Search - Joe Pass :: Eximious

Eximious!!!

Chris Covais | 03/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have never thought of Joe Pass as a solo guitarist. I was clearly wrong, but fact is, all I had/have heard was albums with him with other musicians. (Live At Yoshi's Vol 1&2, Catch Me, Live 1964, w/ Roy Clark, Appassionato, Summer Nights, etc.)



This is no ground breaking album. This is just three men, jamming out some killer tracks. I have always called Joe Pass one of the most influential and innovative guitarists in jazz.



Joe Pass on guitar, Orsted Pederson on bass, and Martin Drew on drums make up this neat little trio. A Cool Cat And A Groovy Chick is the only Pass original. It is perhaps the best track on the album. His version here, of Lush Life is tremendous.



Love For Sale and Night & Day, recieve some special treatment. This album is perfect to showcase Pass's brilliant style. No other instruments get in the way. Just a small tight rhythm section backing Pass, so he can strut his stuff.



This is the ultimate groovin', lights down low album! It's what you need to impress that girl on the first date. It's real jazz"

A cool Joe Pass

Robert Emanuele | NYC, NY USA | 10/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was surprised to hear this out of Joe Pass. My only experience beforehand was the beautifully masterful solo guitar work on the virtuoso series. This, thought, is just some great, cool jazz. Orsted lays some amazingly hip bass lines while Pass gets to rip on some laid back bop solos. Its constantly in my CD player, and being a jazz guitarist its a gem for me."

At least it's Joe Pass

J. Matz | chi-town, USA | 04/12/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Let's face it, Joe Pass is never bad, but there are things about this album that prevent it from being a classic-- and these things have nothing to do with Joe's playing.



First, I guess i'm just not a Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen fan. Is the man capable of just walking a line? His too-busy basslines hurt the swing of this material-- it seems he's always playing four notes where one would have done. And then there's problem #2. Tone.



Norman Granz's production is abysmal! The overall sound is brittle and overly-midrangey. The bass sounds as if it were recorded direct from some pickup installed in the bridge-- the resultant sound is harsh, overly forward in the mix, and coupled with Pedersen's playing it really hurts the album. The drums have that late seventies- early eighties "snare's too tight" sound. And Pass' guitar-- Arrrggghhh!



I'm not a fan of effects on jazz guitar, but Joe's guitar is sooooo dry it sounds as if he'll split the wood. There's nary an ounce of reverb, not even the kind you'd get by naturally playing in a room. It sounds as if the microphine was placed against the speaker grille, and then the amp was put inside a cardboard box. YUCK!



And it's a shame really, cuz Joe burns!



The most redeeming aspects are Joe's dips back into solo pieces, in which miraculously his tone has returned. If you're a fan of Pass you'll want this album, but if you're new to the man, start somewhere else."