Unforgettable

Joe Pass

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 2, 1999)
• Original Release Date: November 23, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Pablo
• ASIN: B00000FXOH
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #22,945 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The title of this recording is doubly significant. While the late guitarist's interpretation of Irving Gordon's immortal composition is certainly representative of this collection of standards, it's Joe Pass himself who must be considered unforgettable. A master of technique, Pass first gained prominence as an industrious studio musician in the early '60s. After years as a sideman with George Shearing, Benny Goodman, and Ella Fitzgerald, among others, Pass worked as a solo artist until his death in 1994. This batch of classics performed on the acoustic guitar was recorded in 1992 and displays the man's accomplished fingerpicking technique and strength as a soloist. From emotive interpretations of "Autumn Leaves" and "Moonlight in Vermont" to his bopping version of Monk's "'Round Midnight," this is timeless Pass. --Mitch Myers

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The way guitar should be played, March 18, 2004

By	stranger2himself (Down Here) - See all my reviews

Joe Pass needs no introduction to guitar players. IMO he was the most innovative guitarist of the past 40 years. Other musicians and people who have never played the guitar probably do not realize how monumentally difficult it is to play a convincing, "piano-like" solo on the instrument. I'm not talking about single-note solos -- though Joe certainly had chops to burn in playing single lines. His groundbreaking achievement was devising a way to play a complete piece, rhythm, melody, harmony, improvisation, with incredible swinging rhythmic feel. Classical guitarists can, and do play complete solos, but in 30 years I've come across only a handful who could improvise (Baden Powell, Roland Dyens), and none can "swing" the way Joe Pass did. A few other jazz guitarists -- Gene Bertoncini, George VanEps, Charlie Byrd-- can play in this style, but, for me, there is still no substitute for the real Joe. I want to make it clear that this recording, along with "Songs for Ellen", shows a different, "deeper" side of Joe from his earlier "Virtuoso" stuff. Hard-boppers, horn players, and people who love sheer speed and technique may prefer "Virtuoso", but these later recordings with Joe on nylon-string guitar are unsurpassed for sheer beauty. Don't worry, he still has chops to burn on these discs, but the phenomenal technique is used with more restraint. He had nothing to prove by this time. The results are stunning. I never met Joe, but I miss him every day.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Joe Pass is "Unforgettable" in this unique CD., October 31, 2005

By	Mary Whipple (New England) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

Famed jazz guitarist Joe Pass, who played with George Shearing, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, and Dizzy Gillespie, in addition to making several CDs with Ella Fitzgerald, plays solo jazz here in this astonishing recording from 1992. Often regarded as the greatest jazz guitarist of all time, Pass manages to make a single acoustic guitar sound like several guitars played in concert, playing the melody and its variations, the bass accompaniment, and the harmony and treble accompaniment all at the same time. The result is a quiet, relaxing CD, full of romance and soft, moody impressions.

Seventeen tracks, ranging from 2:29 to 4:13 in length, showcase Pass's guitar technique as he plays his own versions of jazz and pop standards, from the romantic "Autumn Leaves, and the beautifully adapted "Unforgettable," to "The Very Thought of You," with the melody in the bass, jazz riffs in the treble, and a surprising change from a soft, slow pace to a jazzier, stronger beat near the end.

Of special note here is "Stardust," which, unlike several other songs here, truly benefits from the solo guitar treatment, associated as it is with Hoagy Carmichael on solo piano, rather than with big bands and big orchestral treatments. As Pass runs his variations up and down the scale, keeping his melody at the forefront, he gives an interpretation worthy of Carmichael's original.

Guitar students will marvel at Pass's talent, his originality, and his ability to make one instrument sound like a whole band, while those whose interest is less technical and more geared to the overall mood of the music will appreciate the quiet and interesting variations to traditional melodies. Pass's ability to be original without being loud and intrusive makes this a wonderfully relaxing CD to play in the background all day long. n Mary Whipple

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some of the best Joe Pass recordings ever!, April 30, 1999

By	Joseph Cossette (Fort Lauderdale, FL USA) - See all my reviews

I've got many Joe Pass recordings, but the cuts on this CD are some of his best work as a solo player. The nylon string classical guitar (not sure which brand?) he's using sounds better for this type of work then other steel string guitars he's used for solo work. Overall, the playing, sound and recording quality give this CD a warm character like almost being there. On some cuts you can even hear him tapping his foot!