Sunny
Pat Martino, 1972, from Live!. Solo by Pat Martino.
The soul hit stretched into a live vehicle for Martino's long, driving lines.
On his Live! album, Pat Martino turns Bobby Hebb's soul hit Sunny into a long vehicle for his driving, unbroken lines. After a brief nod to the melody, he launches into extended improvisation, streaming fast, precise notes that trace the minor-key harmony with relentless energy. The rhythm section keeps a steady, grooving pulse that lets him build and build. It shows how Martino could take a pop tune and turn it into a showcase of stamina and harmonic control. Listen for how he develops a line over many bars without repeating himself, and for the points where he suddenly accents a note or phrase, giving shape to what might otherwise feel like a single, endless stream.
Sunny by Pat Martino is featured in our Jazz (#22) list. The solo is played by Pat Martino and the song was released in 1972.
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Who played the guitar solo on Sunny?
Pat Martino played the solo on Pat Martino's Sunny (1972).