Guitarist Joe Pass was known for his forthright, straight-ahead style, gorgeous tone, and melodic concepts. This magnificent five-CD set collects his entire output in 1963 and 1964 as a leader, with additional sessions in which Pass plays in a trio led by Les McCann. Most of the tracks feature a quartet (the five exceptions adding the saxophone or flute of Bill Perkins), with the guitarist virtually always a key voice.
When Dave Samuels first formed the Caribbean Jazz Project with, at that time, Paquito D'Rivera and Andy Narell, it was an extension of his own studies in Latin jazz that had been part of his music - both solo and with Spyro Gyra – since the mid-'70s. After two albums with the first team, the Project was set aside for other gigs. During this time, Samuels kindled musical friendships with flutist Dave Valentin and guitarist Steve Khan, and Samuels got excited about the possibility of playing off of a traditional Latin instrument – flute and the guitar, which wasn't.
3 great Pacific Jazz CD's chronicling Chet Baker and Russ Freeman's live performances. This is where you really start to hear Chet find his own sound. He starts branching out on the two My Funny Valentine's found here, and his recordings of Stella By Starlight sound like the one's he did in the 1980's. The recording quality is pretty average in Volume 1, but it improves in Volume 2 and 3, especially considering how noisy American Jazz clubs used to be. Zing Went The Strings of My Heart is amazing, and it's one the fastest tempo tune Baker ever recorded. On several cuts, he plays the "Boo-bams", a bongo-type instrument invented by his friend Bill Loughborough.
The Future Sounds of Jazz series continues to bring forth the best that nu-jazz and downtempo has to offer. Volume 8 happens to be one of the strongest installments of the series, presenting a variety of styles, from bossa rhythms to gentle house and spoken word. Includes exclusive tracks & previously unreleased tracks.