Joe Pass: Better Days (Japan Import) Vinyl LP

"Joe Pass plays funk? Check out the master of mellow guitar, Joe Pass, as he takes on the only thing scarier than a broken string – jazz funk! Originally released on session legend Carol Kaye’s short lived California label, Gwyn Records, in 1970, the album saw Joe Pass as he explored a genre that was quickly making waves – jazz funk. From album opener and title track 'Better Days', it’s immediately clear that this isn’t your average Joe Pass album. As Kaye’s iconic Fender bass mingles with Marvin Gaye collaborator Paul Nelson Humphrey’s simple yet solid drumming, it’s impossible to mistake this for Pass’s earlier works. Yet his tone is as sweet and mellow as ever, with his masterful bebop soloing a welcome respite from the wah’d out funk guitar playing of the time. Despite his gentle tone, the grooves are deep and rhythmic – ranging from the bossa-inspired 'Balloons', to the lively bass-driven funk of 'Head Start'. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Joe Pass record without a solo track. Album