Joe Pass • Sounds of Synanon

Review by Robert Taylor

A significant recording, as this is Joe Pass' debut on vinyl. It was recorded while Pass was still a patient at the Synanon Drug Center in California. Made with fellow patients, Pass proved to be a star. It is interesting to note that Pass played an electric solid-body rock guitar, as he did not even own a guitar at this time. His legendary chops are especially evident on "Projections" and "Hang Tough," featuring some of his cleanest playing ever recorded. His accompanists prove to be adequate, but hardly approach the genius of Pass. A landmark recording in the history of jazz guitar.

https://www.allmusic.com/album/sounds-of-synanon-mw0000711850

Joe Pass almost didn't make it as a musician due to his early battle with drug addiction. But following a successful rehab at Synanon and a recording session with fellow recovered musicians entitled Sounds of Synanon, the guitarist was signed by Dick Bock to the Pacific Jazz label. Pass made several albums as a leader and sideman for Bock, though work started drying up in the late 1960s as rock dominated the music marketplace.

But it was when Joe Pass met impressario Norman Granz that the guitarist's career took off. Granz signed him to his new Pablo label in the early 1970s and recorded him extensively, as a soloist (especially the oustanding Virtuoso series), in duos, trios and as a part of many studio and concert jam sessions. By this time Pass had developed such a virtuoso technique on his instrument that he was considered the “Art Tatum of the guitar” by many critics. Pass especially excelled in his many recordings with piano great Oscar Peterson, as the two men were energized by the stimulation of playing with a fellow master, often at a ridiculous tempo.

Strangely, Joe Pass was rarely happy with his recordings, telling liner note writer Ken Dryden that “I always feel like I could have done better.” Following a single session as a leader for Telarc, Pass made one final CD with Roy Clark (of Hee Haw fame): Roy Clark & Joe Pass Play Hank Williams, though a number of previously unissued collections of his recordings would appear after his passing

 Joe Pass died of liver cancer on May 23, 1994 in Los Angeles.

https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/joepass

///////

Reseña de Robert Taylor

Una grabación significativa, ya que este es el debut de Joe Pass en vinilo. Se grabó cuando Pass aún era paciente del Centro de Drogas Synanon en California. Hecho con otros pacientes, Pass demostró ser una estrella. Es interesante notar que Pass tocaba una guitarra eléctrica de rock de cuerpo sólido, ya que ni siquiera tenía una guitarra en ese momento. Sus habilidades legendarias son especialmente evidentes en "Projections" y "Hang Tough", con algunas de sus interpretaciones más limpias jamás grabadas. Sus acompañantes son adecuados, pero apenas se acercan al genio de Pass. Una grabación histórica en la historia de la guitarra de jazz.

https://www.allmusic.com/album/sounds-of-synanon-mw0000711850

Joe Pass casi no llegó a ser músico debido a su temprana batalla contra la adicción a las drogas. Pero después de una exitosa rehabilitación en Synanon y una sesión de grabación con otros músicos recuperados titulada Sounds of Synanon, el guitarrista fue firmado por Dick Bock para el sello Pacific Jazz. Pass hizo varios álbumes como líder y sideman para Bock, aunque el trabajo comenzó a secarse a finales de la década de 1960 cuando el rock dominó el mercado de la música.

Pero fue cuando Joe Pass conoció al impresionante Norman Granz cuando la carrera del guitarrista despegó. Granz lo fichó por su nuevo sello Pablo a principios de los 70 y lo grabó extensamente, como solista (especialmente en la destacada serie Virtuoso), en dúos, tríos y como parte de muchas jam sessions de estudio y conciertos. En ese momento Pass había desarrollado una técnica tan virtuosa en su instrumento que muchos críticos lo consideraban el "Art Tatum de la guitarra". Pass destacó especialmente en sus numerosas grabaciones con el gran pianista Oscar Peterson, ya que los dos hombres se energizaron con la estimulación de tocar con un compañero maestro, a menudo a un ritmo ridículo.

Extrañamente, Joe Pass rara vez estaba contento con sus grabaciones, diciéndole al escritor de notas de línea Ken Dryden que "siempre siento que podría haberlo hecho mejor". Después de una sola sesión como líder de Telarc, Pass hizo un último CD con Roy Clark (de la fama de Hee Haw): Roy Clark & Joe Pass Play Hank Williams, aunque un número de colecciones de sus grabaciones no publicadas anteriormente aparecerían después de su fallecimiento.

 Joe Pass murió de cáncer de hígado el 23 de mayo de 1994 en Los Ángeles.

https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/joepass

 


Tracklist:
A1 - C.E.D. - 3:10
A2 - Aaron's Song - 4:25
A3 - Stay Loose - 4:18
A4 - Projections Dykes - 5:05
B1 - Hang Tough - 6:25
B2 - Self-Image - 9:00
B3 - Last Call For Coffee - 4:30


Credits:
    Bass – Ronald Clark
    Bongos – Candy Latson
    Drums – Bill Crawford
    Guitar – Joe Pass
    Horn [Baritone] – Greg Dykes
    Piano – Arnold Ross
    Producer – Richard Bock
    Trumpet – Dave Allen


Label: Pacific Jazz ‎– ST 48
Released: 1962
Genre: Jazz


Notes:
Recorded at Pacific Jazz Studios Hollywood, California, 1962.




MORE Joe Pass ...

This file is intended only for preview!
I ask you to delete the file from your hard drive after reading it.
thank for the original uploader