Jim Hall: Downbeat Critics' Choice (2002)

One of the many great things about guitarist Jim Hall is his unparalleled ability to excel in both a straight-ahead jazz context and in a variety of more experimental modes, from harmonically challenging avant-garde jazz to playful adaptations of Caribbean themes and innovative instrumental settings (such as the trio improvisation with bassist Scott Colley and George Mraz featured on this album). Hall's guitar sound is famously round, soft, and gentle, and yet his note choices and compositional strategies can be highly difficult. Down Beat Critics' Choice collects 12 tracks from albums Hall recorded for the Telarc label between 1995 and 2001, and includes some of his most exciting and sophisticated work, as well as a clunker or two. Among the former are his exquisite collaboration with guitarist Mike Stern on "Stern Stuff," which Hall composed in Stern's honor and which is based on a Monk-ish, almost atonal theme and yet features some of Hall's most spirited and sweetly swinging solo playing. The calypso-flavored "Pan-O-Rama," which features pianist Geoff Keezer, is another solid winner, as is the melancholy "Snowbound," a duet with accordionist Gil Goldstein. "Circus Dance" is just a bit too literal in its development of the titular theme, and never really gets off the ground. But the high points outnumber the low ones by a huge margin on this very fine collection.

Tracklist:
01. Dream Steps (Hall)
02. Stern Stuff (Hall)
03. Snowbound (Hall)
04. Fanfare (Hall)
05. Quadrologue (Hall)
06. Circus Dance (Hall)
07. Pan-O-Rama (Hall)
08. Furnished Flats (Hall)
09. October Song (Hall)
10. The Wind (Freeman-Gladstone)
11. Abstract 3 (Colley-Hall-Mraz)
12. Tango Loco (Hall)
Downbeat Critics' Choice
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Jim Hall: Jim Hall and Basses (2001)

Jim Hall is no stranger to guitar/bass duets after several memorable outings with the likes of Ron Carter and Red Mitchell, but this series of studio sessions is even more challenging, mixing it up in pairings with Dave Holland, Christian McBride, Charlie Haden, George Mraz, and Scott Colley. Only three of the 13 pieces are standards, including a soft and sparse treatment of "All the Things You Are" with Mraz, a whisper-soft and slowly savored "Don't Explain" with Haden, and a switch to acoustic guitar for a tense "Besame Mucho" with Colley. Hall's skills as a composer are vastly underrated by the jazz audience as a whole, but his fellow players recognize his formidable skills. He makes a relatively rare appearance on a 12-string acoustic guitar in his challenging opener, "End the Beguine," in which he and Holland rise to the demands of this captivating piece. McBride joins the leader for the playful waltz "Dog Walk," while Colley, Hall's regular bassist at the time of these recording sessions, joins him for the invigorating "Dream Steps," a reworking of the chords to the standard "You Stepped Out of a Dream." In addition to several memorable duo (or trio) improvisations, Hall is joined by both Colley and Mraz for the initially loping and suddenly very abstract "Tango Loco," featuring Mraz's tasty arco bass. Hall's adventuresome streak as a composer, arranger, and performer continues to flourish. - Ken Dryden

Tracklist:
01. End the Beguine! (Hall)
02. Bent Blue (Hall)
03. Abstract 1 (Hall-Haden)
04. All the Things You Are (Hammerstein-Kern)
05. Abstract 2 (Hall-Colley-Mraz)
06. Sam Jones (Hall)
07. Don't Explain (Herzog-Holiday)
08. Dog Walk (Hall)
09. Abstract 3 (Hall-Colley-Mraz)
10. Besame Mucho (Skylar-Velazquez)
11. Dream Steps (Hall)
12. Abstract 4 (Hall-Colley)
13. Tango Loco (Hall)
Personnel:
Jim Hall - electric &acoustic guitars
Scott Colley, Charlie Haden, Dave Holland, Christian McBride, George Mraz - bass
Jim Hall & Basses
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