Born: January 13, 1929 | Died: May 23, 1994 Primary Instrument: Guitar
Joe Pass almost didn't make it as a musician due to his early battle with drug addiction. But following a successful rehab at Synanon and a recording session with fellow recovered musicians entitled Sounds of Synanon, the guitarist was signed by Dick Bock to the Pacific Jazz label. Pass made several albums as a leader and sideman for Bock, though work started drying up in the late 1960s as rock dominated the music marketplace.
But it was when Joe Pass met impressario Norman Granz that the guitarist's career took off. Granz signed him to his new Pablo label in the early 1970s and recorded him extensively, as a soloist (especially the oustanding Virtuoso series), in duos, trios and as a part of many studio and concert jam sessions. By this time Pass had developed such a virtuoso technique on his instrument that he was considered the “Art Tatum of the guitar” by many critics. Pass especially excelled in his many recordings with piano great Oscar Peterson, as the two men were energized by the stimulation of playing with a fellow master, often at a ridiculous tempo.
Strangely, Joe Pass was rarely happy with his recordings, telling liner note writer Ken Dryden that “I always feel like I could have done better.” Following a single session as a leader for Telarc, Pass made one final CD with Roy Clark (of Hee Haw fame): Roy Clark & Joe Pass Play Hank Williams, though a number of previously unissued collections of his recordings would appear after his passing. Joe Pass died of liver cancer on May 23, 1994 in Los Angeles.
- The Stones Jazz
- Virtuoso
- Virtuoso II
- Virtuoso III
- Virtuoso IV
- Virtuoso Live!
- At Montreux Jazz Festival
- Montreux '77 - Live
- I Remember Charlie Parker
- University of Akron Concert
- Blues for Fred
- What Is There to Say
- Songs for Ellen
- Unforgettable
- Blues Dues
- Joe pass guitar interludes psyche jazz lp
- A Salle Pleyel
- Porgy and Bess
- The Good Life
- The Trio
- The Paris Concert
- The Giants
- If You Could See Me Now
- A Tribute to My Friends
- Chops
- Northsea Nights
- Digital III at Montreux (1979)
- Eximious
- Take Love Easy (1973)
- Fitzgerald and Pass... Again (1976)
- Speak Love (1983)
- Easy Living (1986)
- Gee Baby 'Aint I Good To You (1986)
- Sophisticated Lady (2001)
- Sounds of Synanon (with Arnold Ross, Dave Allan, et al.)
- Moment of Truth (with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra)
- Portraits (with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra)
- On Stage (with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra)
- Somethin' Special (with Les McCann)
- On Time (with Les McCann)
- Jazz As I Feel It (with Les McCann)
- For Django (Joe Pass Quartet, with John Pisano, Jim Hughart, and Colin Bailey)
- Simplicity (Joe Pass Quartet, featuring Clare Fischer)
- Catch Me! (with pianist Clare Fischer, bassist Ralph Pena, and drummer Larry Bunker)
- Brassamba (with Bud Shank)
- Folk 'n' Flute (with Bud Shank)
- Intercontinental (with Eberhard Weber and Kenny Clare)
- Joe's Blues (with Herb Ellis)
- Jazz Concord (with Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, and Jake Hanna)
- Seven Come Eleven (with Herb Ellis)
- Two for the Road (with Herb Ellis)
- Ira, George, And Joe (with John Pisano, Jim Hughart, and Shelly Manne)
- Summer Nights (with John Pisano)
- Quadrant (with Milt Jackson, Ray Brown, and Mickey Roker)
- Appassionato (with John Pisano)
- Duets (with John Pisano)
- Live at Yoshi's (with John Pisano)
- My Song (with John Pisano)
- Tudo Bem (with Paulinho Da Costa) (1992)
- After Hours (with Andre Previn and Ray Brown) (1989)
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