Jim Hall & Basses

Jim Hall & Basses

ASIN: B00005NY5B

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
Jim Hall has a talent for reducing music to its essence: the barest glimpse of melody, the subtlest inflection, the most imaginative harmonic choice. His economy and empathy have led to some brilliant duo performances during his career, including sets with Bill Evans and Ron Carter, and those qualities distinguish his encounters here with some outstanding bassists. The materials range from standards and fresh Hall compositions to free improvisation, and the results match low-level volume with intense creative activity, as Hall seems to find the essential character of each of his partners. Hall and Dave Holland have worked frequently as a duo, and they're particularly imaginative together, Hall turning to a 12-string guitar to accompany Holland's lead on "End the Beguine." The two also maintain constant undercurrents of supportive play in a driving, soulful tribute to the great Sam Jones. Charlie Haden's sparse, low-register lyricism on "Don't Explain" complements Hall's own, while Christian McBride generates strong propulsion and an emphasis on fundamentals on two Hall compositions written with him in mind, the blues "Bent Blue" and the waltz "Dog Walk." Hall also matches up with George Mraz and his regular bassist Scott Colley, both for duets and a series of adventurous trios with guitar and two basses, from the complex atonal dialogue of "Abstract 3" to the profound longing of Mraz's keening bow work on "Tango Loco." --Stuart Broomer

Tracks:

Beija-Flor - The Jim Hall Quartet
Come With Me - Tania Maria
Straighten Up And Fly Right - Rosemary Clooney
Watermelon Man - Poncho Sanchez With Special Guest Mongo Santamaria
Listen Here - The Gene Harris Quartet
My Handy Man Ain't Handy No More - Carmen McRae
Airegin - Tito Puente
Blood Count - The Stan Getz Quartet
Love Walked In - Mel Torme, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass
Serengeti - Cal Tjader
In Walked Bud - Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers
O Nosso Amor - The Charlie Byrd Trio With Special Guest Ken Peplowski
Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year - Michael Feinstein With The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Good Music.......2007-06-08

I rate 5 star for the music, 5 star for sound quality and 4 star for surround mix. I'm not disappoint when listen to this album, each track on this album is very well selected.

I enjoy even when I listen with red book player. The CD layer also very good when compare to SACD layer.

One of my favorite album.

very good sound.......2007-01-03

I am very pleasure when I heard this SACD, all the sound is clear and the multichannel works like a different instruments places around my room.

voices in the room .......2006-03-14

Nice jazz sampler should appeal to most tastes in mainstream jazz since it's not too funky or free-style. What's the real kicker here is the SACD quality. Certainly not what I would call a great test cd but still good for amazing friends with the detailed sonics and tight bass lines and realistic voices in the room effects.

Excelent.......2006-01-02

very good compilation.
sound quality on SACD is first rate.

Good jazz SACD sampler.......2005-06-06

I'm not a jazz fan, but purchased this SACD for testing the performance of my new SACD & DVDA player. I own a lot of DVD audio discs, but this one is my first SACD.
Sound is good and well separated on the analogue 6 channel output designed for playing such a disc. But the music taste of the disc producer is strictly a jazz taste which doesn't meet that of a lot of music listeners. Beija-Flor, Come with me and Watermelon man are fantastic.
As a conclusion, it's a reliable SACD sampler but not comparable to DVDA which has almost the same sound fidelity, and include further videos, lyrics, photos and interviews.

Average customer rating:

beautiful is musically defined
This one just about has it all
An Essential Modern Jazz Guitar Album
Concierto de Aranjuez
I remember...

Concierto
Jim Hall
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002AGY
Release Date: 1997-09-02

Tracks:

You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
Two's Blues
The Answer Is Yes
Concierto de Aranjuez
Rock Skippin'
Unfinished Business
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (Alt. Take)
The Answer Is Yes (Alt. Take)
Rock Skippin' (Alt. Take)

Customer Reviews:

beautiful is musically defined.......2007-04-07

Concierto de Aranjuez is the musical definition of beautiful. Paul Desmond, Chet Baker, and Roland Hanna beautify the relationship between our ears and our heart.

This one just about has it all.......2006-12-02

This CD has the reputation of being Jim Hall's best. Since it's my first Jim Hall CD, I can't speak to that. It is, however, a very good CD. The style is mainstream jazz. Though it came out during jazz's "dark ages" (1975), this CD with a few small sound quality adjustments could have been released anytime between 1960 through 2006. Jim Hall's guitar playing is tasteful and virtuoso. The centerpiece of the album is "Concierto de Aranjuez" which is opens recognizably like Miles' version, but the next 18 minutes go in a different, jazzier direction. The five gentlemen playing with Jim Hall all do a top-notch job. Despite age and stylistic differences, they mesh superbly. A very good CD.

