Jim Hall, American jazz guitarist

Jim Hall & Bill Frisell: Hemispheres (artistShare)
*****
One is less than a minute into this disc, Jim Hall’s unmistakeable bell-like electric guitar tone and graceful improvising line in the left speaker, and Bill Frisell’s heavily delayed guitar coming and going like a Steve Reich backline in the right, and no matter what is likely to happen over the rest of two discs that make up this set the five-star rating is secured.

Two great American jazz guitarists from two generations, delighting in each other’s company, and captured on analogue tape in the Brooklyn home of Tony Scherr (that’s disc one) and then in a studio with Scott Colley on bass and Joey Baron on drums (disc two) – heaven cannot be more lovely than this, surely?

They swap originals as a duo, and also dip into Milt Jackson’s Bags Groove and Bob Dylan’s Masters of War for fun. They often don’t know where they are going next, but, hell, they are just loving the ride – and so do we. In the quartet, jazz standards provide the vehicles, but the approach is almost as free and open-ended.

Frisell plays some of his most conventional guitar to fit in with the sound Hall makes, but conventional is never dull when Bill is behind the instrument. And what is there left to say about Jim Hall? A true original, a truly timeless player, one who has always had that unmistakable instrumental voice, but has always sought new things to say with it.

This is unavailable in shops – it is marketed via the completely brilliant artistShare online service. Go here to sign up and get your copy posted to you. In fact, buy it for everyone for Christmas. 

Arve Henriksen: Cartography (ECM)
****
It sounds like an outrageous and rash thing to say, but every time I hear Norwegian trumpeter I am reminded that no player since Miles Davis has, to my ears, so originally refreshed the sound of that instrument.

With Miles it was the Harmon mute and his personal, deeply vulnerable voice through the instrument, and with Henriksen it is also the intimate and oh-so-human quality of the sound he makes. He doesn’t need a mute to make it, sometimes he doesn’t even need a mouthpiece. Early on it was the breathy intimacy of the Japanese shakuhachi flute that dictated the sound he sought. Over the years and through the recordings that sound is still influential but it is part of a much more varied and richer sound palette he uses.

This is the first disc in his own name for ECM after three Rune Grammofon releases. Excellent as those recordings have been, there is a real step change here. The scope is broader, the sound bigger and warmer. The collaborators range from live sampler and programmer Jan Bang and percussionist Audun Kleive to former Japan singer David Sylvian and classical/folk singers Trio Mediaeval.

The amalgamation of acoustic instrumental and vocal sounds with electronically-produced ones is seemingly effortless – everything Henriksen touches turns to music, you might say.

Dip into this disc wherever you like and you will find something that is both sonic delight and also strangely moving. The way he manipulates sound, with jumps and splices, loops and electric noise, unfailingly gives it greater depth. An intriguing musical journey full of beauty, texture and often thrillingly enigmatic.

Trovesi all’opera: Profumo di Violetta (ECM)
****
The Italian musical archaeologist indulges his love of Italian opera, from Monteverdi and Pergolesi, through Rossini and on to Verdi and Mascagni, in the company of a huge woodwind and brass orchestra, and with loads of space for his own wonderful clarinet and saxophone playing.

For many, being either such a stunning star soloist or an all-encompassing composer/arranger/orchestra leader would be gift enough. Trovesi embraces all of it, bringing rock directness of beat, free jazz squalls, deeply romantic interludes, and moments of wit and sometimes downright hilarity all within the bounds of a single CD.

There is far too much to cope with here. Mike Westbrook’s Rossini album sounds positively minimalist, not to say under-achieving, by comparison. I’m not sure this is necessarily the more rewarding listen, it’s so difficult to get one’s head around it all.

Great fun trying, however.

When Sonny strolled back from his perch above the East River, he wanted Jim Hall as his foil. Here’s a clip from an longer interview regarding his thoughts on the guitarist.

Describe some of your key partners from throughout the years. Jim Hall?

Jim was great, a wonderful accompanist. He had a great sense of space and time and – for sure – harmonic structure. It gave me what I needed at the time. He’s an exceptional musician. I learned from him.

