Joe Pass | Better Days

AllMusic Review by Ken Dryden

Producer Carol Kaye's original intention for this recording was for use as an instructional tape, but its value to fans of the late guitar wizard Joe Pass is minimal. The release is plagued with a lot of inferior songs, dull 1970s jazz-pop arrangements, and way too many musicians (especially electric bassist Kaye) who weren't worthy of sharing a studio with Pass. In spite of the presence of Ray Brown and J.J. Johnson, plus songs like Jimmy Rowles' "After School" and Horace Silver's "The Preacher," it is clear that Pass had many better days in his long, productive career as a jazz musician.

Joe Pass
Better Days
1971



Guitar – Joe Pass
Piano – Joe Sample
Double Bass, Electric Bass – Ray Brown
Electric Bass – Carol Kaye (tracks: 1, 5, 7, 8)
Drums – Earl Palmer, Paul Humphrey (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 6)
Congas – Milt Holland
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Tom Scott
Trombone – J.J. Johnson
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Conte Candoli
Arranged By – J.J. Johnson (tracks: 1, 2, 5), Steve Huffsteter (tracks: B3, B4), Tom Scott (tracks: 3, 6)

1. Better Days (J.J. Johnson)
2. Free Sample (Joe Sample)
3. After School (Jimmy Rowles)
4. Balloons (Ralph Pena)
5. Burning Spear (Richard Evans)
6. Head Start (Tom Scott)
7. It's Too Late (Carole King, Toni Stern)
8. Gotcha! (Steve Huffsteter)
9. Alison (Joe Pass)
10. We'll Be Together Again (Carl Fischer, Frankie Laine)