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Guitarist Joe Pass (1929-94) amazed the jazz world with his 1974 solo album Virtuoso, reinventing the electric guitar with classical technique, subtle colours, expression and swing. Geoffrey Smith surveys both his solos and collaborations with the likes of Oscar Peterson.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 21 May 201700:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Duke Ellington, Joe Pass & Louie Bellson

    Cotton Tail

    • Duke's Big 4.
    • Pablo.
    • 1.

  • Joe Pass

    How High The Moon

    • Virtuoso.
    • OJC Masters.
    • 5.

  • Joe Pass

    My Old Flame

    • Virtuoso.
    • OJC Masters.
    • 4.

  • Count Basie, Joe Pass, Milt Jackson, Louie Bellson & Count Ossie and His Band

    (We Ain'T Got) No Special Thing

    • Kansas City 5.
    • Pablo.
    • 3.

  • Joe Pass

    Paco De Lucia

    • Virtuoso No 3.
    • Pablo.
    • 8.

  • Joe Pass

    Just Friends

    • I Remember Charlie Parker.
    • Pablo.
    • 1.

  • Roland Hanna, Joe Pass, Harold Jones & Sarah Vaughan

    I Didn'T Know What Time It Was

    • Crazy and Mixed Up.
    • Pablo.

  • Stéphane Grappelli & Joe Pass

    It'S Only A Paper Moon

    • Tivoli Gardens.
    • Pablo.
    • 1.

  • Joe Pass, John Pisano & Colin Bailey

    The Red Door

    • Joe Pass - Appassionato.
    • Pablo.
    • 7.

  • Joe Pass

    Round Midnight

    • Joe Pass - Unforgettable.
    • Pablo.
    • 7.

Performers and music details

C.E.D.
Joe Pass and Band
Composers: Joe Pass
Album Title: Walking Up
Label: Phono Catalogue No: 870276
Duration: 3:11
Performers: Joe Pass, Guitar; Dave Allan, Trumpet; Greg Dykes, Horn; Arnold Ross, Piano; Ronald Clark, Bass; Bill Crawford, Drums; Candy Latson, Percussion


COTTON TAIL
Duke Ellington and Band
Composers: Duke Ellington
Album Title: Duke's Big 4
Label: Pablo Catalogue No: 0025218-070324
Duration: 4:14
Performers: Duke Ellington, piano; Joe Pass, guitar; Ray Brown, bass; Louis Bellson, drums.



HOW HIGH THE MOON
Joe Pass
Composers: Nancy Hamilton & Morgan Lewis
Album Title: Virtuoso
Label: OJC Masters Catalogue No: 0888072-319905 Duration: 4:57
Performer: Joe Pass, guitar



MY OLD FLAME
Joe Pass
Composers: Arthur Johnston & Sam Coslow
Album Title: Virtuoso
Label: OJC Masters Catalogue No: 0888072-319905
Duration: 5:14
Performer: Joe Pass, guitar


(WE AIN’T GOT) NO SPECIAL THING Count Basie and his Band
Composers: Count Basie, Milton Jackson & Joe Pass
Album Title: Kansas City 5
Label: Pablo Catalogue No: 2312 126
Duration: 5:33
Performers: Count Basie, piano; Milt Jackson, vibes; Joe Pass, guitar; John Heard, bass; Louis Bellson, drums.


PACO DE LUCIA
Joe Pass
Composers: Joe Pass 
Album Title: Virtuoso No 3
Label: Pablo Catalogue No: OJCCD6842
Duration: 5:52
Performer: Joe Pass, guitar


JUST FRIENDS Joe Pass
Composers: John Klenner, Sam Lewis
Album Title: I Remember Charlie Parker
Label: Pablo Catalogue No: OJCCD602-2 
Duration: 4:26
Performer: Joe Pass, guitar



I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TIME IT WAS Sarah Vaughan and Band
Composers: Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart
Album Title: Crazy and Mixed Up
Label: Pablo Catalogue No: 231-2137
Duration: 3:57
Performers: Sarah Vaughan, vocal; Roland Hanna, piano; Andy Simpkins, bass; Harold Jones, drums; Joe Pass, guitar.



IT'S ONLY A PAPER MOON
Stephane Grappelli Trio
Composers: Arlen/Harburg/Rose
Album Title: Tivoli Gardens
Label: Pablo Catalogue No: OJCCD 4412
Duration: 3:55
Performers: Stephane Grappelli, violin; Joe Pass, guitar; Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, bass.


THE RED DOOR
Joe Pass Ensemble
Composers: Mulligan/Sims
Album Title: Joe Pass - Appassionato
Label: Pablo Catalogue No: CD2310946 
Duration: 4:48
Performers: Joe Pass, guitar; John Pisano, guitar; Jim Hughart, bass; Colin Bailey, drums.


ROUND MIDNIGHT Joe Pass
Composers: Hanighen/Monk/Williams
Album Title: Joe Pass - Unforgettable
Label: Pablo Catalogue No: CD23109642
Duration: 5:19
Performer: Joe Pass, guitar

Broadcast

  • Sun 21 May 201700:00
    BBC Radio 3

Podcast

  • Geoffrey Smith's Jazz

    Geoffrey Smith's Jazz - a weekly sequence exploring what makes great jazz great music