Patto

Emerging with just three albums before disbanding, the group Patto—named for vocalist Mike Patto—earned strong admiration across the British rock circuit throughout the 1970s. At the core of their sound stood the exceptional guitar playing of the remarkably versatile Ollie Halsall, a musician whose session contributions drew considerable respect even as he appeared reluctant to claim the foreground. The band offered a measured blend of jazz-rock infused with touches of blues. After the ensemble split, Halsall joined Tempest while Patto linked up with Spooky Tooth for Mirror. The two musicians reunited in Boxer in 1975, although Halsall stayed only for one album, leaving Patto as the sole founding member on the next release. Patto died in 1979 of throat cancer.