Hall is back in action after some physical travails. He’s winding down a stint at Birdland. Here’s my recommendation. Here’s Nate Chinen’s review. I’d be there, but for some physical travails of my own – I’ve torn my Achilles tendon. Thanks to Bret Sjerven for sending me the healing sounds of Ra & Dickerson. Newk and Jim take a romp after the jump.

Jim Hall Quartet @ Birdland

Another dream of mine fulfilled – heard Jim Hall. @ 78 (our birthdays are just 1 day apart, apparently ), he hasn’t been doing as many gigs here these days, so I was glad there came a chance, finally. There was still the same wise space and presence in his sound… And humor when he talks. He had Joey Baron on drums, Steve Laspina on bass, Greg Osby on alto sax. They did an F blues, Skylark, St Thomas, a free improvisation, Billie Holiday’s Don’t Explain.

Jim Hall and me @ Birdland, NY

By Don Heckman

Los Angeles

- Nov. 9. (Mon.)  Judy Wexler. Wexler’s briskly swinging vocal style finds a perfect match with the trio of organist Joe Bagg, guitarist Bruce Forman and drummer Devin Kelly.  Charlie O’s.   (818) 989-3110.

Steve Gadd & Friends

- Nov. 10. (Tues.)  Reginald Robinson.  The MacArthur Genius award winning pianist  performs solo ragtime pieces to accompany silent film clips of animation by cartoon pioneers Walter Lantz, Otto Messmer and Earl Hurd. The Hammer Museum.

- Nov. 10 – 12. (Tues. – Thurs.)  Steve Gadd and Friends. After bringing the authentic flavor of jazz to a long list of pop artists, drummer Gadd does his own thing. With Joey DeFrancesco, Ronnie Cuber and Paul Bollenback.   Catalina Bar & Grill (323) 466-2210.  (Also at Yoshi’s SanFran Nov. 13 – 15.  See Below)

- Nov. 11. (Wed.)  The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra.  Nicholas McGegan conducts this superb period orchestra, six soloists and the Philharmonia Chorale in a rare evening devoted completely to the music of Henry Purcell.  Disney Hall.  (323) 850-2000.

- Nov. 12. (Thurs.)  McCoy Tyner.  Versatile, ever-intriguing Tyner has been one of the most powerful piano innovators of the past five decades.  He performs with his trio and alto saxophonist Gary Bartz.  The large improvisational ensemble, Build an Ark, opens the show.  UCLA Live at Royce Hall. (310) 825-4401.

Janis Mann

- Nov.12. (Thurs.)  Janis Mann.  Although she’s been compared to such iconic singers as Sarah Vaughan, Mann bring’s her own unique qualities to the classic jazz vocal style. Crown Plaza Brasserie Jazz Lounge. (310) 642-7500.  m

- Nov. 12. (Thurs.)  Pete Christlieb Tall and Small Band w. vocalist comedian Tony Russell.  Saxophonist for all seasons Christlieb leads a snappy 10-piece band with his wife, trombonist Linda Small-Christlieb.  This is the first event in which comedy is added to Vitellos’ Red Carpet Jazz Series.  More on the way.   Upstairs at Vitellos.  (818) 769-0905.

- Nov. 12. (Thurs.)  Denise Donatelli. A singer with the sound, the rhythm and the interpretive imagination to bring a song to life – that’s Donatelli.   Charlie O’s.  (818) 989-3110.

- Nov. 12 – 15. (Thurs. – Sun.)  Dawn Upshaw with the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.. Upshaw sings Luciano Berio’s fascinating cycle of folk songs and Dudamel conducts Schubert’s Symphony #8 (Unfinished).  Disney Hall.   (323) 850-2000.

- Nov. 13. (Fri.)  “Loud and Rich. “  Loudon Wainwright and Richard Thompson. A pair of veteran songwriters, each with a witty, sometimes sardonic, way with a phrase, make a rare duo appearance.  UCLA Live at Royce Hall.  (310) 825-4401.

Frank Marocco

- Nove. 13. (Fri.)  Dr. Bobby Rodriguez. ” Latin Dance Party”.  Trumpeter and educator Rodriguez knows all the connections between the steaming rhythms of Latin jazz and Latin dance.  The Culver Club in the Radisson Hotel Los Angeles Westside.  (310) 649-1776.

