Customer Reviews

Joe Pass: The Blues Side Of Jazz

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3 star:		(1)
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I rented this at NetFlix and liked it so much I went to Amazon and bought it.
If you are an intermediate level guitar player and you are starting to get bored with the same old blues changes, this dvd is for you. Joe shows you those rich sounding jazz/blues chords that will make your music more interesting, for you, and anyone playing with you. The good news is, they sound more complicated to play than they are. It is also interlaced with Joe's dry, tongue in cheek, humor.

This DVD will give some insight to guitarists about how Joe plays his "chord grips" as he calls them and how he solos over any particular chord or progression.A useful companion DVD would be the "Solo Jazz" DVD by Joe.With careful study,both DVDs will help to give a basic explanation of Joe's style and how he plays.After watching these DVDs,listen to Joe's Cds with Ella Fitzgerald and Zoot Sims and you'll get another lesson on how to comp for a soloist.Highly recommended.

This is a great tool for the guitar player who's struggling with the transition from blues/rock style to jazz. Joe really helps guide us down the path we need to follow with this instructional and entertaining dvd.

I find I usually can't learn from videos. They spend 10 minutes tuning, then usually either go painfully slowly or else just teach licks, tab style, and you mater the lick and it is only useful to you if you arte playing that exact song. That's a shame because the videos are usually very limited in time duration and cost a lot of money.
Pass's video is different. He assumes you're serious and know a few things about guitar already. Get in tune before you hit play.
Pass takes us through a dizzying array of "changes" but never leaves the I IV V blues progression and never deviates from key of G Major. It is up to the student to transpose this stuff and use it elsewhere. The only melody present is what Pass makes up off the top of his head, and only as a point of reference.
This is awesome, as it keeps the attention where it should be for the sake of this subject, playing the blues. Any blues. I would say it's a lesson in practical ":changes" you can use in millions of different numbers, AND a lesson in how to think like a jazz man while playing or accompanying others.
I find I am still digesting this video, coming back to it a couple of times a week for more insight. There is tons of material here. It's one thing to get a world-class jazz man to spend an hour with you explaining how he thinks while he plays, another to get him to explain it to you over and over for weeks until you get it.
And that's the beauty of this video. It's like spending a semester with one of the great teachers in the world and for cheap money. This video has changed and will continue to change how I play. It is the least money I have ever spent to become a better musician.
HINT: Don't let his amazing technique fool you; you do not have to be an advanced student to profit from this lesson. If you can play a I IV V blues in G you are ready for this tape. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time pausing because Pass does not waste time carefully spelling and showing each chord; he leaves it to you to pause the show and figure it out. This is actually a very good thing. Time is money. Here you get raw guitar action, not some guy basically reading you the text book.
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The booklet is useless, by the way, the print is so tiny you can't see it at all.

There's no doubt Joe was one of the very best jazz guitar players ever, but as a teacher he was not especially gifted. On this cd is is actually pretty good about explaining the chords, but as far as single note lines goes, he sheds very little light.

This DVD assumes you know some theory. It is unpretentious and compelling. Within an hour my playing improved, and I'm not quite sure why. It is probably because this is a sort of an informal link between messing around and doing something sophisticated. Joe is a grandmaster, but is so humbly appealing that he makes it fun to learn. A wonderful quote: "If it's hard, don't play it!".

Joe Pass needs no introduction, this dvd does not dissapoint.

I enjoy listening to Joe's no BS delivery as much as I enjoy the education.

great product.
Len