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Joe
PassJoe
Pass did the near-impossible. He was able to play up-tempo versions of bop tunes
such as "Cherokee" and "How High the Moon" unaccompanied on
the guitar. Unlike Stanley Jordan, Pass used conventional (but superb) technique,
and his Virtuoso series on Pablo still sounds remarkable decades later.
Joe Pass had a false start in his career. He played in a few swing bands (including
Tony Pastor's) before graduating from high school, and was with Charlie Barnet
for a time in 1947. But after serving in the military, Pass became a drug addict,
serving time in prison and essentially wasting a decade. He emerged in 1962 with
a record cut at Synanon, made a bit of a stir with his For Django set, recorded
several other albums for Pacific Jazz and World Pacific, and performed with Gerald
Wilson, Les McCann, George Shearing, and Benny Goodman (1973).
However,
in general Pass maintained a low profile in Los Angeles until he was signed by
Norman Granz to his Pablo label. 1973's Virtuoso made him a star and he recorded
very prolifically for Pablo, unaccompanied, with small groups, on duo albums with
Ella Fitzgerald, and with such masters as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson,
Milt Jackson, and Dizzy Gillespie. Pass remained very active up until his death
from cancer.
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Joe
Pass - Guitar Virtuoso [BOX SET]
Guitar Virtuoso distills the work
Joe Pass did for Pablo records and producer Norman Granz between 1973 and 1992
into one terrific 4 CD package. Disc one culls some of his finest solo studio
performances. Disc two places him in small group studio contexts, including duets
with guitarist Herb Ellis, a trio with Oscar Peterson on piano and Ray Brown on
bass, and a quartet with Duke Ellington on piano, Brown on bass, and Louis Bellson
on drums. Disc three consists of live solo and group performances. Disc four features
Pass accompanying vocalists Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, plus duet tracks
with guitarist John Pisano, tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims, and bassist Niels-Henning
Orsted Pederson. -- John Swenson
What really sets Pass apart from
most of his highly accomplished peers is his astonishing split-brain facility
that allows him to simultaneously and seamlessly integrate walking basslines,
lush chords and deft single note phrases. In the hands of a master like Pass his
technique has resulted in more than a few breathtaking moments. Several of those
moments are compiled in this extraordinary 4 CD boxed set. - Jazz Times
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