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Jazz guitarist Jim Hall's technique has been called subtle, his sound mellow, and his compositions understated; yet his recording and playing history is anything but modest. He has recorded with artists ranging from Bill Evans to Itzhak Perlman and performed alongside most of the jazz greats of the 20th century. The first of the modern jazz guitarists to receive an NEA Jazz Masters award, his prowess on the instrument puts him in the company of Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, and Django Reinhardt. After graduating from the Cleveland Institute of Music, Hall became an original member of the Chico Hamilton Quintet in 1955 and of the Jimmy Giuffre 3 the following year -- both small but musically vital ensembles of the era. Hall continued to hone his craft on Ella Fitzgerald's South American tour in 1960, a fruitful time in which his exposure to bossa nova greatly influenced his subsequent work. From there, he joined Sonny Rollins' quartet from 1961-62, and appears on The Bridge, Rollins' first recording in three years after a self-imposed retirement. The interplay between Rollins' fiery solos and Hall's classic guitar runs make this one of jazz's most essential recordings. Hall then co-led a quartet with Art Farmer, recorded a series of duets with noted saxophonist Paul Desmond, and performed as a session musician on numerous recordings. His extensive ensemble experience has produced a control of rhythm and harmony so that Hall's playing, while grounded in scholarly technique and science, sounds both rich and free. He eventually formed his own trio in 1965, which still performs and records today. Well-studied in classical composition, Hall has produced many original pieces for various jazz orchestral ensembles. His composition for jazz quartet, "Quartet Plus Four," earned him the JAZZPAR Prize in Denmark. His influence on jazz guitarists, including such disparate ones as Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny, is immense. Hall continues to explore new avenues of music, even appearing on saxophonist Greg Osby's 2000 recording, Invisible Hand, with legendary pianist Andrew Hill. He also has worked in smaller settings as well, often in duets with jazz greats such as pianists Bill Evans and Red Mitchell, and bassists Ron Carter and Charlie Haden. In addition to numerous Grammy nominations, Hall has been awarded the New York Jazz Critics Circle Award for Best Jazz Composer/Arranger. Selected Discography Jimmy Giuffre 3, Trav'lin' Light, Atlantic, 1958 National Endowment for the Arts · an independent federal
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