HERB ELLIS — Two for the Road (with Joe Pass) (review)

HERB ELLIS — Two for the Road (with Joe Pass) album cover Album · 1974 · Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
js
Guitar playing doesn’t get much better than this. “Two for the Road” was Herb Ellis and Joe Pass’ third album together, but the first one where they dropped their backing quartet and decided to go at it with just their two guitars. The lack of backing band is nice because every note and nuance from these two virtuosos can be heard clearly. Herb and Joe work together flawlessly, constantly weaving solo lines and comping chords together like poetry in motion and they never step on each other’s toes or sound clumsy. Although both take the time to show off ample technique, there is never any gratuitous shows of speed or pointless flash.

At first I wasn’t clear on which guitarist was which, but then I noticed in the very comprehensive liner notes on the LP that Ellis points out that Pass is coming from a Parkeresque bebop style, while he is channeling a more old school Charlie Christian style. This sums it up well as Pass is more likely given to fast scales and risky runs that push his playing to the limit while Ellis is more apt to stay in the pocket with a swingin bluesy approach. These differences are quite subtle as more often than not, once they start weaving in and out of each other, they sound like one mind and one voice. Its especially interesting when they both solo at once during brief sections of interplay, I think most others trying this would sound like a mess, but their rhythms are so precise that such busy interplay always sounds light and clean.

The choice of material on here is good, mostly they stay away from over played standards and focus more on blues centered numbers. That old guitaristic swing blues is the common ground that gives these two a springboard to work off of. There are no duds on this album, but a favorite is album closer, “Angel Eyes”, where the two slow down for a dark smoky classic noir urban jazz-blues, the kind you would hear in an old black and white crime movie. Also of special interest are the two versions of "Cherokee". The first one is played at break neck speed as Pass plays a furiously fast solo and proves why he may be the greatest guitarist ever. The second version is entirely different with a laid back sunny swingin effect. Highly recommended for fans of great guitar playing.
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