Pat Martino Quartet
Undeniable: Live At Blues Alley
High Note Records
www.jazzdepot.com
By George W. Harris

Guitarist Pat Martino makes a strong case for the power of innate
intelligence on this in concert session with Eric Alexander/ts, Tony
Monaco/B3 and Jeff “Tain” Watts. Martino started his career with the
likes of R&B/groove masters like Willis Jackson, Jimmy Smith and Jack
McDuff before losing all of his conscious memory from the results of a
brain aneurysm procedure a number of years ago. This disc shows that
his dna kept the B3 blues message intact, as Martino’s playing sounds
as funky, nasty and slick as ever.

The emphasis here is blues-based boogie; what were you expecting from a
B3 combo? Bach Cantatas? Tunes like “Lean Years,” “Inside Out” and
“Midnight Special” are the sonic equivalent of comfort food. Sure,
there are no surprises, but neither are there at your favorite rib
joint. Alexander’s tenor is a high fat, high cholesterol treat on his
beefy solos, as on “Goin’ To A Meeting,” while Malaby sounds like a mix
of a roller skating rink, Dodger Stadium and theBaptist church on the
same. All throughout, Martino picks, bends and snaps his strings like
he’s stitching together a Raphael tapestry, weaving some incredibly
beautiful solos. Custom made for cruisin’ or for your next pool match.