Joe Pass - Intercontinental (24/48 vinyl rip)

Joe Pass (born Joseph Passalaqua) knew how to conjoin melody and chords. Moreover, he brought the walking bass line into the jazz guitar repertoire, as heard in his duo performances with Ella Fitzgerald. Since the American had a first-class bassist in Eberhard Weber at his side during his June 1970 MPS session in Germany’s idyllic Black Forest, Pass could concentrate on playing the melody and the chords. Weber, who comes from Stuttgart, Germany, would soon develop his own electric bass, but at this point he was still playing the traditional acoustic contrabass. Third in the group was British drummer Kenny Clare (not to be confused with American drummer Kenny Clarke). Pass chose the program for the recording, mixing standards with originals. It’s amazing how such typical big band pieces as “Stompin’ at the Savoy” and “Lil’ Darlin’” sound in trio; Pass and company swing like they were Count Basie and his orchestra. The 1970 liner notes designate “I Love You” as the album’s high point: “It is a small jewel for guitar, bass, and drums. Eberhard Weber has a short but exciting solo. Kenny Clare attacks with elaborate brush work throughout. Joe Pass plays with a feather-light sense of swing. His refined lines have a singable quality to them, and he often phrases as if he were a saxophonist.”