by Scott Yanow

The word "chops" is a major understatement when describing the talents of guitarist Joe Pass and bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. Their duo Pablo date (which has been reissued as a CD in the OJC series) is as exciting and full of inventive interplay as one would hope. Pass and Pedersen play an ad-lib blues, nine jazz standards including a three-quarters version of "Lover Man," plus "Oleo," "Quiet Nights," "Tricrotism," and "Yardbird Suite." Pass in particular sounds stimulated during this session and comes up with some of his hottest playing.