- Nov. 14. (Sat.)  Frank Marocco Quartet. Marocco keeps affirming the role of the accordion in jazz and beyond with his rich, inventive musical imagination.  He’s backed by Pat Senatore, bass, Robert Hardt, piano and Ramon Banda, drums.  Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400.

San Francisco

- Nov. 9. (Mon.)   Ian Anderson plays acoustic Jethro Tull. Anarchic flutist Anderson revisits his past.   The Warfield.

- Nov. 11.  (Wed.)  Leon Russell.  A rare club appearance by the great songwriter, pianist and character. Yoshi’s  San Francisco.   (415) 655-5600.

- Nov. 12. (Thurs.)  Ray Davies performing the Kinks Choral Collection. Forty years after, Davies is still producing memorable music.  The Warfield.

- Nov. 13. – 15. (Fri. – Sun.)  Steve Gadd and Friends.  W.. Joey DeFrancesco, Ronnie Cuber and Paul Bollenback.  Yoshi’s  San Francisco.  (415) 655-5600.

New York

- Nov. 9 – 12. (Mon. – Thurs.  Gal Costa and Romero Lubambo.  An irresistible combination: Costa’s dark-toned, intimate lyricism and Lubambo’s remarkably intuitive guitar backing.  The Blue Note.   (212) 475-8592.

Jim Hall

- Nov. 10 – 14. (Tues. – Sat.)  Jim Hall Quartet.  Veteran guitarist Hall, always eager to test his wares in a contemporary setting, performs with Greg Osby, alto sax, Steve Laspina, bass and Joey Baron, drums. Birdland.   (212) 581-3080.

- Nov. 11. (Wed.)  Kat Edmonson.  A stand-out in the crowded field of young female jazz vocalists, Edmonson has an ear caressing sound and an easygoing sense of rhythmic swing.  The Jazz Standard.   (212) 447-7733.

- Nov. 13 & 14. (Fri. & Sat.)  The Mike Melvoin Trio.   The veteran pianist is backed by the world class rhythm team of bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Bill Goodwin.  Mike promises that they “will play music for your blood, your heart and your spirit.”  Kitano.  (212) 885-7119.

Quincy Jones: Smackwater Jack (Verve 02527068909)
Ah, time for a little nostalgia. I well remember this from my student days – it came out in 1971 on A&M.

The title track really is a little lame, though it’s nice to hear Quincy singing. The real fun starts with Cast Your Fate To The Wind and a classic Eric Gayle guitar solo. Mr Jones was already busy building up fabulous personnel lists on his records, and the soloists on this disc include Toots Thielemans, Hubert Laws, Freddie Hubbard, Milt Jackson and Jim Hall. Oh, and Bill Cosby gets a vocal spot on the deliriously stupid Hikky-Burr.

The stand-out tracks are the original Jones theme tunes, Ironside and Theme From The Anderson Tapes – just check out Freddie’s solo on Ironside – and while the version here of What’s Going On might not initially seem to add much to Marvin Gaye’s original, it all kicks off on the hard swinging outro, a masterful arrangement with strong solos and an ace massed strings section inspired by Toots’s harmonica line.

The whole shebang ends with a six minute, 38 second history of blues guitar styles from “Roots to Fruits” in which Gayle, Hall, Thielemans and Joe Beck do their business.

For those who don’t own the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia, this disc is still worth hearing for Quincy’s glorious production values pre-MJ, for the great electric piano and rhythm sound, and for those sweet solos from Laws, Hubbard et al.