An Essential Modern Jazz Guitar Album.......2006-11-20

"Concierto" was recorded April 16th and 23rd at Van Gelder Studios, 1975. It is perhaps the most beautiful and lyrical jazz guitar album of all time. There's something about this album that just makes everything else seem secondary. That's an extreme statement for an extreme album.

Joining Jim Hall on this session are some really fantastic players. All these players are capable of impeccable lyricism and creative improvisation. Chet Baker on trumpet is a good choice. He always manages to find his voice on a record and does a fine job at providing that voice. Paul Desmond is on alto saxophone and is by far, in my opinion, one of the greatest alto players of his generation. He was so smooth and his technique was unmatched. What a wonderful player he was! Desmond had also been playing with Hall alot in those days. I would also suggest as a companion album to pick up "First Place Again," "Blue," or "Take Ten." All are fine albums by Desmond and also feature Jim Hall on guitar. On piano is Roland Hanna, whose name I was very unfamiliar with up until recently when I bought some Emily Remler albums. He's one of the greats and it's a shame I'm not more familiar with his work. On drums is Steve Gadd who is probably one of the finest drummers of our time. He's done alot of jazz fusion work too most notably with Al Di Meola and Jeff Beck. He surprisingly fits well into this group. He kind of lays back and goes with the flow instead of trying to outplay everyone. Finally we have Jim Hall whose one of the great jazz guitarists of our time. He's so lyrical with his playing and understated. He blends so well with other players. Never crowds them or tries to outplay them. Hall doesn't or never has had an ego. I can tell when somebody has an ego. In fact, most listeners of jazz music can tell when a musician has an ego they try to hog all the space and don't leave any room for the other players. Hall was never like that. He's also not about chops, although the man has plenty, he's not a flashy jazz player. He doesn't resort to licks. Every note the man plays is carefully constructed. A very subtle, melodic, and textural guitar player and an absolute master of harmony.

If you're a fan of jazz guitar, then you owe to yourself to acquire this fine release.

Concierto de Aranjuez.......2006-06-23

Great interpretation of Concierto de Aranjuez.
I am not into jazz, but this interpretation of Aranjuez really moves me.
Deserves 5 stars for this track.

I remember..........2004-09-27

I remember, while living in Chicago, a radio show in which *Sister (No Last Name)* spoke of when she spent 15 minutes in Heaven. Well to listen to the nineteen minutes of Concerto de Aranjuez seems to be a worthwhile, earthly, substitute.

Average customer rating:

Not as compelling as I hoped, still ok
Magic
Inventing (and perfecting) a Jazz Format
If all the encounters were like this one ..
Undercurrent

Undercurrent
Bill Evans , and Jim Hall
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000691U0
Release Date: 2002-07-16

Tracks:

My Funny Valentine
I Hear A Rhapsody
Dream Gypsy
Romain
Skating In Central Park
Darn That Dream
Stairway To The Stars
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
My Funny Valentine (alternate take)
Romain (alternate take)

Album Description

Duet albums were rare in 1962 and encounters of this quality are still rare. Bill Evans and Jim Hall, two modern jazz giants, were in peak creative form at the time, Evans leading his own trio and Hall working with Sonny Rollins's quartet at the time.

These two masters challenge and complement each other brilliantly on a series of standards and jazz originals. Newly remixed and remastered in 24 bit, this new edition of Undercurrent, which contains two more tunes (tracks 7 & 8) and two alternate takes (tracks 9 & 10) added to the original United Artists album, sound exceptional.

Customer Reviews:

Not as compelling as I hoped, still ok.......2007-02-03

This CD has gotten a certain amount of attention due to its similarities with "Metheny Mehldau" (or vice versa). There seem to be a lot of people who love "Undercurrent", including the people who write the Penguin book on jazz reviews, so the fact that I just like it may not be popular with some people. The first thing is that the sound on the "Undercurrent" CD is muddy. My other complaint is that rhythm doesn't gell for me on most of the songs, some of the playing comes off as tentative. As a result, some of the songs float by without making much of an impression. The CD opens with "My Funny Valentine", and includes an alternate version. Atypically, I think the alternate version is better than the original CD version, I believe it swings better. The program consists of mainly standards, with "Romain" by Jim Hall being an exception. "Romain" is one of the better songs, Jim Hall sounds more inspired and takes a more prominent role than in the other songs. In closing, listen to the samples, and figure out if you'll like it.

Magic.......2007-01-03

Every time I hear this, it's new. The inventiveness of these two as individuals is amazing; but together - unbelievable.

