Martino used a Gibson L-4CES, a solid-wood, spruce-top version of Gibson's workhorse jazz guitar, the ES-175.

Martino performed for members of NAMT, a non-profit organization promoting music as a therapeutic treatment for persons with illness and disabilities. Martino himself is living proof of the benefits of musical therapy. He suffered a severe brain aneurysm in 1976 that left him unable to play guitar. He relearned, in part, from listening to his old records, and he made his return to the recording studio in 1987.

Martino is enjoying critical acclaim from his recent Blue Note CD, All Sides Now, which includes guest appearances by Les Paul, Mike Stern, Tuck Andress, Joe Satriano, Michael Hedges, Charlie Hunter, Kevin Eubanks and Cassandra Wilson singing "Both Sides Now."

He has also recently recorded the Indian flavored Firedance CD on the Mythos label, which can be ordered online from the Pat Martino website.