Joe Pass is "Unforgettable" in this unique CD.
Mary Whipple | New England | 11/01/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Famed jazz guitarist Joe Pass, who played with George Shearing, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, and Dizzy Gillespie, in addition to making several CDs with Ella Fitzgerald, plays solo jazz here in this astonishing recording from 1992. Often regarded as the greatest jazz guitarist of all time, Pass manages to make a single acoustic guitar sound like several guitars played in concert, playing the melody and its variations, the bass accompaniment, and the harmony and treble accompaniment all at the same time. The result is a quiet, relaxing CD, full of romance and soft, moody impressions.
Seventeen tracks, ranging from 2:29 to 4:13 in length, showcase Pass's guitar technique as he plays his own versions of jazz and pop standards, from the romantic "Autumn Leaves, and the beautifully adapted "Unforgettable," to "The Very Thought of You," with the melody in the bass, jazz riffs in the treble, and a surprising change from a soft, slow pace to a jazzier, stronger beat near the end.
Of special note here is "Stardust," which, unlike several other songs here, truly benefits from the solo guitar treatment, associated as it is with Hoagy Carmichael on solo piano, rather than with big bands and big orchestral treatments. As Pass runs his variations up and down the scale, keeping his melody at the forefront, he gives an interpretation worthy of Carmichael's original.
Guitar students will marvel at Pass's talent, his originality, and his ability to make one instrument sound like a whole band, while those whose interest is less technical and more geared to the overall mood of the music will appreciate the quiet and interesting variations to traditional melodies. Pass's ability to be original without being loud and intrusive makes this a wonderfully relaxing CD to play in the background all day long. n Mary Whipple
"
Stunning. The way guitar should be played
Charles A. Cooper | Jacksonville, Florida USA | 02/01/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the solo guitar recording you always believed somebody could do. The truth is only Joe Pass could do it this well. He just simply plays the acoustic guitar better than anyone I can think of, and I mean anyone. Everything about this recording is perfect, from the song selection to Joe's arrangements. The recording and production values and the playing are stunning. On other recordings Joe occassionally gets a little too far outside for the average ear, but on this album every single note is brilliantly necessary to whole of each tune. Amazing."
Brilliant
Tim Shaw Jr. | Washington State | 02/17/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This really is the best jazz solo guitar album of all time, in my opinion. Pick it up, you won't regret it. I can listen to this album hundreds of times and not get tired of it."
