Pat Martino

In 1988, I was in Philly and still thought I might pursue jazz guitar. I took lessons for 9 months with Pat, in his parents home. I recorded all my lessons. He was generous with his time and a great teacher. I saw him live in the Denver area a couple times in the past decade. The last time, I went up to him after the show and said hello. He remembered me and we reminisced for a few minutes. Gentle soul and extraordinary musician.

Wow-- that must've been really something!  

As a guitar player, I'd love to hear more. 

What were you working on with him and how do you think your studies with him most benefitted your playing? ? ? 

I was mainly working through a system he had developed where one plays diminished chords up and down the neck; these chords, with one note variation here or there, would give you another useful chord. Kind of hard to describe but very much a path toward unlocking the guitar fretboard. Possibly: http://www.patmartino.com/Articles/GuitarPlayer_April_2004.pdf

 I'd already become familiar with CAGED and was used to building chords from triads by the time I encountered Martino's approach, so his idea of utilizing + and dim chords as "parents" didn't seem to fit with what I'd learned up to that point. Anyway, you are very lucky to have spent time studying with such a unique artist !  

@stuartk Right place, right time. You know, a few years before Philly when I was in high school, I took an address of the back of an album and wrote to one of my other idols, Steve Khan, about taking lessons. He said he could do it and also suggested Bill Connors and John Abercrombie as also available to give lessons! This was back in 1983 or so.