Pat Martino emerged from the jazz-rich Philadelphia music scene in 1961 and established himself over the subsequent 50 years as one of the most prolific jazz guitarists of all time. An innovative player known for his advanced knowledge of jazz theory, he has played with Richard “Groove” Holmes, Jack McDuff, Gene Ammons, Chick Corea, Bobby Hutcherson, Joey DeFrancesco and Stanley Clark, among many others. An aneurysm in 1980 left Martino with no recollection of his musical career or ability to play the guitar. After a remarkable recovery, however, and through the study of his own past recordings, he managed to reverse his memory loss and return to form on his instrument. Don’t miss Martino’s SMF debut as he kicks off the 2018 festival with a lunchtime set.