Inventing (and perfecting) a Jazz Format.......2006-11-17

While there is some precedent in early blues records for the piano/guitar format(Scrapper Blackwell and Leroy Carr come to mind), Bill Evans and Jim Hall are THE innovators for this instrumentation in jazz - their achievements on "Undercurrent" and "Intermodulation" established the standard by which subsequent piano/guitar sessions, including those of Joe Pass and Oscar Peterson ("a Salle Pleyel"); Joe Pass and Jimmy Rowles ("Checkmate"); Bill Frisell and Fred Hersch ("Songs We Know"); John Abercrombie and Andy LaVerne ("Timeless", "A Nice Idea", "Nosmo King"); and, in some tangential way, Cecil Taylor and Derek Bailey (On FMP's 1988 11 CD Cecil Taylor in Berlin release), are judged.

In their duet recordings, Evans and Hall first grappled successfully with some very tough issues that arise in piano/guitar duets - in this context, it can be very difficult to keep the instruments from stepping on each other's lines, but Evans and Hall each manage to carve out independent roles for themselves that each contribute to a very cohesive whole. To my ear, Evans is at the top of his game during these sessions, while Hall was only beginning to develop into the master that he is today (This is not to denigrate Hall's acheivement, but to point out that a great player then became substantially more accomplished over the next 40 years). From that perspective, these are Evans' sessions - his voicings, solos and accompaniments in these sessions outshine Hall's, and I can almost feel Evans accommodating some of Hall's less successful strategies. Still, the sum of their contributions is a beautiful, subtle mosaic of wonderful, meditative versions of standards.

It is instructive to compare the Evans/Hall sessions to some of the others mentioned above. Joe Pass and Jimmy Rowles come closest to duplicating the chemistry of the Evans/Hall sessions, except that Pass dominates "Checkmate" in the way that Evans dominates "Undercurrent". Pass and Peterson are almost too accomplished as soloists to cooperate on duets - their duets, which come after each plays a number of solo pieces, sound more like simultaneous solos that cooperative undertakings (although I can hear them smiling while they're playing). Frisell and Hersch create - what? sound tapestries? - that are not quite as experimental as the songs that Frisell was making with other bands at the time, but not quite as interesting, either - almost as if they were hampered by sticking to standards rather than playing in the genres they are most familiar with.

The most interesting comparison is to the Abercrombie/LaVerne recordings "Timeless" and "A Nice Idea". These sessions include a substantial number of the tunes that Evans and Hall recorded, but they are executed by musicians who are much later in their careers than Evans and especially Hall were at the time of the "Undercurrent" and "Intermodulation" sessions. Abercrombie applies a very modern harmonic system to the tunes, using scales and substitutions that were simply not used in the early 60's. While Hall used a standard Gibson hollowbody guitar that produced at easily recognizable tone, Abercrombie uses custom built guitars and sophisticated electronics to create a very distinctive, although much more synthetic, tone. On many of the Evans/Hall songs, Hall uses full chord strumming to accompany Evans - Abercrombie walks bass lines while simultaneously playing fills and chords to create a more textured context for LaVerne's solos. LaVerne, on the other hand, plays in a style that is very reminiscent of Evans throughout these discs - that's hardly a criticism, except that where Evans, Hall and Abercrombie are reaching new heights in the form, LaVerne is maintaining a very high quality status quo.

How to rate these albums? "Undercurrent" and "Intermodulation" get five stars for getting there first and remaining beautiful after all these years. "Checkmate", "a Salle Pleyel" and "Songs We Know" are wonderful, but do not acheive the level of innovation of the Evans/Hall sessions. And Abercrombie and LaVerne have, to my ear, pushed the envelope of mainstream piano/guitar duets even further, and get five stars for doing so.

As to Cecil Taylor and Derek Bailey - well, that's not really a standards disc, is it?

If all the encounters were like this one .. .......2006-01-08

... my girl wouldn't left me and I wouldn't be alone now. Unfortunatly when two people meet, you don't know if the alchemy will start or will continue after the first magic moments, or if something will make all the things collapse dramatically after a while. My last relationship did collapse with my great disappointment (and I had a hard time understanding why believe me), this one instead after more than thirty years still lives on, its alchemy still shines. Maybe Zappa was right "love is not music ... music is the best". You know the statement from Frank ... anyway. The music here is a sort of symbiotic improvisation between two master jazz giants at the peak of their creative power and maturity. The album is splendid, magic and evocative. I mean, two of the best impressionist musicians I know about, Jim Hall and Bill Evans .. consider that making a piano and a guitar work together it is absolutly not easy at it seems.The two instruments are both armonical and melodical and they stand both in the medium register so ... it's not easy, but these masters could do anything they would of course. You have to own Undercurrent. But I agree with the reviewer from Chicago who wrote before me. The remastering it's not something to marvel on. It's flat, the piano is not well recorded at the origin in my opinion, the guitar better but the amount of distortion (unwanted distortion) is very high for both instruments, anyway. The music is so beautiful that owning this one is still a must no matter the audio quality. I had a copy of this one made by a friend but I had to own the original so I bought it. The cover is really one of the most stunning record cover in the Jazz field. It is really a work of art. Now, without the titles on it, it is even better. I love it ... to death.

