Jim Hall Appreciation Thread!

[Jazzpunk]

Lately I cannot stop listening to this record:



Hall's playing is just so good!

What's your favorite Jim Hall recording and how has his playing influenced your own?

[msr13]

My favorite song is All Across the City. Hauntingly beautiful. I also love Romain. Simply gorgeous. And, my favorite album, as of today (it will change) is By Arrangement.

I admire him so much. I have tried to copy his tone, but frankly, not his style. I prefer to play solo chord melodies-- which on rare occasions, Jim did brilliantly-- but mostly he has been a tremendous musical inspiration.

[Bill C]

My favourite Jim Hall recording is "Beija-Flor" from "All Across The City".

I agree with Matt, Jim is a great inspiration and example to us all. I love the fact that his playing is always thoughtful, never flashy and he is not afraid to explore low volume. I saw Jim with the amazing Scott Colley about ten years ago in a smallish concert setting. When Scott was soloing Jim basically turned the volume control right down and comped acoustically. He talks about this as an artistic choice in Exploring Jazz Guitar iirc.

[Jake Hanlon]

Jim is my single largest influence musically in all things no doubt through harmony composition taste sound and just sheer magnitude. That album the Bridge mentioned was probably one of the most important jazz records for guitarists as a member of the rhythm section rather then as just a front line axe. Jim is a legendary soloist, comper and writing.

My favorite Jim Hall album is a 3 way tie between 2 well known albums and one obscure one.

Concertio (you got ron carter, chet baker, steve ghadd and many more), TrioLive one of the absolute greatest guitar trio albums ever recorded. Then thirdly "These Rooms:

These Rooms features Tom Harrel mostly on flugel, Joey Baron on drums and STeve LaSpina on bass (currently those final two make up Jim's current trio he's performing with. It's from the late 1980's and hasn't been available to purchase for a long while although I heard it was to be or was already re-released on itunes through a japanese label.

[NSJ]

Gotta go with CONCIERTO. I was looking for the Room, but wasn't about to fork over $125 for a CD. I did find a download of it, though.

Mostly, I love all the Rollins AND Desmond 1960s RCA sides. Those must have been done with his 175.

Jim is one of the great intellectuals of jazz, a truly thoughtful and contemplative player, I love his tone, but I am drawn to those who are "non diggers".

[msr13]

These Rooms is available on iTunes, now.

[mr. beaumont]

"Rooms" is an amazing record...discovered it a year ago or so, pretty sure at jake's reccomendation.

I love the "all across the city" album, even gil goldstein's cheesy keyboard patches.

My "somewhat obscure" jim hall pick would be a record he did with art farmer called "big blues." Actually, I love everything he did with farmer.

Lately, I've been absorbing "duologues" with enrico pieranunzi.

[wizard3739]

I think I would have to go with "Concierto" but all the great stuff he did with Bill Evans really opened up the way I think about playing with a piano player.

wiz

[ronjazz]

"Vera Cruz" on a very old record, with Airto on drums/percussion, a favorite. The most interesting thing to me is his artistic consistency; I've never heard him "phone it in", and I produced him several times in concert, and have been a huge fan since 1964 or so. A tremendous artist.

[whiskey02]

Why is it that so many guitar players, including pros, list JH as their favorite guitarist, yet so few can ever seem to hold back from blasting through scale runs that go NOWHERE instead of developing a story with melody. To my ears, Jim Hershman is the heir apparent to Jim's compositional style of improv, while having his own "style". His trio cd "342" cannot be heard without thinking to one's self - "that's how I wish I could play".

[Jazzpunk]

Thanks for the record suggestions. Looking forward to getting into more of Hall's playing!

[Billnc]

I love Live and Concerto best. But honestly his output is so good. I've yet to hear Rooms so I'm going to have to find that.

[msr13]

Another great album is the two part Town Hall concert. A great mix of some standards with Jim's compositions played with several os his friends over the years. Great stuff.

