30
xiii     Masquerada     2:53
xiv     Nefertiti     2:51
fifteen     Blue Macaw     2:57
xvi     City Lights     0:53
17     Prelude     6:25
xviii     Epilogue     0:53

Personnel:

On Joyous Lake:

Pat Martino: guitar, EML 101 synthesizer, synthesizer, percussion, flexiglass;
Delmar Brown: Fender Rhodes, EML 500 synthesizer, Oberheim polyphonic synthesizer;
Mark Leonard: electrical bass;
Kenwood Dennard: drums, percussion.

On Starbright:

Pat Martino: guitar, synthesizer;
Gil Goldstein: keyboards;
Warren Bernhardt, Michael Maneri: synthesizers;
Will Lee: bass;
Charles Collins, Michael Carvin: drums;
Alyrio Lima Cova: percussion;
Marty Quinn: tablas;
Al Regni: flute;
Joe D'Onofrio: violin.