To me, what Peterson did with the clavichord is brilliant. At times it sounds like a funky fretted instrument, maybe a mandolin. It's neither harpsichord nor piano. Historically, clavichord predates both. By pressing the keys harder, the player can actually bend strings like a blues guitarist. But clavichord is not a loud instrument– even an acoustic guitar can overpower it. Oscar Peterson and Joe Pass are, of course, masters. The playing is top notch (the album was recorded in a single studio session). Harmonically they don't take Gershwin anyplace he hasn't been before, but their assured feel combined with the novel acoustic blend make this album a constant delight.
Few would argue with the statement that there is not an excess of guitar-trombone duet albums. In fact, in terms of instrumentation, this date may very well be somewhat unique in jazz history. Trombonist J.J. Johnson had already been the pacesetter on his instrument for nearly 40 years at the time, while guitarist Joe Pass proved in the 1970s that he could make his axe fulfill all the roles of an orchestra. Still, the strong success of this inspired outing is a bit of a surprise. While Pass often adds walking lines behind Johnson, the trombonist sometimes plays long tones behind the guitarist's solos. Most exciting are the spots where the two share the lead equally. Other than Bud Powell's "Bud's Blues" and Johnson's "Naked as a Jaybird," the duo sticks to standards. But obviously, these versions sound quite a bit different than usual. Highlights include "Wave," "Limehouse Blues," "Nature Boy," and "When Lights Are Low."
In Jazz Lines Joe Pass discusses the scales and arpeggios he uses when improvising. Joe also demonstrates non-stop improvised lines for: major 7th, minor 7th, static and altered dominant 7th chord types plus a special section on turnarounds. Get insight into how Joe 'thinks' while improvising. The DVD includes a booklet with all of the video examples transcribed on the treble clef - with absolutely no tablature. If you live off of tab then I wouldn't recommend this video, but if you can read music there is a wealth of information to study and learn from.
This is the album that made Joe Pass famous … An essential CD.
This rather memorable Pablo recording, his only album as a leader for Norman Granz's label (although he made several notable appearances as a sideman), features the great jazz harmonica player Toots Thielemans in a sparse trio with guitarist Joe Pass and bassist Niels Pedersen. The four main numbers ("Blues in the Closet," "Thriving on a Riff," "Autumn Leaves," and "Someday My Prince Will Come") are pure bebop, and Thielemans' solo guitar rendition of "The Mooche" is also a highlight.Review by Scott Yanow
This is a recording from 1969 by guitarist Joe Pass, it was released on Discovery Records and features Joe Pass on guitar in solo and ensemble settings, additional players are Mike Melvoin on keyboards, Monte Budwig on bass, Colin Bailey on drums, Victor Feldman on percussion and Vincent Terri on rhythm guitar, plus voices.