[NSJ]

Here are the Jim Hall albums I own:

1. Berlin, Stokholm (Jimmy Guifrie 3)
2. By Arrangement
3. Concierto
4. Dialogues
5. Hemispheres
6. Interaction (Art Farmer)
7. Jazz Guitar
8. Jazzpar Quartet +4
9. JH and PM
10. JH Live!
11. Live at Town Hall
12. Panorama
13. Ron Carter and JH
14. Three Rooms
15. Two Jims and Zoot


What one stands out that I am apparently missing?

[cosmic gumbo]

I dig the stuff he did as a sideman, especially Giuffre, Farmer, and Rollins.

[Jazzpunk]

Picked up 'Concierto' and 'These Rooms' off of iTunes. Looking forward to some heavy listening!

Also have to give props to 'Alone Together', another record I've really been enjoying lately.

[mr. beaumont]

I'm adding "grand slam", "jim hall with basses", and "commitment" (another one with farmer) to the list.

[msr13]

Here are the Jim Hall albums I own:

1. Berlin, Stokholm (Jimmy Guifrie 3)
2. By Arrangement
3. Concierto
4. Dialogues
5. Hemispheres
6. Interaction (Art Farmer)
7. Jazz Guitar
8. Jazzpar Quartet +4
9. JH and PM
10. JH Live!
11. Live at Town Hall
12. Panorama
13. Ron Carter and JH
14. Three Rooms
15. Two Jims and Zoot


What one stands out that I am apparently missing?

Check out Dedications and Inspirations.

[mr. beaumont]

I do love that record too...and what's the one with all duos, where he plays with frisell and stern and harrell? That's a winner too.

[TH]

I love Live the trio he did at Bourbon Street. The Angel Eyes is brilliant. It was part of a week he did there, Don Thompson recorded it. It had long been rumoured that the rest of the week was out there somewhere. A couple of years ago the other 20 tracks came into my hands. The standard for jazz guitar was set then; it does not get any better.
David

[Marto]

What can you say, Jim is an institution in jazz. I can not think of another player who has really connected with so many great musicians, Ron Carter, Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans.... and they all speak so highly of him. He is the main influence on my comping. I think I have learned more from the Paul Desmond album Easy Living about comping and single line playing than any other album.

[mattymel]

top 3 would have to be:

1. Jimmy Giuffre Trio (thats top 5 groups ever for me. Giuffre has to be one of the most underrated improvisers in jazz)
2. w/ Sonny
3. Live at the Vanguard (love the more modern sounds w/ Osby)

oh crap...Undercurrent w/ Bill Evans...that album is amazing. "Interplay" too...

the guy doesnt have a bad record that i have ever found. the epitome of taste and tone for me. just saw him a few months back. very inspiring. he is getting up there but he still sounds great. i hope to be swingin when im growed up like him. lately i have been getting into some of the Chico Hamilton Quintet stuff, which is very interesting to hear.

for me "the bridge" was kind of a pivotal record. hearing a guitarist play with one of the acknowledged greatest of classic jazz horn players and not only hold his own, but bring SO much to the sound of the arrangements, the dynamics, and interplay.

if i had to just have one guitarist to listen to, jim would be a likely candidate. plus i just love all the people he has played with through the years. so much music! not just guitar music...thats the beauty of jim hall.

[andyhoey1]

Here are the Jim Hall albums I own:

1. Berlin, Stokholm (Jimmy Guifrie 3)
2. By Arrangement
3. Concierto
4. Dialogues
5. Hemispheres
6. Interaction (Art Farmer)
7. Jazz Guitar
8. Jazzpar Quartet +4
9. JH and PM
10. JH Live!
11. Live at Town Hall
12. Panorama
13. Ron Carter and JH
14. Three Rooms
15. Two Jims and Zoot


What one stands out that I am apparently missing?

Undercurrent with Bill Evans; it's pretty awesome.

[Nuff Said]

Anything with Paul Desmond.

Beautiful Love with Michel Petrucciani.

Nuff Said

[M-ster]

Thanks for this discussion, guys. I was taking notes.