Jim Hall

Jim Hall has been hailed by almost every famous jazz guitarist as one of their primary influences. He originated the 'dark tone' sound that has now become the hallmark (pun?) of so many players, especially Pat Metheny.

Jim Hall's touch, phrasing and articulation are so unique, you can usually recognize him after one note. His way of playing with rhythmic and melodic figures, inverting and displacing them through the changes, has been a model for a whole generation of guitarists.

It's really hard to find a less-than-perfect Jim Hall album. Anything recorded before 1980 would have to be considered a must-have. The best albums in my mind are Where Would I Be, Jim Hall in Berlin, The Bridge with Sonny Rollins, all the albums with Paul Desmond, Undercurrent and all the other albums with Bill Evans. My personal favorite is Jim Hall Live which was recorded in Canada with Don Thompson on bass. I have never found that album on CD - I just have an old LP of it, can someone please reissue it? You can find a full discography of Jim Hall at the European Jazz Network site and at the Classic Jazz Guitar site which also has more real audio samples.

• You'd Be So Nice to Come Home to This solo was transcribed in Downbeat magazine and is available online. It's from a great album called Concierto on the CTI label and features Paul Desmond, Chet Baker, Ron Carter, Steve Gadd, and Roland Hanna. This is classic Jim Hall with the rich dark tone, and all the rhythmic, harmonic and melodic development that have made him a legend among guitarists.
• The Answer is Yes - Another great solo from the same album. Although Jim has a great sound and plays beautifully on all his albums, there is something special to me about the sound of this album - the way his guitar blends with Ron Carter's bass lines and the interplay with the piano.
• My Funny Valentine - This is an excerpt from the Undercurrent album with Bill Evans starting at the bridge of the tune. The melodic statement that Jim makes in this solo is so strong that it's almost impossible to hum the melody of the song when you listen to his solo. You really have to hear this tune in its entirety because Jim's comping behind Bill Evans' solo is a masterpiece in its own right (Bill solos with his right hand only leaving all the comping to Jim).