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JH was such a giant because he sought out and was involved with so many profound influences from both the jazz and classical world.
He studied composition with Donald Erb at the Cleveland Institute of Music, he studied classical guitar with Vincente Gomez, and he was strongly influenced by jazz geniuses he played with such as Jimmy Giuffre, Bob Brookmeyer, and Bill Evans.
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08-03-2017 02:15 PM
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Jim's playing was pure class. Thanks for starting this thread Jeff.
I frequently listen to a wonderful two CD set called (if I remember correctly) Jim Hall Leader and Sideman, a great collection of his playing with some of the best in jazz.
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Ok I just have to be the psychotic village idiot who can't help but note that Jim Hall is using the "Benson" pick grip!
I never knew that!
Pick is not held on the side of the index but on the pad of the index. He moves his thumb and wrist with less forearm and he wrests his pinky on the guard.......and he uses rest strokes. Pick angle is strong and "away and down" slanting. Very evident in the Power Of Three Video"
So I guess it's not only the speedsters.
Just had to get that off my OCD mind.
Last edited by Philco; 08-04-2017 at 07:22 PM.
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I cant believe this went under my radar - remedied now. The originl live recording was like hallowed ground for me - to find all this extra stuff with all its beauty, warts and all risk taking is just wonderful - thanks!
Originally Posted by guido5
Listening to Love Letters as Im writing - unstoppable interplay - and humour!
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Love this:
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There are some great shots of Jim's LH finger-work in this Jazz 625 video from 1964, one of these days I'm going to copy some of this:
Last edited by grahambop; 08-05-2017 at 08:47 AM.
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Jim's '90's rig with the Walter Woods included a Harry Kolbe tube preamp and 1X12 cab. one 12b .
PK
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It's not exactly a Benson grip- look at Benson's hand and compare. Benson tilts the pick to slice across the string, whereas Hall strikes the string with the pick plane almost flat to the axis of the string. But he does angle the pick so that it just slips off the string on the downstroke and softens the attack, which gives some of the same effect.
In an interview out there somewhere, Hall mentioned that he uses a variety of different picks to get different sounds- light picks for strumming, heavier picks for playing lines, etc.
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I thought so, too - until I watched the clip in post #31 and saw the pick against pad of his index. Originally Posted by Cunamara
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Jim Hall used space (the rest) better than any other jazz guitarist. He played with great courage.
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Sometimes. Sometimes he holds the pick differently, which you can see in other videos. There is more to Benson picking than gripping the pick with the pad of the index finger. Very few people who claim to use Benson picking actually use Benson picking- the technique is tremendously misunderstood. Heck, there is an enormous thread trying to sort that out- as far as I can tell with limited success- here on JGO. Originally Posted by destinytot
Jim Hall did not seem to have a singular approach to playing music or addressing the guitar. He seemed to fluidly vary his technique and approach to achieve certain results and seems to have been anti-dogmatic about it. To me that's the genius of Jim Hall.
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Yeah! I think that's very apt. Originally Posted by Bobby Marshall
Seems similar to painters using different canvases, brushes, strokes and paints? An artist?
There is a great "remembering Jim Hall" video with some great stories from other musicians:
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Ok, I've built my Instant Jim Hall Kit, but I need to know what his pick was 'cause I still don't sound like him.
Ted
Maybe I need a Van Eps string dampener! That has to be it!Last edited by Easy2grasp; 08-18-2017 at 05:19 PM.
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two jim halls!! or jim hall playing over his own comping!...overdubbed
great track from his lp cut in berlin- it's nice to be with you...
a song dedicated to his daughter - young one (for debra)- (who is also pictured with dad on the cover)
cheers
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Nice. Makes me wonder what she made of her life. Is making, indeed.
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I believe she is now known as Devra Hall Levy and she was Jim’s manager for some years. Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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Yup, and not sure what is "uncomfortably weird" about the photo. Devra was married at one time to John Levy who managed the careers of a number of jazz giants such has Freddy Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Errol Garner etc. In addition to being a manager he was a fine bassist as well. Originally Posted by grahambop
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Devra was also, IIRC, the producer of a movie about Jim (Jim Hall: A life in progress).
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Hello everybody.
At the age of 14 (I think) the photo did make me feel uncomfortable, but only because to a teenage girl it was not flattering looking to be eating, mouth open. They took dozens of pix that day at the zoo and I have no idea why that one was chosen to grace the cover of this wonderful album. These man years later (I am 62) it is a lovely memory.
Since Rob MacKillop asked: My career has been varied. Early on I was a mainframe computer systems programmer and then designer. I hated the corporate world and became a jazz publicist for Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Carmen McRae and its of other artists. Joe introduced me to his manager, John Levy, and we became business partners, best friends, and got married. I was Dad's manager during his last several years. I also managed Maria Schneider for a few years, and, after John died, Nancy Wilson, who I still represent even though she is no longer performing.
As Rob Taft pointed out: Some of you may know John's early history as a bassist with Bille Holiday,the original George Shearing Quintet and others, before he put down his bass to be a manager. I had 33 wonderful years with John before he died in January 2012, just 2+ months shy of his 100th birthday.
Cunamara is correct: I was very involved with dad's video "A Life in Progress" - I did the research, writing, conducted the interviews and participated in the editing with Bruce Ricker (may he rest in peace) who was Clint Eastwood's go-to-guy.
Grahambop: No doubt about Sigmund! And in today's climate I suspect maybe it never wold have been chosen???
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Nice to hear from you, Devra!! It sounds like you had (and are having!) a wonderful life. Know for sure that everyone here loves your dad's contribution to the world of music. His recordings will be around for the next hundred years, I'm sure, and hopefully a lot longer. What a GREAT musician he was.
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Thanks, Rob. I know dad touched a lot of people worldwide, yet he was always so humble about it all.
He believed 'music business' to be an oxymoron. He was lucky to have lived and played when he did, able with his talent to forge a wonderful life in music. Today our players have to be much more business savvy and sometimes compromise their musical desires with commercial necessities.
It was fitting that I cam cross your forum and these posts when I did as dad was much on my mind, Dec 4th was his birthday and the 10th the anniversary of is death.
So glad to have discovered you all!
Best,
Devra
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I read all the liner notes you wrote for your dad's albums. I believe they enhanced the impact of those recordings. As a family, you were one of the most creative families overall.
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Your compliment is very kind. I was always pleased to play a role, but my mother was the major creative partner with dad. Not only did she write some good tunes that he recorded, but she had wonderful ideas for projects, musicians, even sequences of tunes for a set. I hate cliches, but she was truely the wind beneath his wings, and he was the same for her.
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So nice to have you here! Originally Posted by DevraHallLevy
I apologize for my comments about the photo being weird. I actually didn't know the young woman in the photo was you--his daughter--not just a random model they brought in for the shoot.
Your dad''s music is the reason I even still try to play the guitar.
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