Este vídeo va dedicado a los que han vuelto esta semana al trabajo. La vuelta al trabajo no siempre es fácil por diferentes motivos, la nostalgia de las vacaciones, la sensación de no haberlas aprovechado a tope, los nuevos retos que se nos plantean… Por eso el tema me parece apropiado, es el famosísimo Mañana de carnaval que se dio a conocer en la película Orfeo negro. Esta es la versión que en 1963 grabaron nada menos que Paul Desmond y Jim Hall en su álbum titulado Take ten (ya os puse en su día con motivo del post número 100 [click para verlo] el famoso Take five de Paul Desmond, lo grabó junto Dave Brubeck y dicen que el título de Take five hace referencia al tiempo musical poco común que tiene la pieza, un 5/4 que la hace plenamente reconocible, pero yo creo que quizá significa también lo que en español traducimos como “choca esos cinco” y lo supongo porque años más tarde Paul Desmond graba con Jim Hall un álbum y lo titula Take ten, o sea, choca esos diez).

Tonterías mías aparte, disfrutad de esta Mañana de carnaval con alegría, que septiembre pasa volando.

Undercurrent was my pillow soundtrack last night, so I woke up with Jim Hall on my mind. Came across this clip with Barney Kessel while roving the range. Though it’s not really done alot, I kinda like it when two players of the same instrument connect for a duet. Guess I’m thinking of items like Buster Bee, Where Is Pannonica, and Music From Two Basses, etc. What’s your favorite double drummer disc?

There’s a Hall and Bill Frisell duet after the jump.

Bill starts his second week at the Vanguard with Lovano and Motian tonight. Here’s Joe explaining the fun they have. Here’s me with a blab. Here’s an NPR stream of a previous Vanguard show.

Vou deixar um pouco de lado toda a aventura e ousadia do avant-garde e do free jazz e postarei um disco do cool jazz.

É sempre muito prazeroso ouvir os discos de Paul Desmond. O som de seu sax alto é rapidamente reconhecível. Doce, leve… quase uma flauta!

Após anos tocando com Dave Brubeck e ter entrado para a história com sua música “Take Five”, Desmond gravou uma série de discos trocando o piano pela guitarra nos acompanhamentos. Destes álbuns, os melhores são em parceria com Jim Hall. Neste disco de 1963 pela RCA, a bateria é comandada pelo experiente  Connie Kay, integrante de longa data do Modern Jazz Quartet, e os baixistas Gene Wright (na faixa título) e Gene Gerico, todos estes parceiros de longa data do líder.

O disco é excelente com alguns destaques como a faixa título, “Take Ten” que é uma revisão a famosa faixa de Desmond, a lindíssima “Embarcadero” e “Samba de Orfeu”. Tanto Desmond como Hall foram fortemente marcados pela batida da bossa nova e este disco é temperado ao estilo brasileiro. Relaxante, melódico, elegante, romântico, “Take Ten” é um dos meus discos preferidos desse saxofonista.

1) Take Ten
2) El Prince (Alternative Take)
3) El Prince
4) Alone Together
5) Embarcadero (alternative take)
6) Embarcadero
7) The From Black Orpheus
8 ) The Night Has a Thousand Eyes
9) Nancy
10) Samba de Orfeu
11) The One I Love

Paul Desmond - Sax (Alto)
Jim Hall – Guitarra
Gene Wright – Baixo
Gene Cherico – Baixo
Connie Kay – Bateria

99 Ways to Play Better – A great post over at the Guitar Player website, which includes quotes from famous guitarists about ways they keep their playing fresh, inspired. Some of my favorite quotes form the list:

“Moving into uncharted territory is a key ingredient to making your practice sessions a success. Playing the same stuff over and over will only take you so far.” – Joe Satriani

“If you’re in a rut with your electric playing, pick up an acoustic. There’s something about playing the acoustic guitar that makes you think about songs.” – Buck Dharma

“Learn everything you know in all keys.” – Joe Pass

“In the long run, it’s more important to look at paintings than to listen to the way somebody plays bebop lines.” – Jim Hall

“Over-indulgence in anything is wrong—whether it’s practicing 50 hours a day, or eating too much food. There’s a balance with me, as there should be with everything and everybody.” – Jeff Beck

“Keep your guitar out of the case and handy. Practice short periods—anywhere from five to 45 minutes—many times throughout the day, rather than for one prolonged period. Often times, five minutes is enough time to work on a technique or musical passage. The whole idea of practice is to get your reflexes working like a gunfighter’s, so you can pull out that gun and be instantly hot.” – Barney Kessel

“Play a new thing every day.” – Ry Cooder

I would add that it’s also important to seek out quotes like these, to read guitar magazines, to take part in message boards full of guitar players… you need to find resourcs like these that can keep feeding your desire to learn more, to practice more, and to stay interested.