Undercurrent.......2005-10-03

This is a truely great recording of jazz which has stood the test of time. Even though this was originally recorded in the 1970's it still has a freshness and appeal that will see it be a favourite for a long time to come. This is truely relaxing and inspirational in its interpretation of many tunes from another era. If you appreciate true art you'll love this.

Average customer rating:

Great sound and great song!
Along with the Good Vibrations are my favorites
My dad loves it
Great Album!
Beautiful singing; clever arrangements

The Kings Singers - New Day
John David , Peter Christie , Cy Coleman , Warren Casey , Bob Barratt , John Lennon , Lionel Richie , Don Schlitz , Hal David , George Harrison , Jim Jacobs , Benny Andersson , Paul McCartney , Michel Legrand , Barry Manilow , Ed Welch , Harry Robinson , Daryl Runswick , The King's Singers , Gordon Langford Quartet , and Cliff Hall
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002RQO
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

You Are The New Day
Nouveau Poor
Three Times A Lady
What's In A Tune?
You'd Have To Be A Rosie
Can't Buy Me Love
Singapore Girl
'Sweet Charity': The Rhythm Of Life
The Gambler
It Was Almost Like A Song
Here Comes The Sun
Hush Little Baby, Don't Say A Word
'Grease': Money, Money, Money-Summer Nights
The Summer Knows
Could It Be Magic

Customer Reviews:

Great sound and great song!.......2007-05-19

I loved the song "A New Day" after hearing it on the radio. I tracked it down and ordered the CD. All the songs are terrific.

Along with the Good Vibrations are my favorites.......2007-05-15

Own it! It's all worth it!
"You are the new day" is my personal favorite song.

My dad loves it.......2007-02-13

If he likes it then I am happy. Not my cup of tea. I like the idea that there where some Beatles tunes. Dad is 57 I am 36 might be the difference in age. NOt sure. Just not my cup of tea

Great Album!.......2006-04-22

I was very amazed when I first heard this album. Their sound is like no other. They are so unique that you can't compare them to other acapella groups.

I can say that their sound is better than a mixed choir because even though the King's Singers is only composed of 6 members. Their sound volume can beat a 30 member choir due to the quality of their voice.

My favorite is "It Was Almost Like A Song" because of the countertenor's very light voice. The baritone part was also awesome as he dominated the scene when he took the melody.

Overall, great album. This has to be one of the King's Singers best albums released. All songs are great that you can't resist missing a moment on listening it.

Beautiful singing; clever arrangements.......2002-06-14

I have been a fan of The King's Singers since their debut recording thirty years ago. New Day is one of my favourite albums. It has the terrific optimistic song "New Day," but many other wonderful tracks.

"Can't Buy Me Love" is sung as if it had been written by one of the Renaissance madrigal writers when he was in a very good mood. There are other up tempo tracks like this one, including Abba's "Money, Money, Money" and "The Rhythm of Life," but the CD also includes some romantic, lush singing in songs such as "Three Times A Lady," "The Summer Knows" and "It Was Almost Like A Song."

The clever arrangement of Barry Manilow's "Could It Be Magic?" begins with an extract from a sombre Chopin Prelude in C minor.

Tracks:

St. Thomas
Alone Together
Receipt, Please
I'll Remember April
Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
Whose Blues
Prelude To A Kiss
Autumn Leaves

Customer Reviews:

great music, spotty recording.......2004-05-11

I love the music on this album. The sound is so warm and inviting, I always want to turn up the volume and immerse myself completely in the music. But unfortunately if I do that I hear the noisy hiss, especially anytime the guitar's playing. I don't mind the background noise (glasses jingling, etc.) from the club, to me that just adds atmosphere. But the noisy hiss on the guitar is a bummer.
Anyway, that's just a nitpick. The album is great, I'm very glad to own it. I just listen to it with the volume at moderate level or else with the treble turned down or else with the volume cranked but listening to it from the next room.
Still, if one of these days someone found a way to rerelease this album with a cleaned-up sound, I'd be very grateful!

it smokes.......2000-06-30

i found (alone together) a fantastic piece of duo jazz, an inspiration to would be guitarists on how to comp and play single line solos and make the grooves sound full and succinct.as a guitarist myself im always interested in hearing really good players, and these two are two of the best at what they do.

