JSngry Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Mentioned over in the What Are You Glistening To NOW? thread, but would like a perhaps greater focus on what is, to me, a damn fine album. Martino as a session leader is somebody I've long admired more than actually dug, but this one, is really grabbing me, and hard. Trudy Pitts! And who is this drummer, Mitch Fine? This cat is ON it! The only other Martino Prestige date I have is Strings, and that one is mighty fine too, but it has more of a "seasoned" feel to it, no doubt because it's a bunch of seasoned pros making a record date the way that seasoned pros do. El Hombre, otoh, feels to me like a club date where everybody is in that zone and stays there. Something to be said for using top-shelf "local" players instead of "the usual suspects", perhaps, at least sometimes? Anyway, this one sorta came out of nowhere and knocked me out. Any other fans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Martino's a guy I've greatly preferred as a sideman. I don't have any of his Prestige albums, only his Cobblestone LP "The visit" and can't say I play it very often. Well, I can say I don't play it very often Trudy Pitts is also an organist who hasn't greatly appealed to me, as well. So this album always had a lot going against it, as far as I was concerned. So what you say is interesting to me (as ever). And I see it's out again in an RVG edition and is very nicely priced at Amazon UK. Only one thing to do, then. Wait until I have fewer newies to listen to at weekends MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Ptah Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 I think I have all of Martino's other Prestige albums, but not El Hombre. Definitely one for me to pick up soon. I like his "Exit", released on Muse in the 1970s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted December 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Yeah, El Hombre just feels different than the other Martino-led dates I've heard. Not as , for lack of a better term, "edgy" in terms of consciously trying to "move forward", or something like that. This stuff is just... playing in the moment, no real apparent agenda than to play it for real and play it really good. No real "exploration" other than right then, right now. Right on. It really doies feel more like a club date than a record date, which might not always be what you want as far as "career development" through recordings, but hell, that's a whole 'nother story there, and don't get me started, please. And re:Trudy Pitts - I only have her first Prestige date (and her cameo on Rahssan's 1st WB date). She shows a side, another "gear" if you will, on this Martino date that she does not show there, and that is not particularly surprising, really. I mean, I get the impression that she was attempting to build a "popular" niche on that side, but that she can (could?) play was implicit in how she went about it there, and explicit in what she lays down here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Stream Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 yeah, i'm a big fan. been diggin that one for years. Trudy Pitts is just such a monster, and this is one of the few recordings of her...especially as a sideman. Think she's a sideman on Willis Jackson's Star Time, and that's about it almost from the Presige period. That version they do of Just Friends is ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted December 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Trudy Pitts' comping behind Martino on every cut is reason enough. Reason enough for what, you might ask? Hell, just reason enough, period! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 yeah, i'm a big fan. been diggin that one for years. Trudy Pitts is just such a monster, and this is one of the few recordings of her...especially as a sideman. Think she's a sideman on Willis Jackson's Star Time, and that's about it almost from the Presige period. That version they do of Just Friends is ridiculous. It's "Star bag" by the way and that's one of Gator's very best albums ever. And Trudy swings magnificently behind Willis. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewHill Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 I just picked up the RVG a few weeks ago and I've been really enjoying it. I also think Trudy Pitts (who I've never heard before) was burnin' on this one. I don't own anything else by Martino, but I would be very interested in hearing his other Prestige dates. The session as a whole (as Jim puts it) has no real agenda but the songs themselves have really strong themes and excellent soloing. I also really dig Martino's Montgomery-like delivery too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolyStitt Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 This year I was really surprised by this one when I bought it in the J & R sale last Winter. I will have to spin it again but I recall everyone having the right type of energy with the groove being pushed further than I expected. Maybe I will play tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDK Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I picked up all the Prestige Pat Martino albums back in the early days of emusic, remember liking them a lot back then (and Martino was 100% new to me), but haven't listened to them much since. But the nice thing about having a digital music collection is that it took just a few seconds to throw the headphones on (since the kids are busy watching Hannah Montana on the telly), bring up itunes, and play the darn thing under discussion. "Desperado" may be my favorite Martino album, but (listening to it now) "El Hombre" definitely has its appeal. All of Martino's Prestige albums sound very different to me; I like the variety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill Barton Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 ... "Desperado" may be my favorite Martino album, but (listening to it now) "El Hombre" definitely has its appeal. All of Martino's Prestige albums sound very different to me; I like the variety. "Desperado" ranks up there for me too. And I never tire of "East!" either. In fact, time to haul that one out and give it a spin! Eddie Green is no slouch either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I don't think they picked a bad lp in the Prestige RVG series yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 Well, now I have something to use my Borders giftcard for! In the past, I would see it, think about it, but ultimately put it back. Even listened to it a few times on Rhapsody and thought it a nice album. Sangrey's never been wrong for me in the past, so Borders here I come! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michel1969 Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 i don't have this record. Is it fine ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 I need to get a copy of this one, sounds like a winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 ... "Desperado" may be my favorite Martino album, but (listening to it now) "El Hombre" definitely has its appeal. All of Martino's Prestige albums sound very different to me; I like the variety. "Desperado" ranks up there for me too. And I never tire of "East!" either. In fact, time to haul that one out and give it a spin! Eddie Green is no slouch either. I remember not liking the sound Martino got on the 12-string on 'Desperado', and moving it along. 'El Hombre' on the other hand is a monster! Good, make that great, Philly Organ Jazz. From the same city that brought you Jimmy Smith, Charles Earland, and lots of others. 'Desperado' was also an all-Philly affair, using the Catalyst rhythm section (Eddie Green/the great Tyrone Brown/Sherman Ferguson). Both those albums were Martino working with musicians he probably came up with, rather than the usual excellent hired guns on 'Strings!" (Cedar Walton, Joe Farrell, et al), hence the difference in feel. I enjoy 'Strings!' a lot. I enjoy 'El Hombre' noticably more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron S Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 Good, make that great, Philly Organ Jazz. From the same city that brought you Jimmy Smith, Charles Earland, and lots of others. Groovadelphia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyhersom Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 Next stop: Sunny from Pat Martino Live. Stone classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 Consciousness is also outstanding, I have it as a twofer with the Live album Randy mentions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 I think one of the reasons why this is such a nice record is there are no pretensions. Just some great players making music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyhersom Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 There's an enormous thread that Pat participates in over at All About Jazz. Very interesting to immerse yourself in his philosophy, and the unique perspective of returning from a severe loss of memory and skills. Much technical content regarding key relationships and chord substitutions that is over my head, but you get a sense of the man and can't help but appreciate him more. http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=14335 It was easier to find through pats own website than thru AAJ, so I linked it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill Barton Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 I think one of the reasons why this is such a nice record is there are no pretensions. Just some great players making music. True! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 I always dug it, but then I really like his playing from that era. dB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Yeah, those Don Patterson sides from the same era with Martino are some of my favs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted January 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Is it my imagination (or lack of it?), but does Martino have a stronger lower register tone than most of his "ilk"? What is that, heavier gauge strings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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