Joe Pass

Joe Pass - The Stones Jazz - 1966 - World Pacific

An album of songs by the Rolling Stones hardly sounds like promising material for any jazz release, even in the hands of a master guitarist like Joe Pass. Featuring ten of their hits with arrangements by Bob Florence and an unidentified cast of musicians, other than tenor saxophonist Bill Perkins, this LP was clearly one for a paycheck when most jazz players were scratching for work. Unlike the works of Lennon and McCartney of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones' music doesn't lend itself to jazz. Pass doesn't solo with the gusto one came to expect from his many great sessions from the 1970s to the end of his life for Pablo and elsewhere. Even the closing blues "Stones Jazz," credited to Florence and Pass, sounds severely dated and not worth a second hearing to today's jazz listener. A very unlikely candidate for reissue on CD, this record will be sought by Joe Pass fanatics only. © Ken Dryden © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/r145223

A short album recorded at World Pacific Jazz Studios, Los Angeles, CA, in July, 1966. Joe Pass once said that when the Beatles first came to America "his studio work, and everyone else's dried up after February 1964". "The only musicians able to get studio work were those able to play the "new sounds". Joe Pass and other jazz musicians found it necessary to make records like this to go with the musical flow to earn some money. Joe Pass also said that this record was made "for fun", and that he enjoyed recording it. Some music critics deem Jagger & Richard's songs unsuitable for jazz interpretations. Listen to Tim Ries' "Rolling Stones Project", which is a brilliant jazz covers album of Stones' tunes. The late Joe Pass was an exceptionally talented jazz guitarist, and "The Stones Jazz" although it's a very good album should not be taken too seriously by jazz purists, and certainly not as an example of Joe Pass' best work. In fact, Joe's guitar work is only one part of the album. There is also guitar by Dennis Budimir and John Pisano, and the excellent piano, trombone, and sax work is worth focusing on. I wonder has Charlie Watts ever commented on this album? Listen to Joe's great "Songs for Ellen" and "Chops" albums [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 78.6 mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

A1 Play With Fire - N. Phelge (Nanker Phelge is a songwriter pseudonym used by the Rolling Stones between 1963 and 1965. It was used for collaborations by the whole band, i.e. Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman.) 2:58
A2 19th Nervous Breakdown - Richard, Jagger 2:58
A3 I Am Waiting - Richard, Jagger 2:53
A4 Lady Jane - Richard, Jagger 2:52
A5 Not Fade Away - Charles Hardin Holley (aka Buddy Holly) & Norman Petty 2:35
A6 Mother's Little Helper - Richard, Jagger 2:54

B1 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Richard, Jagger 3:10
B2 Paint It Black - Richard, Jagger 3:25
B3 What A Shame - Richard, Jagger 2:58
B4 As Tears Go By - Andrew Loog Oldham, Richard, Jagger 3:05
B5 Stone Jazz - Bob Florence & Joe Pass 2:50

MUSICIANS

Joe Pass, Dennis Budimir, John Pisano - Guitar
Chuck Berghofer - Bass
Bob Florence - Piano
John Gain - Drums
Victor Feldman - Percussion
Bill Perkins - Tenor Sax
Milt Bernhardt, Dick Hamilton, Herbie Harper, Gale Martin - Trombone

BIO

Joe Pass did the near-impossible. He was able to play up-tempo versions of bop tunes such as "Cherokee" and "How High the Moon" unaccompanied on the guitar. Unlike Stanley Jordan, Pass used conventional (but superb) technique, and his Virtuoso series on Pablo still sounds remarkable decades later. Joe Pass had a false start in his career. He played in a few swing bands (including Tony Pastor's) before graduating from high school, and was with Charlie Barnet for a time in 1947. But after serving in the military, Pass became a drug addict, serving time in prison and essentially wasting a decade. He emerged in 1962 with a record cut at Synanon, made a bit of a stir with his For Django set, recorded several other albums for Pacific Jazz and World Pacific, and performed with Gerald Wilson, Les McCann, George Shearing, and Benny Goodman (1973). However, in general Pass maintained a low profile in Los Angeles until he was signed by Norman Granz to his Pablo label. 1973's Virtuoso made him a star and he recorded very prolifically for Pablo, unaccompanied, with small groups, on duo albums with Ella Fitzgerald, and with such masters as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, and Dizzy Gillespie. Pass remained very active up until his death from cancer. © Scott Yanow © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joe-pass-p7292/biography