Friday, November 01, 2013

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Jim Hall

Artist:Jim Hall
Song:In A Sentimental Mood
Album:Dedications & Inspirations





Jazz guitarist Jim Hall started out as a sideman in the 50s and started recording as a leader in the 70s. He still tours the jazz festival circuit today. He was born Dec. 4, 1930 in Buffalo and grew up in Cleveland. His mother played piano and she gave him a guitar for Christmas when he was ten years old. He played local clubs as a teen and studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Then he moved to Los Angeles and joined Chico Hamilton's band in 1955. Hall usually plays acoustic guitar. I don't recall ever hearing him play electric guitar. He's very versatile and can play most any style of jazz and he has been an in demand session musician since the 50s. Hall played for several years with sax player Jimmy Giuffre and that got him more gigs with Jazz at the Philharmonic, Ben Webster, Bill Evans, Paul Desmond, Ella Fitzgerald, Lee Konitz, Sonny Rollins and Art Farmer. He moved to New York in 1960 and was in a trio with pianist Tommy Flanagan and bassist Ron Carter. He was guitarist for The Merv Griffin Show house band and worked a lot with Bob Brookmeyer, the trombonist for that band. Hall first recorded the Duke Ellington classic In A Sentimental Mood on the 1969 album It's Nice To Be With You Live In Berlin. That was Hall's second album as a leader. Unfortunately that CD is too expensive. But he also recorded it on the 1993 CD Dedications & Inspirations on Telarc Records. He's playing solo and it is available as a budget CD. Jim Hall continues to perform today. Several guitarists including Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell have acknowledged his influence. He currently records for ArtistShare and is releasing a box set of live recordings. Here's Jim Hall performing in A Sentimental Mood on INA TV in France Sept. 5, 1969.

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