by Rashah A. Carson

On August 23rd, Austin lost music legend Mark "Pat" Patterson. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Mr. Patterson has been blowing up some storms in Austin for a decade. I first heard his exceptional trumpet playing when I was taken into the heart of the East Austin music scene by Leon Anderson. Mr. Anderson took me to the East Side Lounge in 1991 to hear the legendary East Side Band. The band was super tight with vocalist Sugar Williams, yet what truly struck these ears were the two trumpeters, Mark "Pat" Patterson and Donald "Duck" Jennings. Their precision and punch surely made this the best blues band in town.

It was great to meet the band that evening which consisted of Ural Dewitty (who has also gone to play with that great "Orchestra in the Sky") on drums, Clarence Williams on guitar, George Walker on bass (I think), Luis Thompson on tenor and baritone sax, Miss Williams, and the two excellent trumpeters.

Upon talking with Mr. Patterson, I realized this guy was a giant in the rhythm and blues music world. Mr. Patterson played, recorded, and toured extensively with Joe Tex, Etta James, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, and he also sat in with members of the J.B.'s and Dizzy Gillespie. Austin was indeed fortunate to have "Homeboy" (as many of his close compadres called him) as part of the local music scene.

One of the first local music projects he performed in was an R B group called the Freedom Machine who performed many of the R B chart toppers of that period. Mr. P. (this is how I addressed him) later went on to perform with Joe Valentine, Blues Boy Hubbard, and the East Side Band, with whom he was most committed.

Mr. P. Runs Down The Voodoo! It's September 1991 and I get the word that one of my music heroes had just left the planet. Yes, Miles Davis had joined the "Orchestra in the Sky!" I had truly been inspired by the music and sheer perseverance Miles had displayed throughout his career and felt compelled to present a music tribute to him. I called another Austin legend Martin Banks to do the trumpet for this tribute and he said, "Ah man, I got a gig that night, call this guy right here. His name is Pat Patterson and he can do if he is available." Having heard Mr. P. play only blues and R B, I wondered if he could in fact play all the Miles Davis music that I envisioned being performed at this tribute. However, when he came to our first rehearsal, which I think took place in the living room of Harold McMillan's 12th and Marfrais house, everyone was floored when he put in the must and played "All Blues" so close to the tone and feel of Miles it was spooky. At that rehearsal he told me that Miles was one of his main men on the trumpet and that he had followed his career extensively. On November 11, we did "A Tribute to Miles Davis" at The Continental Club (thanks again to Steve the owner) and Mr. P. played the music so beautifully, it still brings a tear to my eye. "All Blues," "Round Midnight," "So What," "Freddie Freeloader," and more modern tunes like "Jean Pierre," "Amandla" and even a fifteen minute version of "Bitches Brew" (which I remember electric bassist Harold McMillan asking if it was sacrilegious to play that tune). Yet played them Mr. Patterson did...to the max.

It was at this show that he became my favorite musician in Austin. I also had great love and respect for him as a person. He was always giving great advice and one piece he gave me changed my life forever. After the performance was over, he said in his classic way, "See, what we need to do is keep on practicing and playing together, because this group sounds good together." Following that advice was the beginning for Cosmic Intuition. With members Joseph Marchione, Richard Price, and several others, I was pushed into my first experience of leading a band playing primarily original tunes given to me by the creator. I am forever grateful to Mr. P. for that suggestion and for his playing the that band. It's funny because when I asked folks to bring in a tune for the band to play he brought in a slammin' arrangement of Bob Marley's I Shot the Sheriff, which became a standard in our repertoire. I'll never forget the humorous face with stretched eyes that he made when we did our first (Sun Ra inspired) totally outside improvisations. Although I could tell this was not familiar turf for him, he jumped in and once again blew everyone away.

At one point, Mr. Patterson suggested that we bring in his other half, Mr. Donald "Duck" Jennings, to play with the band and man, that was the shit with both of these guys. The band never sounded better and I remember us performing one of their favorite ballads, the Count Basie Orchestra standard, "Girl Talk." I never heard two musicians so in sync. "Duck" and "Pat" played around Austin for just about a decade and we send our best out to Mr. Jennings, who I know is missing his partner like we couldn't believe. I only hate the fact that my ever-growing intolerance for cigarette smoke did not allow me to go catch them more at the East Side Lounge, where one could hear them not only playing trumpet, but singing as well. Pat made a trademark out of the old blues standard "Feel My Leg," complete with theatrics and humor. I am glad that Mr. P.'s trumpet can be heard forever on recordings with The Texas Trumpets and The East Side Band, and with some luck, you might even hear his prominent horn on a Cosmic Intuition Live CD.

We say rest in space and peace, Mr. P. We all love and miss you even though you are still with us in spirit. Have a safe and blessed homegoing! I'm sure Miles has slid over and made a space for you in the brass section, in that most wonderful, ever-growing "Orchestra in the Sky."