Holidays are leaving.

As always it happens - quite unexpectedly, as if it had not begun. 

January, with its melancholy, awareness of the endlessness of winter, slowly arriving days and an infrequent frosty sun, is the best way to dispose of thoughtful, quiet music. 

And then I think about Pablo Records vinyls.

And I feel good. 

This company was created in the distant 1974 by Norman Granz, the same one that 17 years earlier founded Verve Records, and very long ago, in July 1944, he invented and managed to promote Jazz at the Philharmonic, an unthinkable project for America of those years, founded by on the principles of total mixing of white and black music.

In jazz, of course.

He has been doing jazz all his life, the extravagant Mr. Grantz, and along the way has learned to make more than significant money on it, generously sharing his income with the stars, without dividing them by skin color.

In general, the idea of ​​pulling jazz out of taverns and brothels into the light of day was bold, at first unappreciated, but then ... Today mankind classifies jazz as something refined, chosen, introducing symbols of "pure, high art" into its reading.

These are jazz festivals today (they will start again, right?) - events to the extent of pretentious, moderately highbrowed, not without a touch of some childish snobbery. 

There have been very different times in the life of jazz.

And what does Joe Pass have to do with it?

A little patience. 

Norman Grantz managed to involve all the leading musicians of that era, from Charlie Parker to Ella Fitzgerald, into the orbit of Jazz at the Philharmonic.

And jazz stepped first into good, then very good, and then into luxurious halls.

The impossible happened - thanks to the efforts of one person, many giants of jazz found the opportunity to create freely.

Perhaps the highest limit of this self-expression of the kings and queens of jazz reached during the days of Pablo Records, and it would not be superfluous to say that the record company owed its name to the long-term friendship of Norman Granz and Pablo Picasso.

They were united by a love of painting, music, and an absolutely fierce rejection of any social injustice. 

Grantz always spat on public opinion with some kind of frenzy.

He recorded completely non-commercial, chamber albums or, conversely, sessions of jazz festivals, releasing them on vinyl in a very average sound quality.

He never tired of repeating that "a studio is a studio, and a hall is a jam, and go to hell if there is something unnecessary noise and prevents you from understanding the music and the power of improvisation!"

An extraordinary person. 

With particular passion he produced Ella Fitzgerald and Art Tatum (Grantz was fascinated and forever smitten by his piano playing). 

And besides that - Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Milt Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie and many, many others.

Quite often in these albums, Grantz successfully pushed his jam concept, inviting musicians to record material directly from the wheels, without rehearsals, and it worked.  

Over 300 albums in ten years of Pablo Records.

A huge legacy.

Let's talk about some of them - about Joe Pass's albums. 

First, a few words about him. 

Coming from an Italian family of immigrants from Sicily, Joseph Anthony Passalacqua (all of these difficulties will be reduced to Joe Pass for sonority and ease of promotion) was born on January 13, 1929 in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

His father was a professional steelmaker, a man very far from music, who gave his son one single and main command: "Strong study, no dancing, and one day you will become a millionaire, son."

However, Mariano Passalacqua turned out to be a more than attentive father - once, noticing how his son was mesmerized by a cowboy actor with a guitar, he gave just such a guitar to young Joe.

For nine years.

There was one more reason for such a gift: the father drew attention to his son's innate absolute pitch - he was able to instantly read and start playing almost any melody.

And here it is important to note one amazing event: Mariano advised his offspring "to play so that there are no empty spaces at all - who wants to listen to silence?"

Joe Pass took his father's advice.

You yourself, if you wish, will read about the early years and all sorts of vicissitudes of the musician's fate in publicly available sources.

And I will tell you about his most important albums, recorded on Pablo Records solely thanks to Norman Grantz, who unusually highly appreciated the talent of Pass - one of the greatest jazz musicians in the world, which was shown by the next few years and fantastic sales.

This is the music of rain and wind.

Suns and moods.

This is an opportunity to stop and hear yourself in the middle of the crowd, in the midst of the rumble and rumble of a big city.

This is a chance.

Start all over again, weighing and thinking about your previous life, old habits.

Remembering true friends and true love. 

After all, Joe Pass, in my humble opinion, did not quite play the guitar, plays ... Let him fly to his planet.

He does it ... And with the help of our souls and hearts too.

And how does he manage to do this ... 

Joe Pass: Virtuoso

- the album was recorded on August 28, 1973, in one breath.

Twelve compositions, twelve standards, of which only one belongs to Pass.

And a guitar.

And Joe Pass.

Absolute perfection in every 51 minute sound.

Five stars from all significant reviewers, including Rolling Stone.

Released in December 1973, every January it reminds me of the bustle of the New Year and that it ultimately comes down to sound and feeling - if you can only close your eyes and be at ease for a while.

Joe Pass: Portraits of Duke Ellington

- the album was recorded on June 21, 1974, with lightning speed.

Joe Pass, Ray Brown on double bass and Bobby Durham on drums.

Ellington's Nine Standards, written in his honor and very soon after his departure ... The album was released in 1975.

Meditative, pure music.

And the incredible mastery of the guitar that Pass demonstrates with the grace and humility of an absolutely confident master. 

Ella Fitzgerald & Joe Pass:

Take 

Love 

Easy 

- August 28, 1973 and is the first of four albums recorded by Ella and Joe on Pablo Records.

Nine standards, only voice and guitar.

Believe me, it replaces any sedative, heals sadness ...

To gallery page

Ella Fitzgerald & Joe Pass ...

Again

- the album was recorded in the period from January 26 to February 8, 1976, and this is an amazing, incredibly touching blues (though not only) in the "quietest" and most comfortable performance of all that I have heard.

The absolute top.

Fourteen standards.

I almost always listen to it twice in a row.

Only a voice.

And only the guitar.

Reading some things ... Listen for yourself.

Duke's Big 4

is a studio album of Duke Ellington (piano), which is extremely rare in style, accompanied by Joe Pass (guitar), Ray Brown (bass) and Louis Bellson (drums).

Recorded January 8, 1973.

One of the best spontaneous sessions I've heard. 

Dizzy Gillespie's Big 4

 is a studio album by the brilliant trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie accompanied by Joe Pass, Ray Brown and Mickey Rocker (drums), which is also extremely rare in its style.

Recorded September 17 and 19, 1974.

The album is recognized as one of the best in Gillespie's career.

I am amuse myself with the hope that I managed to occupy several of your January evenings with extraordinary, magical music. 

A few words in the end about who thanks to whom all the listed albums saw the light: I'm again about Norman Granz. 

He himself has never had any musical awards.

According to him, he simply did not need them - it gave him pleasure to hear people ask: "Who is this inconspicuous old man behind Ella's back?"

True, in 1994 they still tried to present him with a Grammy in the Lifetime Merit category, but he ... refused, joking sarcastically: “You guys are too late.” 

And for sure, because in 1994 he was already 76.

Although, what does age matter when it comes to the Present?

Listen to good music.

Spring is coming soon.

The author's point of view may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.