Some days ago I listened to a CD with Jim Hall, guitar, that I have bought some years ago. I am not sure if I ever had listened to this CD, I had heard the name Jim Hall now and the, but was not really aware what kind of music he is playing.
During the last days I have listened to many interesting videos with music played by Jim Hall together with Bill Evans (piano), Attila Zoller (guitar), Bill Frisell, Sonny Rollins, Pat Metheny and others. I found, that Jim Hall is one of the really great guitarists in jazz, and that he is especially a guitar player with a soft and smooth guitar sound, but a player of very melodic and interesting jazz. Jim Hall has influenced many of the younger jazz guitarists.
Jim Hall has played the guitar for more than 50 years now, and after a longer pause caused by a medical trement he is active again and will play concerts.
I had some problems in selecting the most interesting videos, because there are so many good videos with Jim Hall available. My playlist does already contain more than 20 interesting videos.
Let’s start with a piece obviously recorded in the 60s, a duo with Barney Kessel:
JimHall & Barney Kessel – You Stepped Out Of A Dream
In 1973 Jim gave a workshop in Germany together with Attila Zoller, the famous German jazz guitarist (I always dreamt of one of those beautiful Attila Zoller signature guitars made by Framus – but never could buy one), her’s a video from this workshop, Jim Hall plays his Gibson ES 175:
Jim Hall & Attila Zoller – Blues In The Closet
This year Jim Hall played in a concert in March, in three video you can see and her that with almost 80 years Jim Hall is still a fantastic player. Jim Hall plays his beautiful Sadowsky guitar:
All the things you are
Jim Hall Trio recorded march 2009 Joey Baron drums and Steve LaSpina bass
Jim Hall’s official website has a lot of information about his music, photos and a player with some of his recordings.
Website: jimhallmusic.com
Jim Halls guitars and equipement
Another page dedicated to Jim Hall: http://jimhalljazz.com/
Wikipedia: Jim Hall
My Jim Hall playlist
3 Classic Albums Plus – Jim Hall Jazz Guitar / Good Friday Import
(Amazon partnerlink)