Boredom and familiarity are the enemy, and you need to actively beat them away.

La guitarra y el piano, el piano y la guitarra, mis dos instrumentos favoritos, a veces no sabría decantarme por uno, la guitarra la puedo tocar más o menos, el piano sueño con ello, lo tengo aquí al lado y cuando mi hijo se pone a tocarlo enseguida me quedo enganchado.
Aquí os traigo a dos maestros del jazz, Jim Hall a la guitarra y Michel Petrucciani al piano. A Jim Hall lo descubrí pronto, allá por los años setenta ya tenía algún disco suyo, fue uno de los culpables de que me gustara el jazz. A Petrucciani tardé algo más en conocerlo y lo perdí enseguida (murió en 1999). Menos mal que se pueden encontrar vídeos suyos en la red, su manera de tocar es sencillamente fantástica.
Os dejo con este Beautiful love.

The PDF file for this lesson is here:

Lesson#8

Here’s a list of the recorded examples I use in the lesson:

“Scrapple From the Apple” from Our Man In Paris by Dexter Gordon
“Brownie Speaks” From New York Cats by Mark Elf
“Just Friends” from El Hombre by Pat Martino
“Draw me Down” From Nightwings By Pat Martino

Go to an actual store and buy them!!!

“Swinging is the art of negotiation with someone else, under the pressure of time. It shows you how opposites can come together, without compromising who they are. The one who plays the highest-sounding instrument in the rhythm section–the time-keeping cymbal–has to find a way of working with the one who plays the lowest instrument, the bass. And the bass player, who plays the softest instrument, has to find a way of working with the player of the loudest, the drums. To succeed, everybody has to have a very clear idea of the common goal: What exactly are we here to do? In jazz we know: swing. In life, if everyone involved can agree on a primary objective, a group can accomplish almost anything.”-Wynton Marsalis

I don’t think it’s any big secret that Jazz Guitarists are known for having issues with time. I mean, face it, the guitar it just a clumsy instrument. It’s just really hard to play.

THE ONLY WAY TO EFFECT YOUR TIME IS BY LISTENING TO AND CAREFULLY TRANSCRIBING MASTER MUSICIANS

Everything else I am about to say is far less important.

Time Placement

You may be wondering why a player may or may not choose a particular way of approaching the beat. Well, there is no easy answer for that. Playing behind the beat is generally looked at as having a really heavy sound, while playing slightly ahead has a different sort of intensity that may drive the rhythm section forward. As a rule of thumb,  players try to strike a balance between rhythm section and soloist. For example, the rhythm section might be locked in a steady but laid back groove causing the soloist to react by playing on top.

I keep a little practice journal beside me when I practice so I can document what I’m working on. I also document observations that I make while listening to music. One day I listened to a bunch of music and tried to document all of the players’ tendencies toward approaching the beat. Here is the list that I came up with:

BEHIND THE BEAT

Lee Morgan

Charlie Parker

ON TOP OF THE BEAT

Art Blakey

Charles Mingus

Tony Williams

Oscar Peterson

Coleman Hawkins

FLUXUATES

Elvin Jones

Lester Young

ON THE BEAT

Jimmy Cobb

Lewis Nash

John Lewis

You should try to listen to several albums and write down your own observations as well.

Again, it must be pointed out that the only way to effectively influence your time is by transcribing master musicians. For guitar players, I recommend transcribing Wes Montgomery as always. Once you are comfortable with one of his solos, you should try to execute it against the recording. The amount of resistance one will feel locking up with Wes is tantamount to the deficiency each of us has with our own ability to swing in the pocket. Yup, his time is just that good!