One of the best cool jazz performance ever recorded........2000-01-23

Cool jazz at its best. Hall's clean tone and Carter's wood bass softly knit up song by song. Each note is very carefully played. I found one of the most beautiful harmony of string instruments in this CD.

Private conversations between two jazz giants..........1999-09-02

Conversations between two jazz giants. Two string instruments make an amazing harmony, and sounds like one instrument. Two sounds completely melt together. Smoking jazz night in a club.

Attraction of string instruments........1999-05-03

Giants of modern jazz, Jim Hall and Ron Carter's duo. This CD gives you an idea of how to play the guitar for rythm section and how to play the bass for lead section. Sounds of the two string instruments melt together and create a soft and beautiful harmony. Excellent CD. 'Click' 'click'

Average customer rating:

Together Again
sublime
Improvisation at its Highest Level

Intermodulation
Bill Evans , and Jim Hall
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000476A
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

I've Got You Under My Skin
My Man's Gone Now
Turn Out The Stars
Angel Face
Jazz Samba
All Across The City

Customer Reviews:

Together Again.......2004-06-10

The first Evans-Hall duo album, Undercurrent, was too good to be a one-off and so a few years later they made this follow-up. Whether it's as good as Undercurrent is a matter of opinion. Both artists are in good form, which you might think is recommendation enough: and I do prefer the way in which the recording separates guitar and piano between the two stereo channels, unlike Undercurrent, which rather oddly seems to place the guitar in front of the piano in the overall 'sound picture'. However, there's a degree less warmth and depth in the recording than on Undercurrent and it may be this that makes the playing on Intermodulation seem a bit more detached and cerebral.

There are good things here, though. I like the oblique approach to " I Get a Kick out of You", which begins with a nicely shaped improvised chorus from Hall on the familiar chord sequence and only directly states the tune (on the piano) at the end. Both artists seem to play with more relaxation and assurance at this kind of up-tempo on Intermodulation, although on both albums, most of the pieces are slower-paced. Of the slower pieces, "My Man's Gone Now" is particularly successful: the sombre, bluesy melody from Porgy and Bess bringing out the more emotive side of their playing. There's some committed playing on the two ballad originals, although Hall sounds rather tentative, and tonally bland, on Evans's "Turn Out the Stars", perhaps because of a lack of familiarity with the piece. Both artists play atmospherically on Hall's "All Across the City" - as they did, even more impressively on Hall's "Romain" on Undercurrent.

If you don't have either of these duo albums, Undercurrent is the one to try first. Intermodulation, with its well-balanced programme of interestingly chosen material makes a good sequel, although its playing time is short for a CD. Undercurrent, with its `bonus' tracks is better in quantity as well as quality.

sublime.......2004-05-24

You will not find many jazz recordings that are truly so emotionally profound and beautiful. Evans and Hall are some of my favorite musicians and they truly display their characteristic eloquence on this record.
This is music for a quiet, stormy night alone at home. This is music for those tired and weary by the fast-paced tempo of modern life. Maybe that's why I love Evans. He slows it down. Sometimes it is just better when it is slowed down. Music is not sports. If you want musical olympics then go buy some Charlie Parker. If you want to relax then this is for you.

Improvisation at its Highest Level.......2000-02-11

I first heard this album as a high school study in 1970 and was absolutely astonished at the level of interaction between the two musicians. It has been my favorite CD for the 30 year since. The highly creative introductory variation of 'I Got You Under my Skin'by Jim Hall is a lot of fun. I Loves You Porgy is the most haunting version I have ever heard. Ogerman's Jazz Samba is a very upbeat tune that pulls you out of the blues. I play this CD for people who think they don't like jazz - everyone loves these tunes. The complexity of interaction between Evans and Hall on this CD is a classic and not to be missed.

