Born/Died: 13th January, 1929 (New Brunswick, New Jersey) - 23rd May, 1994
Profile: He was an Italian-American born jazz guitarist. His extensive use of walking basslines, melodic counterpoint during improvisation, use of a chord-melody style of play and outstanding knowledge of chord progressions opened up new possibilities for jazz guitar and had a profound influence on future guitarists.
History: Born into a non-musical family, Pass started to play the guitar after being inspired by actor Gene Autry's portrayal of a guitar playing cowboy. He received his first guitar, a Harmony model (bought for $17), on his 9th birthday. Pass' father recognized early that his son had 'a little something happening' and pushed him constantly to pick up tunes by ear, play pieces not written specifically for the instrument, practice scales and not to 'leave any spaces' - that is, to fill in the sonic space between the notes of the melody.
As early as 14, Pass started getting gigs and was playing with bands fronted by Tony Pastor and Charlie Barnet, honing his guitar skills and learning the music business. He began traveling with small jazz groups and eventually moved from Pennsylvania to New York City. In 1962 he recorded 'The Sounds of Synanon'.
In the 60's, Pass recorded a series of albums for the Pacific Jazz label, including the early classics 'Catch Me', '12-String Guitar', 'For Django', and 'Simplicity'. In 1965, Pass toured with George Shearing. Mostly, however, during the 60's he did TV and recording session work in LA, including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Merv Griffin Show, The Steve Allen Show, and others.
In the early 70's, Pass and guitarist Herb Ellis were performing together regularly at Donte's jazz club in LA. This collaboration led to Pass and Ellis recording the very first album on the new Concord Jazz label, entitled simply 'Jazz/Concord (#CJS-1)', and collaborated on a series of music books, and his 'Joe Pass Guitar Style' is considered a leading improvisation textbook for students of jazz.
In 1974, Pass released his landmark solo album 'Virtuoso' and the album 'The Trio' featuring Pass, Oscar Peterson, and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. At the Grammy Awards of 1975, "The Trio" won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Group. In the late 70's and early 80's, Pass and Ella Fitzgerald recorded four albums together; Take Love Easy (1973), Fitzgerald and Pass... Again (1976), Speak Love (1983), and Easy Living (1986).
In addition to his ensemble performances, the jazz community regards Joe Pass as an influential solo guitarist. His solo style was marked by an advanced linear technique, sophisticated harmonic sense, counterpoint between improvised lead lines, bass figures and chords, spontaneous modulations, and transitions from fast tempos to rubato passages. Pass would regularly add what he called 'color tones' to his compositions, to give what he believed was a more sophisticated and 'funkier' sound.
Influences: Django Reinhardt, Charlie Parker(saxophonist) and Gene Autry (actor)
Axology: Gibson ES-175 guitar, semi-acoustic Epiphone guitars, Ibanez guitars and a custom guitar by luthier Jimmy D'Aquisto,
Signature song(s): Cherokee - Joe Pass and How High the Moon - Joe Pass
Link(s):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFqiDcvRW2Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyjQv52Nzno&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWa6aChSf1w&feature=related
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