Joe Pass & Wurtz Riesling

Just got back from “taking one for the company.” Had to attend the Miami Winter Symposium on Cancer Invasion and Metastasis in Miami Beach. Hmm, 75 degrees, white sand beach, wonderful hotel. Gee, it’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it. It’s not easy coming back to the snow-covered Midwest.


One of the most amazing guitarists I’ve ever seen and heard was the late Joe Pass. While he played with such jazz luminaries as Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, Benny goodman and many others, he was best known as a unaccompanied soloist with a style marked by a sophisticated sense of harmonics, walking bass lines, and chordal comping interspersed around melody lines. His sound had an almost funky character. I heard him back in 1976 as he toured with Oscar Peterson, one of the greatest jazz pianists to ever tickle the ivories and recall being mesmerized as I listened to him play. Hope you like him as much as I do.

Misc. Solo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFqiDcvRW2Y

Satin Doll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyjQv52Nzno&feature=related

Joe’s Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQfjm1m9MEI&feature=related

With Oscar Peterson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDzC7od-6QM&feature=related

Do nothing till you hear from me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZfQUYOEzpg&feature=related

Lil Darlin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR1bG14ipFo&feature=related

Autumn Leaves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=795sG19cPmU&feature=related

Blues in G: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tnnG9O3KG0&feature=related

Blues for Hank: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuqASIqDOtg&feature=related

Giant Steps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rX6gbm1leY&feature=related

Beautiful Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klRqb0XbMoo&feature=related

Tonight’s wine is a Wurtz Potate Dry Riesling 2008 from Rheinhessen, Germany; $14.00. Wurtz makes a very good modern Riesling. The color is quite pale (typical of young, dry Riesling) while the bouquet is loaded with green apple and quince. Dry and crisp, not as sweet as some, with the green apple coming forward in the front and mid-palate, complimented by flavors of lime, grapefruit, and mineral. It’s the perfect wine for just sipping but goes wonderfully with fish. If you,’re wondering, Potate means “cheers” in Latin. Very nice wine. Enjoy!

Cheers!