Average customer rating:

Jazz guitar at its finest
Oodles of nice clean riffs but....
High Class Pablum
I'm only 3 years old
Masters at work

Jim Hall & Pat Metheny
Jim Hall & Pat Metheny
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000IFTK
Release Date: 1999-04-27

Tracks:

Lookin' Up
All The Things You Are
The Birds And The Bees
Improvisation No.1
Falling Grace
Ballad Z
Summertime
Farmer's Trust
Cold Spring
Improvisation No.2
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Waiting To Dance
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All Across The City

Amazon.com

The presence of Pat Metheny on Jim Hall's 1998 By Arrangement fulfilled the younger guitarist's long-standing dream of recording with Hall. But these duets confirm how beautiful their performing together could become. Unlike many encounters between high-profile guitarists, these recordings, from both a New York studio and a Pittsburgh concert, show no sense of competition or interest in displays of empty virtuosity. Instead, the CD's true to the enduring spirit of Hall's music, emphasizing interaction and a subtle complexity. Hall plays the lightly amplified electric guitar that is his trademark, with a gorgeous liquid tone, while Metheny brings a bevy of instruments to the meeting, including a standard electric (no synth), several acoustics--including a fretless classical--and his 42-string model for some remarkably harplike effects. There's tremendous variety in the music and thought in the choices of tunes and approaches. "The Birds and the Bees," played in memory of its composer, the late guitarist Attila Zoller, has a haunting depth, while the frequently played "Summertime" achieves a new identity in Metheny's arrangement, with spare and vibrant lead contrasting with animated rhythm guitar. Both musicians are adept composers, and highlights include Metheny's "Ballad X" and Hall's increasingly propulsive "Cold Spring." Given that Hall participated in one of the first recorded examples of free improvisation, "Free Form" with the Chico Hamilton Quintet in 1955, and Metheny has recorded with the British avant-gardist Derek Bailey, it's fitting that the two guitarists test the limits of their empathy in five brief and intriguing collective improvisations that sometimes explore unusual textures and microtonal harmonies. Whatever the material, though, the earmarks of the set are a quiet energy and a sustained lyric invention that invite and reward repeated listenings. The recording quality is superb, capturing every nuance of this music that seems to live near the core of the jazz guitar ethos. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Jazz guitar at its finest.......2006-10-30

Now, this is what jazz guitar is all about! 2 brilliant players get to show their craft wonderfully on this record. Before hearing this record I was already a big fan of Pat Metheny, but I had not heard Jim Hall. I will definetely look more into Jim Hall's work in the future. both these two guitarists are marvellous players.
This album is a great addition to any jazz collection, especially if you like guitar. I recommend this album to anyone who is even remotely interested in jazz or guitar.

Oodles of nice clean riffs but...........2006-07-14

Recording quality = muffled 'cassette' sound - entirely void of quality mix. A proper mix would have earned it an additional star.

High Class Pablum.......2005-08-01

Jim Hall and Pat Metheny are such excellent musicians that no album featuring the two of them in duet can be all bad but this album comes close.

I tried repeatedly to like this album but each time I listened to it, my eyes grew heavy. It's an album of high class pablum, nothing more. Hall and Metheny play against each other with great empathy but too seldom muscle. The cuts have too little separate character --everything blends together.

It's more than pretty tinkling --these guys are giants, after all! But it's not what it could have been, which was an album in which each cut played a role in building to an overall effect.

It's difficult to point out specific places where it went wrong but for a start, try listening to their rendition of "Summertime." Think of all the superior versions you've heard of this song --Miles, Hank Jones, Helen Merrill..... This one is just dull.

I hate writing a negative review of Jim Hall. He has been a hero of mine since I first heard him in the mid-fifties with Chico Hamilton and then Jimmy Giuffre. One of my all-time favorite albums, unfortunately never re-released, is The Modest Jazz Trio, Good Morning Blues (Pacific Jazz), with Hall on guitar, Red Mitchell on piano (instead of bass), and Red Kelly on bass.

I don't have as much trouble writng a negative review of Metheny, because I don't enjoy his work with his own group. However, he is an exceptional musician who has done wonderful, even adventurous, stuff --his album with Ornette Coleman, his work with Abbey Lincoln (especially "Throw It Away"), his trio album with Roy Haynes and Dave Holland.

Both Hall and Metheny deserve the opportunity to record a better album than this. Not that it's bad. Just that it's not as good as they are. And definitely not as exciting.

Dave Keymer
Modesto, CA

I'm only 3 years old.......2005-01-20

It's a shame to see, among most of the negative reviews of this album, a tendency among some people to completely forget the point of music--or, for that matter, of art: expression. Here are two guys expressing themselves. Nothing more, nothing less. Clean and beautiful. Fortunately, for those who actually listen to what's being played, Hall and Metheny are such masters of expression that each is capable of getting his point across. If you want 12 notes per second, check out some Al Dimeola; if you want some music that has voice and originality and some shweet technique to boot, listen to these guys.

Jazz makes you smarter. I've found 11 studies that prove it.

