Pat Martino - 1972 - The Visit

Pat Martino

1972

The Visit

01. The Visit
02. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
03. Road Song
04. Footprints
05. How Insensitive
06. Alone Together

Pat Martino (guitar)
Bobby Rose (guitar)
Richard Davis (bass)
Billy Higgins (drums)

Recorded on March 24, 1972.

Even as a teenager, Pat Martino was already a fixture on the chitlin circuit and the Harlem jazz scene, where his rhythmic intensity, harmonic sophistication and horn-like melodic elisions sent all the young jazz guitarists scurrying back to the woodshed. Deeply influenced by the studied classicism of Johnny Smith and the bluesy rhythmic drive of Wes Montgomery, Martino defined his own musical turf on a series of albums for the Prestige and Muse labels (most tellingly on the eastern-flavored Baiyina [The Clear Evidence] and the hard swinging Live). But Footprints (originally issued as The Visit) may be the best of Martino's studio recordings, in part due to its dark, sensual recorded sound and the sublime rhythmic empathy of Richard Davis and Billy Higgins. On the title tune and Montgomery's "Road Song," Martino dances through the changes with the commanding intensity of horn giants such as Coltrane or Clifford Brown. Yet the standout tracks are a pair of deeply moving ballads ("What Are You Doing with the Rest of Your Life" and "How Insensitive"), where Martino evokes Montgomery's spirit by incorporating the old master's octave stylings into understated solos of incredible grace and lyric restraint. --Chip Stern

Footprints was originally released as The Visit on Cobblestone Records in 1972 then reissued on Muse under its current title in 1975. This superb record was Pat Martino's sixth as a leader and his first away from the Prestige fold. This tremendous quartet session was recorded March 1972 when the guitarist was still only 27 and featured the substantially driving input from bassist Richard Davis, second guitarist Bobby Rose and drummer Billy Higgins. The disc was conceived as a personal tribute to the memory of his friend, Wes Montgomery, and while it certainly has links to its inspiration, Footprints clearly outlines some of Martino's most beautiful traits—crisp, logical, narrative lines; nothing hurried or studied but, rather, a most thoughtful statement of heartfelt intention.

The disc, recently reissued on CD by 32 Jazz, begins with Martino's rousing "The Visit," a 6/8 blues piece that suggests a much more adventuresome Wes-like appeal. Richard Davis assumes the role of dueling co-leader rather than timekeeper here and throughout. And it really makes a difference too.Montgomery's "Road Song" is explored to show the similarities—and differences—in the two guitarist's styles. Martino, a player of many ideas, traverses Wes's octaves and performs single-note patterns that would leave Montgomery green with envy. The blues balladry of Wayne Shorter's enchanting "Footprints" gets one of its most haunting, ethereal performances ever in Martino's free-for-all exploration. Martino glides over his fretboard effortlessly while Davis and Higgins work a simpatico gypsy groove (Davis has a provocative solo here too). Bobby Rose is heard, ever so rhythmically, challenging Martino to find new paths, making one wonder where the Gabor Szabo/Jimmy Stewart team would have taken a gem like this. The program is rounded out with the excellent performances of Michel Legrand's "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life," "Jobim's "How Insensitive" and the Dietz/Schwartz standard "Alone Together"—a collection of crowd-pleasing tunes that would fit easily into many of Wes Montgomery's Verve dates.

During a 30-year recording career of many highs and a few lows, Footprints stands as one of Pat Martino's very best. The musicianship is superior, dynamic and attention grabbing. Best of all, this ideal quartet's interplay is outstanding and often astounding. Very highly recommended.