Cool Jazz Guitar Playing - Jim Hall Stood Above The Crowd!

By Steve M Herron

Jim-Hall

Jim Hall was born on December 4, 1930 in Buffalo, N.Y. and as a youngster was surrounded by music. His grandfather played the violin, his mom the piano, and his uncle the guitar. It was his uncle who convinced Hall to take up the guitar at the age of 10. His talent was soon apparent and although it was against union policies, he began to play live in local dance bands at age 13. Like many of the jazz guitar greats of the 1950s and 1960s, it was the recordings of Charlie Christian that first turned Hall's focus towards jazz.

Jim Hall's family relocated to Cleveland, Ohio in 1946. Having actually decided to make a profession in music he got accepted to and later graduated from The Cleveland Institute of Music. It was during this period of time that Hall became familiar with the gypsy jazz guitar virtuoso Django Reinhardt. Reinhardt's recordings influenced the subsequent development of his guitar style. Not pleased with the financial prospects of working as a guitar player in Cleveland, Jim chose to transfer to Los Angeles in 1955.

There he felt he could both earn money and still continue his musical studies at The University of California in Los Angeles. He was also able to study classical guitar, for a short while, with Vicente Gomez. In 1958 drummer Chico Hamilton was forming what was to be the very first of his numerous outstanding jazz quintets. John Graas, the French horn player, recommended Hall to Hamilton. Hall got the job with what ended up to be among the most successful and innovative jazz groups of the day. He stuck with Hamilton for one and a half years.

This association with Chico Hamilton was to be Hall's very first step up the ladder to the top of the jazz guitar tree. Hall received well-earned critical reviews for his part in Giuffre's trio from jazz audiences and critics all over the world. Now established globally as a jazz artist of the highest caliber, Hall was contracted to play with top singers consisting of Ella Fitzgerald and Yves Montand.

In 1960 Hall moved back to New York city. For a while he worked as a studio musician which included a stint with the band on the popular "Merv Griffin Show". Once more back at the top of his game as a jazz guitar player, the early 1970s and late 1960s saw Hall at his creative best. For many years since, Hall has made lots of exceptional recordings with diverse jazz artists. He has appeared in live performances and recorded with bassists Ron Carter and Red Mitchell, trumpeters Art Farmer and Chet Baker, pianists Bill Evans and George Shearing, saxophonists Paul Desmond and Ornette Coleman, in addition to many other top jazz artists.



Several of these recordings have some of the very best jazz guitar playing on record and certainly validate the title often bestowed upon Hall as "The Poet of Jazz". He likewise recorded with a quartet led by pianist Andre Previn backing classical violinist Itzhak Pearlman and also with The Kronos String Quartet. Jim Hall was awarded the prestigious JAZZPAR Prize for 1998. He accepted the honor which included a cash award of roughly $30,000. at the JAZZPAR Prize Gala Concert in Copenhagen, Denmark on April 5, 1998.

Jim Hall is certainly among the most inventive, prominent, and lyrical jazz guitarists in history. While Jim was initially associated with cool jazz and then with hard bop, he always had his own approach along with a very distinct guitar sound. A master of subtlety, he has over the years consistently created fresh concepts, used space effectively, and made every note he played count. Jim hall passed away on December 10, 2013 at the age of 83.

Peabody Conservatory trained guitarist Steven Herron is an expert on jazz guitar books. He has spent most of his adult life playing professionally at clubs and restaurants as well as teaching private students at his studio. Sign up now for his Free Chord Harmonizations Report and find out more about Jim Hall solos.

Article Source:  Cool Jazz Guitar Playing - Jim Hall Stood Above The Crowd!