Once you are comfortable playing behind, ahead, or dead center against a metronome, you’ll be ready to make conscious decisions regarding style and personal interpretation. Personally, I feel like my own tendencies are often dictated by whichever picking style I am using, the idea I am trying to execute, and most importantly how the rhythm section is interacting with me. We’ve already discussed the soloist/rhythm section relationship a bit so I won’t cover that here. As far as picking is concerned…well, unlike a lot of people, I use many styles. I assume that this will change sometime in the future depending on how strong my actual commitment to jazz actually becomes. For now though, I have to say that I use a technique that’s probably similar to Pat Martino’s when I am “driving” the beat. On the other hand, I feel like I revert into a Metheny-sque  legato style when I am trying to lay back a little. Occasionally, I will try to do some thing similar to John Scofield or Kurt Rosenwinkel, but it’s a little difficult because it  involves an extreme command of both the pull-off and hammer-on techniques. For some reason, the legato style comes more naturally for me and allows for more speed and a smoother sound. I just really love Martino’s sound and to be quite honest, I find that I miss some of the bebop sensibility from some of the legato players (I’ll check my e-mail for hate mail on this one.) Anyway, maybe someday I’ll sort this whole thing out. By the way, if anyone wants me to make a video describing different picking styles in jazz guitar, just let me know.

***Incidentally, if I could point to any one jazz guitarist that I really relate to from a purely technical stand point, it would probably be Vic Juris.  Out of any guitarist on the scene today, Vic seems to be the least tied to any one specific technique. I’ll write much more about him later I’m sure.

Swing Feel

Naturally, one will wonder why swing 8^th notes are interpreted rather than notated specifically. Well, the answer to that question is rooted in the history of the particular epoch associated with swing music (1930’s and 40’s.) It’s generally assumed that musicians learned to interpret written 8ths as 8th-note triplets because it was less difficult to both notate & to sight-read. Since big bands were all the rage during this particular time period, players were often required to sight read on the spot.

The method and perspective I describe in the video lesson should be seen as a starting point, not a destination. The type of subdivision I am relating here is really something that becomes more prominent at slower tempos. As I have already stated-the more you increase the tempo, the more even your lines will become.

COMMON PROBLEMS

If you look at old jazz folios, you will sometimes find that the lines are written as dotted 8^th notes. I have no idea why this was done but apparently some students have taken that interpretation to heart because I hear it a lot.

In addition to what I describe in the video other common problems include:

1) Rushing quarter notes and quarter rests.

2) Playing really stiff stacatto 8^th note lines.

3) Rushing or slowdown during or at the end of phrases.

4) Slowing down on 8^th notes on ties and dots.

5) Stiff downbeats.

Bob Taylor has an excellent PDF file that you can download here that goes into greater depth on almost all of these topics.

Closing Thoughts

I’m sure many of you have heard the famous Pat Metheny “lesson tape” where he states that there are only 4 guitar players in the history of Jazz that really have great time. Well, It’s no secret that Metheny is often prone to bouts of hyperbole and exaggeration but he does have a point. Ask yourself, “how many jazz guitarists do you know (in your peer group only) that really have amazing time?” Honestly, I know maybe 1 or 2 at best.

Here’s is my personal definitive list of every jazz guitar player in history who I think has perfect time:

***Wes Montgomery***

Okay, so here’s my quick list of jazz guitarists (in no particular order) who I think have really solid time:

Pat Metheny

Pat Martino

Vic Juris

Mick Goodrick

John Abercrombie

Kenny Burrell

Adam Rogers

Kurt Rosenwinkel

Johnny Smith

John Scofield

Jim Hall

Peter Bernstein

Atilla Zoller

Wayne Krantz

Joe Diorio

Allan Holdsworth

Bill Frisell

Ben Monder

Wolfgang Muthspiel

George Van Eps

Charlie Christian

Finally, Here’s a funny video of Jimmy Raney talking about time:

Para quem não conhece Chico Hamilton, saiba que seus discos são revolucionários e que este baterista lançou grandes nomes do cenário do Jazz. Começou a ficar conhecido tocando no inusitado quarteto “pianoless” de Gerry Mulligan em meados da década de 50. Durante sua carreira lançou músico em seus quartetos e quintetos, do quilate de Jim Hall, Eric Dolphy, Larry Coryell e Arthur Blythe. Em 1961 lançava seu novo grupo que toca neste disco de 1963 pelo sempre inovador selo Impulse.

