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.