This is guitarist Martin Winch’s first recording from 1984.
Sahara is the name of a Rio suburb where migrants from the middle east settled when migrating to Brazil.
I followed Martin Winch’s music career over three decades.
Interviewing him for a history of New Zealand jazz.
Watching Martin do a solo concert in Auckland’s Aotea square …. hot triplets on a cold winter day…. red over blue.
In the late nineties talking about his upcoming pop oriented guitar album “Espresso guitar” …. which lead to three successful albums. Those three albums are available on I tunes today, but not Sahara. However that album is available on u tube.
In 2008 reviewing a live concert of straight ahead jazz at the Auckland Jazzand Blues Club. Three years later he died.
However my favorite Martin Winch album is this hot latin/jazz/rock fusion…. Sahara.
On the first track “Lodestone” Martin takes charge right away …. jazz rock
fusion in the style of Larry Coryell and John McLoughlin …hot as tropical fire.
(There were some stupid boys who thought jazz was dixieland until I played
them some loud jazz rock guitar fusion.)
“Song for Claudio” is dedicated to the latin jazz trumpet player Claudio Roditi.
Radio New Zealand played this track on the weekly jazz programme.
Here the guitar works in with Denise Harris…. very fluid latin jazz scatting
driven by Frank Gibson jnr on drums.
On “Pendulum There is the contribution of Frank Gibson Jnr and Billy Kristian
on bass underneath driving the warm guitar sound forward. Even from 2026
this music does’nt sound dated ….but new and fresh.
“Boatsheds” features Peter Blake on keyboards setting a haunted scene ….
coloured by the string section (conducted by Barry Johnstone) … all building
on the bass and drums….. then Martin Winch painting abstract neon coloured
patterns over the top.
Winch rocks out on “Scorpion” drawing as much from Hendrix,and heavy metal
…. as well as jazz ….very exciting flying soloing taking you someplace else.
Side two is a different session with Ross Burge on drums, and Martins brother
Rob on bass
“Snakes and Ladders” has a singing quality … guitar lines working in with the scatting of Denise Harris…. showcasing Martins technical ability on the giutar.
“Boogie blues” features an interaction with Martin and saxophonist Dennis Mason
a bit like the 1975 CTI recording of Joe Beck and David Sanborn.
Again a freshness that time has not faded.
There is interaction over a very wide soundscape on “Fat Albert”
too with Peter Blake on keyboards
“What you mean to me” …. is a warm interaction with the string section…
like a sunny blue sky tropical day.
Rob Winch on bass drives a funky latin vibe…. with Martins guitar sparkling
like sunshine reflected on a tropical sea, on the composition “The Clue”
The musicians on this album are a who’s who of New Zealand jazz talent.
Arranger Bruce Lynch, saxophonist Colin Hemmingsen( also a woodwind
player in the NZSO). Also from the NZSO a string section lead by Peter
Schaffer and conducted by Barry Johnstone. Trumpets George Chisholm
and Mike Booth. Trombone David Woodbridge.
In the 1990s I sent a copy of this recording to a jazz collector in England.
He wrote back “I am very impressed, I did not think New Zealand had jazz
musicians of a world class.”
GT