A formação conta com o líder baterista mais o jovem promissor saxofonista Charles Lloyd – que assina quase todas as faixas do disco – o guitarrista húngaro Gabor Szabo além do trombone de George Bohannon (nas quatro últimas faixas ) e o baixo de Albert Stinson. Daí em diante tanto Szabo quanto Lloyd percorreriam uma grande carreira impulsionados pelo ex-patrão Hamilton.

Bom, o disco explora muito a criatividade de Lloyd e a guitarra exótica de Szabo junto ao forte rítimo de Hamilton. Já na faixa título Lloyd já se mostra bem a vontade em suas experimentações ao sax e Szabo lança um solo que caracteriza bem seu estilo “folk”. Já Stinson comanda o rítmo na segunda faixa, um blues bem legal.

A terceira faixa é conhecida como a melhor composição de Lloyd. “Forest Flower” é muito sensual e até lembra a boa batidinha de bossa. A faixa com mais de 10 minutos conta com solos de Gzabo, Stinson e um poderoso solo de Hamilton. Essa faixa também pode ser ouvida no famosos dico de Lloyd que leva o nome da faixa e que conta com os “pupilos” do saxofonista: nada menos que Jack De Johnette, Keith Jarrett e Cecil McBee.

O disco segue com a balada “Child’s Play” e com mais um blues, com Lloyd trocando o sax pela flauta. Já “Mallet Dance” é bem interessante, com Chico Hamilton arrebentando na bateria e Charles Lloyd solando em cima. Por volta dos qutatro minutos o restante da banda se junta a dupla. Belo trabalho nos tons-tons do batera.

Pouco mais da metade do disco ainda há muita música boa pela frente. “Love Song To a Baby”, uma baladinha com destaque para a flauta de Lloyd e quatro faixas oriundas de outro albúm de Hamilton chamado “Passin’ Thru”, sendo que a primeira delas leva o nome do álbum. Nestas faixas  o trombone de George Bohannon se junta ao grupo. As demais faixas são “transfusion”, a ótima “Lady Gabor” com seus 13 minutos de duração de autoria de Szabo e “Lonesome Child”.

Um disco muito criativo e de altíssima qualidade. Uma obra difícil de se encontrar onde pode-se ouvir um dos mais notáveis grupos desse brilhante baterista americano.

1 – Man from Two Worlds (Lloyd) – 5:53
2 – Blues Medley: Little Sister’s Dance/Shade Tree/Island Blue (Lloyd) – 3:20
3 – Forest Flower: Sunrise/Sunset (Lloyd) – 10:11
4 – Child’s Play (Lloyd) – 3:44
5 – Blues for O.T. (Lloyd) – 4:34
6 – Mallet Dance (Lloyd) – 4:49
7 – Love Song to a Baby (Lloyd) – 3:47
8 – Passin’ Thru (Lloyd) – 8:16
9 – Transfusion (Lloyd) – 2:42
10 – Lady Gabor [*] (Szabo) – 13:15
11 – Lonesome Child [*] (Lloyd) – 5:41

Chico Hamilton – bateria e percurssão

Charles Lloyd – flauta e sax tenor

Gabor Szabo – guitarra
Albert Stinson – baixo

George Bohannon – trombone

(Procure pelas raras gravações de chico como baterista de Gerry Mulligan no quarteto sem piano)

Hoje postarei sobre um ótimo disco de Sonny Rollins, eleito pelos críticos como um dos seus melhores trabalhos.

The Bridge foi gravado entre janeiro e fevereiro de 1962, ano em que Sonny voltaria a gravar após um “sumiço”de três anos. Em 1959 o saxofonista decidiu não gravar mais e muito menos se apresentar para shows pois acreditava que necesistava aprofundar-se na música… o detalhe é que nessa época Sonny já era considerado um dos mais notáveis saxofonistas no cenário do jazz, e tendo em seu currículo um dos mais importates discos da década de 50, “Saxophone Colossus”. O título é uma homenagem ao único ouvinte de suas pesquisas musicais durante o hiato de três anos deste tenorista: a ponte de Williamsburg em NY…

Nesse disco Sonny trabalha com um quarteto “pianoless”, composto por Jim Hall na guitarra, Bob Cranshaw no baixo e Ben Riley na bateria.