Masters at work.......2003-07-28

I started listening to Pat Metheny a couple of years back, and he was one of the first jazz guitarists I heard that really got to me.
His unique, warm tone, and fluency - like running water but in impeccable form and distinction, in his playing, are things that make him one of the world's most amazing guitar players, in my book. Adding to this his enormous versatility in music, the reason he's my, and many others', greatest musical influence becomes quite clear.

Who I didn't know of until I saw this CD, was Jim Hall, oddly enough. Later on, I found out through reading a lot of Pat Metheny biographies and interviews, that Jim Hall has been one of Metheny's greatest musical influences.
Then it all became very clear to me.
Hall's warm, rich tone, and way of playing, is unmistakably reflected in Metheny's, but it's not a copy at all, and that's what makes great artists; learning from the master, but creating your own, and becoming a master yourself, in your own way.

In the store, I wanted to listen a little to this CD before buying it, only knowing who Pat Metheny was. After 20 seconds (literally), I took of the headphones and put my money on the desk. It was magic.
The way these two masters together interpret the songs on this cd; their own, others', is amazing. The music has such a strong soul in it, that it's kept this album very high on my list for as long as I've owned it (since it came out).

Hearing this CD is getting a remarkable insight into the fanstastic musical ideas and spirit of these two, amazing guitarists and human beings.
It has given me a whole new view on music, and it really steered me into a totally new understanding of music, being but a kid when I bought it (I was born in 1985).
I strongly recommend you buy it, too. This kind of chemistry doesn't happen very often.

Complete Jazz Guitar
Average customer rating:
Complete Jazz Guitar
Jim Hall
Manufacturer: Gambit Spain
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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At Bradley's 1974

Complete Recordings Featuring Jim Hall

Hallmarks: The Best of Jim Hall

Original Trio

Live (Dig)

ASIN: B000JVSWLE
Release Date: 2006-12-26

Tracks:

Stompin' at the Savoy
Things Ain't What They Used to Be
This Is Always
Thanks for the Memory
Tangerine
Stella by Starlight
9: 20 Special
Deep in a Dream
Look for the Silver Lining
Seven Come Eleven
Too Close for Comfort
Two Lyric Pieces: Pierrot/Colombine [*]
I Remember Clifford [*]
Two Degrees East, Two Degrees West [*]
I Should Care [*]
Skylark [*]

Album Description

The music on Jazz Guitar has travelled a long way since its original recording. The first LP edition contained ten of the eleven tunes originally taped, including 'This is Always' while omitting 'Too Close for Comfort', which was later issued on a compilation album of various artists. However, the second LP edition had only nine tunes ('This is Always' was omitted) and presented edited versions of many tracks (mainly editing out piano or bass solos). A later release of this music, transformed the trio into a quartet, dubbing a drums track by Larry Bunker over the original music. Finally, a 1988 CD reissue presented the original trio versions once again (in their edited form), adding 'Too Close for Comfort' but, again, omitting 'This is Always'. This CD includes all of the tunes recorded on this session in their original unedited form for the first time including the long forgotten 'This is Always', in its original trio version and adding 'Too Close for Comfort. As a bonus to this outstanding album, we have added four interesting tunes featuring Hall with pianist and composer John Lewis: a 1957 duet and three 1960 quartet recordings. Gambit. 2006.

Album Details

The Music on "jazz Guitar" Has Travelled a Long Way Since Its Original Recording. The First LP Edition Contained Ten of the Eleven Tunes Originally Taped, Including "this is Always" While Omitting "too Close for Comfort", which was Later Issued on a Compilation Album of Various Artists. However, the Second LP Edition Had Only Nine Tunes ("this is Always" was Omitted) and Presented Edited Versions of Many Tracks (Mainly Editing Out Piano Or Bass Solos). A Later Release of this Music, Transformed the Trio Into a Quartet, Dubbing a Drums Track by Larry Bunker Over the Original Music. Finally, a 1988 CD Reissue Presented the Original Trio Versions Once Again (In their Edited Form), Adding "too Close for Comfort" But, Again, Omitting "this is Always". This CD Includes all of the Tunes Recorded on this Session in their Original Unedited Form for the First Time Including the Long Forgotten "this is Always", in Its Original Trio Version and Adding "too Close for Comfort".

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Jim Hall Live
Desert Island Disc!
Gorgeous! Some of Hall's best work.....
long overdue
A remarkable recording

Live (Dig)
Jim Hall
Manufacturer: Verve
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Concierto
Alone Together
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Undercurrent

ASIN: B00007KMS6
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Tracks:

Angel Eyes
'Round Midnight
Scrapple From The Apple
The Way You Look Tonight
I Hear A Rhapsody

Customer Reviews:

Jim Hall Live.......2006-11-10

This CD is flawless! I had it on vinyl and had not heard it in years. Wow! This might be the best live recording ever released. Jim Hall is a genius!

