Joe Pass (born
Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalacqua, January 13, 1929 – May 23, 1994) was an American
virtuoso jazz guitarist of
Sicilian descent. He is generally considered to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century. His extensive use of walking basslines, melodic
counterpoint during improvisation, use of a chord-melody style of playing and outstanding knowledge of
chord inversions and
progressions opened up new possibilities for the jazz guitar and had a profound influence on later guitarists.