O disco abre com “Without a Song”, muito elegante com o grave som do sax de Rollins. A faixa é seguida pela balada “Where Are You?” e “John S.”, composta pelo próprio Sonny. Faixa bastante criativa com interessante “conversa” entre o sax tenor e a guitarra de Hall.

A quarta faixa é “The Bridge”, a música mais acelarada do disco e também a que melhor expressa a virtuosidade do saxofonista. Destaque também para a clássica “God Bless the Child” onde Sonny toca maravilhosamente. Belíssima versão. Para fechar o disco outro clássico, “You Do Something to Me”.

Obrigatório!

1. “Without a Song” (Edward Eliscu, Billy Rose, Vincent Youmans) – 7:28
2. “Where Are You?” (Harold Adamson, Jimmy McHugh) – 5:10
3. “John S.” (Sonny Rollins) – 7:45
4. “The Bridge” (Sonny Rollins) – 5:58
5. “God Bless the Child” (Arthur Herzog Jr., Billie Holiday) – 7:29
6. “You Do Something to Me” (Cole Porter) – 6:49

Sonny Rollins – Saxofone Tenor
Jim Hall – Guitarra
Bob Cranshaw – Baixo
Ben Riley – Bateria

(gosta de Sonny Rollins? Estes são imperdíveis: Saxophone Colossus, Alfie (original music from theme), A Night at Village Vanguard, Freedom Suite, Tenor Madness, Way Out West, entre outros)

This is a fascinating concept. ArtistShare was started in 2003, and “has been allowing fans to show appreciation for their favorite artists by funding their recording projects in exchange for access to the creative process, LTD Edition recordings, VIP access to recording sessions and even credit listing on the CD.”

Dealing with the file sharing issue they go on to explain: “The explosion of digital downloading has shaken the roots of the music industry as we’ve known it – the concept of creating music for sale has become a tenuous prospect, as record labels and artists continue to lose profits due to “illegal” file sharing”

There are of course strong opinions on both sides of this issue, but this company has a unique outlook and solution to loss of revenue to musicians. It seems to me ArtistShare is bringing live performance directly to fans. Both the artists and fans have a stake in the music

Here is a youtube live 1995 version of “Throughout” by Jim Hall and Bill Frisell playing live.

You can listen to it here on the AtistShare website as the first track of their CD, Hemisphere.

Very Interesting! Doesn’t quite sound like the same tune does it? But as explained here,  ”Throughout” has been recorded by Frisell many times and in many contexts, but it’s never sounded this open, this expressive.”

What is really nice is the fact that ArtistShare does many genres of music, with great taste in all aspects of production. Take a chance, you’ll find some great music.

Check them out @http://www.artistshare.com/home/

Watch this video with the great jazz tenor saxophone player Sonny Rollins playing his composition The Bridge and being accompanied by Jim Hall on guitar, Bob Cranshaw on bass and Ben Riley on drums. This tune is written and performen in up tempo which is a challenge for all musicians. However, these giants here have no problem with the speed and it’s a delight to listen to them and watch them executing the most difficult passages without hesitation …
Sonny Rollins is one of the greatest saxophone players ever and we invite you to participate in our poll regarding the best saxophone player known to mankind. Of course we know that it is very difficult to decide who is the better player when you have to choose between Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Michael Brecker and other tenor saxophone legends. More than establishing the better player, our poll is about taste and preferences of our readers, you even might consider some unknown or not mentioned sax player as the one you like best … Go and vote!

This video shows the guitar player duo Attila Zoller and Jim Hall performing the jazz tune Carefull on a show for the german television from 1973. It is a quiet piece and shows the exquisite musical taste of both guitar players as well as their well achieved musical understanding of each other.
Attila Zoller can be considered as one of the most important german jazz guitar players of post-war Germany, if not the best. We encourage you to look for other examples of his playing on youtube.
Jim Hall is also a well known guitar player and has performed with many international jazz musicians such as Barney Kessel, Bill Evans and Sonny Rollins, among others.