Desert Island Disc!.......2006-10-07

If you asked 100 accomplished Jazz guitarist what there all time favorite Jazz guitar album was a majority would pick this CD. I think that is because Mr. Hall is a musician first and the guitar to him is just an ends to a means. There are no weak points on this disc, all the performances from all the players are excellent.

Gorgeous! Some of Hall's best work............2005-12-14

With the possible exception of his work with Sonny Rollins and Bill Evans, this is the best work you will find of Jim Hall on cd. It sounds better than ever remastered - you really feel like you are in a jazz club witnessing an intimate collaboration. How can you not like the gentle sophisticated tone Jim Hall gets from his d'aquisto archtop? There are several witty passages quoting different tunes as well as some excellent chordal work. The bassist has a few stellar moments and the drummer is also quite good. A nice gentle yet probing approach to standards.

long overdue.......2005-07-21

This is an album I owned in college (late 70s), seem to have lost it along the way, then suddenly saw it on them shelves again. "Angel Eyes" might possibly be the best track, but it all is excellent. This album mostly features the loose interplay that Hall, Bill Evans, and others were famous for in the 60s, so do not expect much straight-ahead treatments. This is great, obviously, for guitar players, but bassist Don Thompson is amazing! Recorded in Toronto in 1975. A must.

A remarkable recording.......2003-11-21

This is in my opinion his greatest recording (I have every other one as well). First, it's a live recording and it has a freshness and spontaneity that is sometimes missing in studio recordings. Hall's playing is relaxed but incredibly sophisticated. He works these standards in subtle and clever ways. His lines/solos are melodic and story-like, but gently push the outer edge. Rhythmically there's pushing forward and holding back in ways that excite and engage the listener. This is subtle stuff, and it can be listened to for years while still discovering new elements and nuances. Much of the album's success is due to interplay between the three musicians (Don Thompson on bass and Terry Clarke on drums). They are all equal players, not just a rhythm section with a soloist. Don Thompson, in particular, is almost like a guitar player playing duets with Hall. The feel of the trio reminds me of Bill Evans w/ Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian. I very much wish Mr. Hall would play more often in this sort of context.

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No Question About This Man's Talent

First Place Again
Paul Desmond Quartet , and Jim Hall
Manufacturer: Gambit Spain
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000AN024G
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

East of the Sun
For All We Know
I Get a Kick out of You
Greensleeves
Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West
Time After Time
You Go to My Head
Susie [*]

Album Details

Two of the Most Lyrical of all the Great Jazzmen, the September 5-7, 1959, "First Place Again" Sessions Mark the First Recorded Collaboration Between the Superlative Alto Saxophonist Paul Desmond and Guitar Giant Jim Hall. The Participation of the Great Mjq Bass and Drum Tandem of Percy Heath and Connie Kay Keep Things Swinging in Epic Fashion. While the Brilliance of Each Musician is Evident Throughout all Eight Tracks, These Sessions Showcase the Band's Capacity to Create a Lyrical, Elegant, and Always Swinging Collective Sound. Desmond was Once Quoted as Saying: "the Ideal for Me, is a Group with a Lot of Cooperative Playing Going On, as Opposed to the Procession of Virtuosi, If That's the Word I Want. Guys who Can Improve Together in Such a Way that the Whole Turns Out to Be Greater Than the Sum of all the Parts." That is Definitely the Case Here.

Customer Reviews:

No Question About This Man's Talent.......2007-02-25

I've often felt that Paul Desmond never really got the respect and recognition that he deserved as a jazz saxophonist. Part of the reason may have been his role in the Dave Brubeck quartet and the limitations it may have placed on his personal role in order to further the overall direction of the group. In his setting here, with guitarist Jim Hall, you will hear a Paul Desmond with much greater drive and intensity but the same eloquent and sophisticated harmonic conception that marked all of his work. There has never been a better motivic improvisor in jazz with the chops and the intellect to continue to fit his improvisational ideas into the chordal frame-work of whatever tune he was playing. I think that especially on "I Get a Kick out of You" for example, listeners will hear an intensity and swing that erase any doubt as to his legacy in the history of jazz alto saxophone. It brings to mind his collaborations with Gerry Mulligan and their two very successful recordings. If you don't have any Desmond recordings away from the Brubeck quartet, I urge to buy this one. I think you'll thoroughly enjoy it. By the way, Jim Hall is no slouch, either. His spare, thoughtful solo creations seem to be a perfect compliment to Desmond's alto. I would give it my highest personal recommendation as a jazz listener and as a jazz saxophonist for over forty years.

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