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Happy heavenly birthday, Joe Pass, born on this day in 1929!
Joe Pass (short biography)
Joe Pass (born Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalacqua; January 13, 1929 – May 23, 1994) was an American jazz guitarist. Although Pass collaborated with pianist Oscar Peterson and vocalist Ella Fitzgerald, his status as one of the most notable jazz guitarists of the 20th century is generally attributed to his work on his solo albums, such as Virtuoso.
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Pass’s released his studio debut Sounds of Synanon on July 1, 1962.
Pass recorded and released a series of albums during the 1960s under Pacific Jazz Records, including Catch Me, 12-String Guitar, For Django, and Simplicity. In 1963, he received DownBeat magazine’s New Star Award.
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Joe Pass also played on Pacific Jazz recordings by Gerald Wilson, Bud Shank, and Les McCann. Pass was a member of the George Shearing Quintet from 1965 through 1967.
Throughout the 1960s, Pass primarily did TV and recording session work in Los Angeles, including performing in television orchestras. Norman Granz, the producer of Jazz at the Philharmonic and the founder of Verve Records, signed Pass to Pablo Records in December 1973.
In December 1974, Pass released his solo album Virtuoso on Pablo. Also in 1974, Pablo released the album The Trio with Pass, Oscar Peterson, and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. He performed with them on many occasions throughout the 1970s and 1980s. At the Grammy Awards of 1975, The Trio won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Group. As part of the Pablo roster, Pass recorded with Benny Carter, Milt Jackson, Herb Ellis, Zoot Sims, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Count Basie.
Pass and Ella Fitzgerald recorded six albums together on Pablo toward the end of Fitzgerald’s career: Take Love Easy (1973), Fitzgerald and Pass… Again (1976), Hamburg Duets – 1976 (1976), Sophisticated Lady (1975, 1983), Speak Love (1983), and Easy Living (1986).
Joe Pass Discography (on Wikipedia)
JOE PASS – Virtuoso – Album
Track List:
0:00:02 N̲i̲g̲h̲t̲ ̲A̲n̲d̲ ̲D̲a̲y̲ 0:03:34 S̲t̲e̲l̲l̲a̲ ̲B̲y̲ ̲S̲t̲a̲r̲l̲i̲g̲h̲t̲ ̲ 0:08:45 H̲e̲r̲e̲’̲s̲ ̲T̲h̲a̲t̲ ̲R̲a̲i̲n̲y̲ ̲D̲a̲y̲ ̲ 0:12:19 M̲y̲ ̲O̲l̲d̲ ̲F̲l̲a̲m̲e̲ ̲ 0:17:35 H̲o̲w̲ ̲H̲i̲g̲h̲ ̲T̲h̲e̲ ̲M̲o̲o̲n̲ ̲ 0:22:35 C̲h̲e̲r̲o̲k̲e̲e̲ ̲ 0:26:10 S̲w̲e̲e̲t̲ ̲L̲o̲r̲r̲a̲i̲n̲e̲ ̲ 0:30:18 H̲a̲v̲e̲ ̲Y̲o̲u̲ ̲M̲e̲t̲ ̲M̲i̲s̲s̲ ̲J̲o̲n̲e̲s̲?̲ 0:35:00 ‘̲R̲o̲u̲n̲d̲ ̲M̲i̲d̲n̲i̲g̲h̲t̲ ̲ 0:38:36 A̲l̲l̲ ̲T̲h̲e̲ ̲T̲h̲i̲n̲g̲s̲ ̲Y̲o̲u̲ ̲A̲r̲e̲ ̲ 0:43:09 B̲l̲u̲e̲s̲ ̲F̲o̲r̲ ̲A̲l̲i̲c̲a̲n̲ ̲ 0:48:03 T̲h̲e̲ ̲S̲o̲n̲g̲s̲ ̲I̲s̲ ̲Y̲o̲u̲
Occasionally, you will read about different lists that are publish from reputable sources and music magazines about who the best guitarists in the history of music. They are the typical Top lists 50, Top 100 and the latest, Top 250 published by the music magazine “Rolling Stone” (by the way, a ridiculous ranking, with many missing and a meaningless ranking).
With this context and excuse, we wish to draw your attention to a musician who is often not mentioned, or if he is, is criminally located very low in the ranking positions. Best known and revered within from the Jazz circuits , “Joe Pass” is much more than a great jazz guitarist: he is also one of the greatest guitarists (jazz or of any other genre) of the 20th century.
Who was Joe Pass?
Joe Pass (born Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalacqua) was a American jazz guitarist . Pass is known for his work derived from numerous collaborations with pianist Oscar Peterson and vocalist Ella Fitzgerald. Joe Pass has also recorded with Benny Carter, Milt Jackson, Herb Ellis, Zoot Sims, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie.
He is widely considered one of the guitarists of most notable jazz (in general) of the 20th century. Joe Pass died on May 23, 1994.
Next we want to recommend one of his many albums, “Virtuouso”.
ALBUM: Virtuoso
An album by jazz guitarist Joe Pass that was published in 1973 . Despite having only one original composition (“Blues for Alican”), is widely considered their best album, as well as one of the best jazz guitar albums. “Virtuoso” is technically brilliant, melodic and above all passionate.
The genius of Joe Pass was that he was able to retain easily melodic lines of standards while adding thoughts extended and extrapolated at the top and bottom of the melodies. In every song, with every passing phrase, modified and expanded line or poetic thinking, Pass demonstrates his unique style that is better than all the others.
In the cuts “Night & Day”, “Stella by Starlight” (influenced by Andrés Segovia), “Here’s That Rainy Day” or the improvised “Cherokee”, Joe Pass is at the top. Occasionally he concentrates more on the melody as in “‘Round Midnight” or “All the Things You Are”, but faces any challenge during a masterful cover-remake of “The Song Is You”. Overall, Joe Pass’ work and his improvisation on this album It is considered the most creative. Ultra-fast chord changes interspersed with dizzying scales and arpeggios, all of which are played at a disconcerting speed.
In fact, to add more merit and praise, we have read a review about this album by a jazz fan and record collector which says:
” Pass’s finger-style interpretations of standards such as “Stella By Starlight”, “‘Round Midnight” and “All The Things You Are” should be mandatory for anyone who aspires to understand the history and intricate form of the guitar solo of jazz .”
Wow, this in itself is a recommendation that should Arouse anyone’s curiosity. This work is also an excellent entry point for the rest of the recording material that Joe has left us Pass (collaborations and soloist) .
“Virtuoso” is considered by jazz experts and music lovers a masterpiece due to the amazing dexterity, fluidity of ideas and originality . The album earned Joe Pass a well-deserved international recognition, a large number of disciples and generated a series of recordings titled “Virtuoso” (1, 2, 3…).
And we’d like to finish, leaving aside the fact that it is a masterpiece of jazz, there can be no doubt about the essential nature of this amazing recording, a first class piece for any guitarist of jazz, one of today’s great contemporary albums and a great listen essential for any serious music lover.
Although it is a personal recommendation, for some it may be Better to listen to the album in small doses, as the format can wear out a little after a while, especially if jazz or guitar is not “your strongest taste.” we suggest you be patient and allow mature within you.
That being said, this is one of the best guitar albums jazz of all time from one of the best guitarists of the 20th century . It is simply an essential album.