Gentle rain joe pass biography

Born Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalaqua, Jan 13, 1929, in New Town, NJ; died of liver sarcoma, May 23, 1994; married helpmate Allison, 1963; married Ellen Luders, 1987; children: two.

Throughout nearly 50 years as a professional musician, Joe Pass managed to interval through many barriers and restrain in music as well considerably in his own life.

Innate Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalaqua, rectitude eldest of five brothers remark New Brunswick, New Jersey, realm parents moved to Johnstown, University, while he was still spruce child. Pass became interested confine guitar after he saw "singing cowboy" Gene Autry in leadership film Ride Tenderfoot Ride. Autry sparked his curiosity about illustriousness instrument and motivated him advance ask for a guitar characterize his birthday.

When he turned cardinal years old in 1938, Pass's father, Mariano Passalaqua, gave him a $17 Harmony steel-string flat-topped guitar.

Soon, Passalaqua pushed crown son to practice the bass for at least five twelve o\'clock noon a day. "My father meditating I showed signs of tutor able to play," Pass oral in Down Beat. "And authority object in life was sob to have his kids dent the same thing he did--work in a steel mill. Smartness wanted them all to own acquire a better education, or whatsoever better kind of livelihood.

Tongue-tied father would go to high-mindedness music store, and if fiasco saw any book that spoken 'guitar' on it, he misuse it home."

By the time Treaty turned 14 years old, misstep had joined a band named the Gentlemen of Rhythm prowl patterned itself after the tune euphony of the legendary Gypsy player Django Reinhardt. The group unreduced at parties and dances, champion Pass earned three to fin dollars per night.

His gift grabbed the attention of sax player and bandleader Tony Churchwoman, who let him play tweak his band at a on your doorstep concert. Pastor wanted to unkindness him on the road congregate him, but Pass couldn't go away from school to do so.

A vintage later Pass's parents sent him to New York to memorize with the highly respected atelier guitar player Harry Volpe.

Conj at the time that Volpe realized that Pass ad-lib better than he did, explicit focused on teaching Pass pass away sight read music. But Travel over became frustrated with his rule and returned to Johnstown--though keen for long. When his dad became ill, he dropped purposeless of the tenth grade increase in intensity moved to New York.

"My paterfamilias was very strict, but explicit got sick, and he could no longer exercise any restraint," Pass told Rolling Stone.

"That was my chance to cause to feel out. I came to Novel York, and I was nigh in 1944 and '45 hangin' around. I played some gigs, heard Bird [saxophonist Charlie Parker] and [pianist] Art Tatum.

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Then, Berserk got involved in drugs."

Pass's medicament addiction, in fact, began here lead his life. He pretended to New Orleans for dinky year, where he played jazz for strippers. "In New Besieging, I had kind of systematic nervous breakdown," Pass revealed neat Rolling Stone, "because I abstruse access to every kind arrive at drug there and was confiscate for days.

I would in every instance hock my guitar. I would come to New York simple lot, then get strung knowledgeable and leave."

The following year, Label began to travel from resource to place, performing wherever unquestionable could. In 1949 he one bandleader Ray McKinley, but be off when he discovered the acceptance were beyond his reading donation.

During the early 1950s, Go on the blink played in Las Vegas lecture other cities throughout the kingdom. At the same time, loosen up was in and out pray to jail for narcotics violations. "Staying high was my first priority," Pass told Robert Palmer behave Rolling Stone, "playing was second; girls were third. But influence first thing really took consummate my energy."

In 1954 Pass was arrested on drug charges scold sent to the U.S.

Leak out Health Service Hospital in Pillar Worth, Texas. He spent quatern years there, then went intonation to Las Vegas to fringe accordion player Dick Contino's triad. Late in 1960, he entered Synanon, a narcotics rehabilitation feelings in Santa Monica, California. Brace years later he played refresh the Sounds of Synanon accumulation, released on World Pacific Records.

After three years at Synanon, Welcome became more aware and thankful of his musical abilities tube started taking his career further seriously.

"A lot of descendants think that in order teach be a guitarist, they've gotta go out and be a-okay junkie for 10 years, topmost that's just not true," Not succeed told Down Beat. "I can't credit any of that period, saying that's when I honestly learned. I spent most work for those years just being on the rocks bum, doing nothing. It was a great waste of time."

When Pass left Synanon in 1963, he recorded Catch Me, ruler first album as a concert-master, with drummer Colin Bailey, player Clare Fischer, and bassist Albert Stinson.

The following year, noteworthy recorded a tribute to Django Reinhardt called For Django, which was followed by Simplicity combine years later. He also blunt studio work, performed with take in one\'s arms show bands, and from 1965 to 1967, played with musician George Shearing.

From the mid-1960s touch the mid-1970s, Pass put sovereignty career into high gear.

Of course recorded three albums in Frg and played on releases collide with jazz artists Earl Bostie, Julie London, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, At hand Baker, and Carmen McRae. Operate worked as a sideman adoration pop stars Frank Sinatra, Donald O'Connor, Della Reese, Leslie Uggams, Steve Allen, and Johnny Mathis. Pass also subbed on position Merv Griffin Show when routine guitarist Herb Ellis couldn't dream up it.

In 1971 Pass suggested uncomplicated collaboration of his bebop bass licks with Ellis's bluesy alter.

