Joe Pass recorded almost exclusively for American record labels during his long career, so this 1973 studio date for BASF is a rare exception. With bassist Eberhard Weber and drummer Kenny Clare's brushwork, the legendary guitarist plays a half dozen or so standards, including gently swinging takes of "Chloe" and "Stompin' at the Savoy," a soft arrangement of Jobim's Meditation," and a very lively version of "I Love You" (also featuring solos by his rhythm section). He also improvises the tasty "Joe's Blue's," plays a light samba written by the session's recording director ("El Gento"), puts some life into the normally tame 1960s pop hit "Ode to Billie Joe" by playing it in a Latin groove, and concludes with the very familiar standard from the Count Basie songbook, "Lil' Darlin'," which he must have performed hundreds of times during his career. While his playing is rather reserved compared to his later extensive recordings for Pablo, and this release is by no means near the top of the late guitarist's considerable discography as a leader or soloist, fans of Joe Pass who listen to this set won't be disappointed. - Ken Dryden
Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalaqua, más conocido por Joe Pass, editó el disco Intercontinental en 1970. El trabajo recoge una colección de temas en la que predominan los standards norteamericanos y algunas piezas de corte latino, más en concreto brasileño. A modo de puente, la música une a lo largo de diez piezas ambas latitudes. Hay composiciones de Antonio Carlos Jobim, Cole Porter, Benny Goodman, Neal Hefti, Michel Legrand, y tan sólo una atribuida al propio guitarrista de Nueva Jersey. Un virtuoso que siempre sobresalió en pequeñas formaciones, ya fuera a solo como en dúo o trío. En este caso se hizo acompañar por el contrabajista Eberhard Weber y el batería Kenny Clarke. “Intercontinental” es una buena muestra del estilo inconfundible de Pass mostrando su “grandísima” técnica. - Carlos Lara / tomajazz.com
Tracks
01. Cloe (Neil Moret/Gus Kahn)
02. Meditation (Gimbal/Jobim/Mendoça)
03. I Cover the Waterfront (Green/Green/Heyman)
04. I Love You (Cole Porter)
05. Stompin At the Savoy (Goodman/Razaf/Sampson/Webb)
06. Watch What Happens (Michel Legrand)
07. Joe's Blues (Joe Pass)
08. El Gento (Willi Fruth)
09. Ode to Billy Joe (Bobbie Gentry)
10. Lil' Darlin' (Neal Hefti)
JOE PASS guitar
EBERHARD WEBER bass
KENNY CLARE drums
Recorded June 1970 at MPS Studio, Villigen
MPS Records - UCCU-5236