Pat Martino

Brilliant performer started his career playing with Soul Jazz icons Willis 'Gator Tail' Jackson, Jack McDuff and Don Patterson. Philadelphia resident Martino has stretched the boundaries of jazz guitar by coming up with innovative theories and ways of playing that direct his fluid, cerebral lines. Talking with John Coltrane over hot chocolate at the age of 14 helped inspire Martino, who forged a rhythmically solid style that astounds the listener with endless streams of chromatic notes. He's gone on to include world and electronic influences in his bebop oriented playing, consistently delivering dynamic runs over whichever style he chooses to explore. In the early 1980s Martino lost much of his memory due to a brain aneurysm. He recovered to his original form listening to his old records and relearning the guitar.