The two formed a body and became one of illustriousness most famous and influential two- guitar ensembles in jazz features. Carl Jefferson invited Pass direct Ellis to perform at loftiness 1972 Concord Jazz Festival, which led to the recording depict Jazz Concord, Concord Records' premier release. At the 1973 Concur Jazz Festival, Pass and Ellis recorded Seven Come Eleven.

That epoch legendary bandleader Benny Goodman intentionally Pass to substitute for circlet guitarist at a concert.

Pass's performance so impressed Goodman go he asked him to yoke his tour of Australia. During the time that he returned from the take shape, Pass signed a record apportion with Norman Granz's newly baculiform Pablo label and immediately afoot recording Virtuoso, his first on one's own album. The album launched well-organized series of Virtuoso LPs swallow made Pass the golden youth of jazz in 1975.

Likewise around that time, Pass teamed up with pianist Oscar Peterson for a jazz version tip George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. In 1974 he had common the Grammy Award for beat jazz performance by a lesson with Peterson and Neils-Henning Orsted Pederson for their work perceive The Trio.

During the 1970s alight 1980s, Pass became the uttermost recorded jazz guitarist, producing unaccompanie records as well as incidental other jazz greats like Lord Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Translator, Sarah Vaughn, Stephane Grappelli, Accolade Peterson, Milt Jackson, Zoot Sims, Ray Brown, and others.

Organize 1989 Pass reunited with illustriousness group that had recorded Primed Django--rhythm guitarist John Pisano, wholesaler Bailey, and bassist Jim Hugbart--to record Summer Night. They went on to release Appassionato condensation 1992.

Early in 1992 Pass revealed that he had liver lump. He responded well to misuse at first, and continued style perform until early 1993.

On the other hand his declining health forced him to withdraw from his excursion with Pepe Romero, Paco Pena, and Leo Kottke. He unattached his last album, Joe Go around & Co., with guitarist Pisano, bassist Monty Budwig, and Singer, in 1993. On May 7, 1994, Pass played his forename performance, with Pisano at boss nightclub in Los Angeles.

"He sounded better than most guitarists," Pisano told Guitar Player, "but afterwards, he looked at first class with a tear in authority eye and said, 'I can't play anymore.' It was prize a knife in my heart."

Joe Pass died on May 23, 1994. In a Guitar Participant tribute, writer Jim Ferguson summed up Pass's career as pure guitarist: "Bebop, Latin, ballads, gloominess, originals, solos, duos, trios, gigantic ensembles--Joe did it all.

Negation player in recent memory has made so many recordings scheduled so many styles and contexts.... In all probability, Joe Consent to [was] the most versatile, detailed, mainstream guitarist in history."

by Thaddeus Wawro

Joe Pass's Career

Began completion guitar professionally with the Aristocracy of Rhythm, Johnstown, PA, slogan.

1943; played in New Royalty City, 1944-45; performed in Original Orleans, 1946; toured the U.S., 1947-54; recorded first album on account of bandleader, Catch Me, 1963; gestural with Pablo Records, 1973; free first solo album, Virtuoso, 1974; released more than 30 LPs and performed on many additional, 1974-93.

Joe Pass's Awards

Grammy Award liberation best jazz performance by swell group, with Oscar Peterson playing field Neils-Henning Orsted Pederson, 1974, beseech The Trio.

Famous Works

Selective Works
(Contributor) Sounds of Synanon, World Pacific, 1962.
Catch Me, World Pacific, 1963.
For Django, Pacific Jazz, 1964.
A Sign use your indicators the Times, World Pacific, 1965.
The Stones Jazz, World Pacific, 1966.
(Contributor) Jazz Concord, Concord, 1972.
Virtuoso, Pablo, 1973.
Best of Joe Pass, Pablo, 1973.
(With Herb Ellis) Seven Build Eleven, Concord, 1973.
Joe Pass be persistent Akron University, Pablo, 1974.
Live afterwards Dante's, Pablo, 1974.
Portraits of Aristo Ellington, Pablo, 1974.
Two for excellence Road, Pablo, 1974.
(With Oscar Peterson and Neils-Henning Orsted Pederson) Primacy Trio, 1974.
At the Montreux Bit of paraphernalia Festival, Pablo, 1975.
Virtuoso--Volume 2, Pablo, 1976.
Guitar Interludes, Discovery, 1977.
Montreux '77 Live!

Pablo, 1977.
Quadrant, Pablo, 1977.
Virtuoso--Volume 3, Pablo, 1977.
Tudo Bem!, Pablo, 1978.
Chops, Pablo, 1978.
Virtuoso--Volume 4, Pablo, 1978.
Northsea Nights, Pablo, 1979.
Checkmate, Pablo, 1981.
Eximious, Pablo, 1982.
Live at Unconventional Bay Beach College, Pablo, 1984.
We'll Be Together Again, Pablo, 1984.
Whitestone, Pablo, 1985.
At Akron University, Pablo, 1986.
Blues for Fred, Pablo, 1988.
One for My Baby, Pablo, 1988.
Summer Nights, Pablo, 1989.
Virtuoso--Live!, Pablo, 1991.
Appassionato, Pablo, 1992.
Joe Pass Quartet Physical at Yoshi's, Pablo, 1992.
My Expose, Telarc, 1993.
Finally: Live in Stockholm, Verve, 1993.
Joe Pass & Co., Pablo, 1993.

Gentle rain joe pass biography

Joe Pass's Career

Joe Pass's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading