Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

(Book). By age 16, Pat Martino was already working as a member of R&B star Lloyd Price's touring musical revue. By age 18, Martino moved to Harlem, where he quickly earned a reputation as a hard-bopping six-stringer with formidable chops through a series of apprenticeships with the likes of honking tenor saxophonist Willis "Gaitor Tail" Jackson and Hammond B-3 organ master Jack McDuff. Martino made his auspicious debut as a leader at age 22 with 1967's El Hombre on Prestige and followed with a string of potent recordings for the label that further established him as one of the most distinctive guitar voices on the jazz scene. Then, at the peak of his powers, the bottom fell out. In 1980, he underwent surgery as the result of a nearly fatal brain aneurysm. The surgery left him without any memory of the guitar or his musical career. From that point, Martino undertook the long process of recovery, eventually learning how to play the guitar again; but more important, learning to transcend the instrument itself and live his life completely in the moment. More than just the remarkable story of one of the most original and profoundly influential guitarists in jazz history, this extraordinarily revealing autobiography is also a survival manual, of sorts, in overcoming incredible adversity and learning to live in the here and now.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Preface (p. ix)
• Introduction (p. xi)
• Chapter 1 Exit and Return (p. 1)
• Emergency surgery following a near-fatal brain aneurysm triggers a total transformation and offers a new perspective on life itself.
• Chapter 2 Mickey and Me (p. 5)
• Pat's introduction to guitar as a child growing up in South Philadelphia and his memories of father Carmen "Mickey" Azzara.
• Chapter 3 On the Road (p. 17)
• Tales of traveling in a Greyhound bus as a member of the Lloyd Price big band, with some reminiscing by saxophonist Red Holloway.
• Chapter 4 The Kid Branches Out (p. 23)
• Gigging as a teenager with mentors Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson and organist Jack McDuff at Small's Paradise in Harlem, with comments by George Benson.
• Chapter 5 Becoming El Hombre (p. 37)
• A string of sideman sessions with Willis Jackson, Jack McDuff, Don Patterson, and John Handy leads to a contract with Prestige Records.
• Chapter 6 Baiyina and Beyond (p. 43)
• A psychedelic paean to the Koran takes Pat about as far away from Harlem and Hammond B-3 organ scene as one can imagine.
• Chapter 7 Consciousness and Live! (p. 49)
• Swinging unabashedly and pushing the envelope with colleagues Ron Thomas, Tyrone Brown, and Sherman Ferguson.
• Chapter 8 Starbright and Joyous Lake (p. 57)
• An auspicious Warner Bros. Debut is followed by a fusion classic, with comments by Gil Goldstein, Kenwood Dennard, and Delmar Brown.
• Chapter 9 Seizures and Surgery (p. 67)
• Manifestations of AVM (arteriovenous malformation) cause uncontrollable seizures and a complete physical and mental meltdown, leading to life-saving brain surgery.
• Chapter 10 Recovery and Return (p. 77)
• After being off the scene while recovering memory at his parents' house in South Philadelphia, Pat decides to make a career comeback.
• Chapter 11 Rebounding on Blue Note (p. 91)
• Pat is signed to the prestigious jazz label and gradually returns to his former glory with a string of acclaimed recordings.
• Chapter 12 Ayako (p. 103)
• Pat finds his soulmate in Tokyo and discovers healthy alternatives that cause a dramatic improvement in the quality of his life.
• Chapter 13 Here and Now (p. 109)
• After a lifetime of persevering through tragedies, calamities, and debacles, Pat arrives at a zenlike place with regard to life itself.
• Appendix I Guitar Players' Testimony (p. 115)
• Appendix II Martino Unstrung: A Brain Mystery, by Victor L. Schermer (p. 143)
• Appendix III Pat Martino Master Class, by Jude Gold (p. 163)
• Appendix IV Pat Martino Discography (p. 175)
• Index (p. 187)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

From an early age, Martino was a jazz guitar phenom. Starting with soul jazz recordings with Willis "Gator" Jackson and progressing through his landmark jazz fusion album Joyous Lake, Martino reigned as the jazz guitarist's jazz guitarist. At the peak of his powers in the early 1980s he suffered a brain aneurysm and had an operation that left him with no memory of his career or the mastery of the instrument that brought him such renown. Through an incredible display of will, he reacquired his jazz guitar prowess and went on to record a number of critically acclaimed albums. The challenges of writing an amnesiac's autobiography are obvious, and Martino and jazz journalist Milkowski confront them with varying degrees of success. Some of the descriptions of Martino's earlier career read like album liner notes converted into the first person. Myriad testimonials from Martino's peers (e.g., George Benson, Carlos Santana, John Scofield) are gracious and insightful but tend to blend into one another. Verdict A fascinating story of the perseverance of the human spirit and the healing power of artistic inspiration that is not presented to its best advantage.-John Frank, Los Angeles P.L. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Pat Martino (Philadelphia, PA) is an acclaimed guitarist, composer, and bandleader whose staggering artistic output since the mid-1960s for the Prestige, Muse, Warner Bros. and Blue Note labels ranks him among the premier players of his instrument. Struck down at the peak of his popularity in 1980 by a life-threatening brain aneurysm, he has made a remarkable recovery and in recent years has returned to his former glory as one of the greatest guitar players.

Bill Milkowski (New York, NY) has been covering the jazz and blues scene since 1974. He is a regular contributor to Jazz Times and Absolute Sound magazines and his work has appeared in Guitar Player, Bass Player, Drum!, Modern Drummer, Jazziz, DownBeat, and Jazzthing. He is also the author of Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius (Backbeat Books).