In 1974 The Joe Pass Trio played a series of dates at Donte's in Los
Angeles called "Guitar Night," and they were always on Monday nights.
These events caught on and started an entirely new type of entertainment
focusing on influential and prominent guitar players like Pass. This
was also the first album that Pass provided liner notes for an album.
I found his viewpoint to be very illuminating, and he offered an entirely
different perspective on his music, much more deeply than anyone else could.
Pass wasn't as revered as his contemporaries, and it totally baffles
me as to why. The man served as his own rhythm section while playing
some of the most memorable lead jazz and blues licks ever. Joe could
take any song, his own or a standard, and turn it upside down and
give it his own definitive stamp. On these live remastered tracks
that is exactly what he did. Pass's style was silky smooth and defined.
He played with the exactness of Segovia, yet he wasn't recognized
as the master jazz guitarists that he truly was. It seems now, years
after his death, he is being looked upon in a different light. It
is sad that it happens that way, and all too frequently. I suppose
getting the recognition you really deserve serves its ultimate purpose
in preserving an artists' work through lovingly repackaged releases
as this. Pablo Records does a superb job with the sound remastering
of the tracks. They package it all in a very aesthetically pleasing
and informative way. As more of the man's music is uncovered and released,
the furthering of his legend and the enormity of his presence as one
of the most important jazz guitarists of our time is revealed.
Side One
1. Look What They Done to My Song, Ma (Melanie) - 6:43
2. You Stepped Out of a Dream (Brown/Kahn) - 7:39
3. A Time for Love (Mandel/Webster) - 4:08
4. Donte's Inferno (Pass) - 6:31
5. You Are the Sunshine of My Life (Wonder) - 5:46
6. Secret Love (Fain/Webster) - 7:33
7. Sweet Georgia Brown (Bernie/Casey/Pinkard) - 8:28
Side Two
1. Stompin' at the Savoy (Goodman/Sampson/Webb) - 10:39
2. Darn That Dream (DeLange/VanHeusen) - 3:43
3. Milestones (Davis) - 8:16
4. Lullaby of the Leaves (Petkere/Young) - 9:12
5. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? (Bergman/Bergman/Legrand) - 3:00
6. Blues for Pamela (Pass) - 9:37
Credits:
Joe Pass - Guitar, Performer, Original Liner Notes
Norman Granz - Producer, Original Liner Notes
Jim Hughart - Bass (Electric)
Frank Severino - Drums
