Biografia:
Jim Hall
Música Contemporânea: Gênero e Análise de 1940 à 1970 – Professor Lupa Santiago Rafael Moreno dos Santos – 6º Semestre Faculdade de Música Souza Lima 2015
James Stanley Hall (4 de Dezembro de 1930 – 10 de Dezembro de 2013) foi um guitarrista de jazz, também compositor e arranjador nascido nos Estados Unidos da América. Citação da revista Premier Guitar "It could be argued that the jazz guitar tree is rooted in four names: Django [Reinhardt], Charlie [Christian], Wes [Montgomery], and Jim [Hall]". Nasceu em Buffalo, Nova Iorque antes de sua família mudar-se para Cleveland, Ohio, Hall era de uma família musical, sua mãe tocava piano,seu avô, violin, e seu tio, guitarra. Começou a tocar com dez anos quando sua mãe lhe deu um instrument como presente de Natal. Durante a adolescência em Cleaveland apresentava-se profissionalmente e chegou a tocar baixo acústico. Suas maiores influências durante a infância foram os saxofonistas Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Paul Gonsalves, e Lucky Thompson. Ainda que copiasse solos de Charlie Christian (e posteriormente Barney Kessel) tinha preferência pelos instrumentos de sopro. Em 1955 Hall entra para a Cleveland Institute of Music onde graduou-se em composição, estudando piano e baixo, além de teoria musical. Um ano depois muda-se para Los Angeles, onde o cool jazz era proeminente..Estudou violão erudite com Vincente Gomez e de 1955 a 1956, tocou no quintet de Chico Hamilton. Foi nessa época que começou a ganhar notoriedade. Tocando com Jimmy Giuffre Three, Hall desenvolveu algumas de suas preferências musicais pessoais, incluindo arranjos desafiadores e improvisação interativa em duo ou trio. Lecionou na Lenox School of Jazz em 1959; tocou com a Jazz at the Philharmonic; trabalhou com Ben Webster (1959), Bill Evans (1959), Paul Desmond (1959–65), Ella Fitzgerald na Europe (1960), Lee Konitz (1960–61), Sonny Rollins (1961-2, 1964), e Art Farmer (1962-1964). Trabalhando com todos esses nomes proeminentes e estabelecidos artistas permitiram com que Hall produzisse seus próprios trabalhos em estilo de sua preferência. Por volta de 1960 viveu em Nova Iorque. Em 1962, liderou um trio com Tommy Flanagan e Ron Carter—com a adição de addition Red Mitchell em 1965. Alaém disso, organizou um grupo com Bill Berry, Bob Brookmeyer, Benny Powell, Art Davis e Jake Hanna como banda da casa do The Merv Griffin Show na televisão. Alguns de seus trabalhos mais importants são os arranjos e gravações em duos com Bill Evans e Ron Carter, permitindo que suas idéias musicais fossem registradas. Hall era dotado de incrível habilidade improvisacional e criatividade, conhecido por desenvolver motivos e utilizar inflexôes do blues. Essas caracteristicas são melhor exemplificadas em seu disco de 1975 Jim Hall Live!, com Don Thompson e Terry Clarke. Nesse period também gravou com o pianist George Shearing e o violinista Itzhak Perlman. Continou trabalhando com Mitchell and Ron Carter até 1985.
Na década de 1990 , Hall continuou a excursionar e gravar por todo o mundo. Seus músicos acompanhantes incluíam os bateristas Bill Stewart, Andy Watson e Joey Baron, os baixistas Scott Colley e Steve LaSpina; pianistas Gil Goldstein e Larry Goldings. Ocasionalmente incluíu Chris Potter e Greg Osby on the tenor saxophone. Pode-se conferir esses músicos no video de Jim Hall Master Sessions with Jim Hall de 1993. Apareceu como solista convidado no trio de Michel Petrucciani com Wayne Shorter em 1986 and tocou no Village Vanguard com Bill Frisell. Em 1990 ele foi o apresentador do JVC Jazz Festival New York, com presence de Pat Metheny e John Scofield. Após o Festival tocou em alguns concertos com Metheny. Em1994 Hall gravou um album solo. Em em 1996 excurcionou pel Europe liderando um quarteto com Joe Lovano. Hall recebeu o New York Jazz Critics Award por Melhor Compositor/Arranjador de Jazz em 1997, o que foi uma etapa muito importante na sua carreira.Suas peças para cordas, contrabaixo e voz podem ser ouvidas nas gravações de Textures and By Arrangement. Sua composição "Quartet Plus Four", uma peça para quartet de jazz contando com o quartet de cordas de Zapolski teve sua estréia na Dinamarca, onde foi premiado com o Jazzpar Prize. Ganhou prêmios por suas composições orquestrais para guitarra e orquestra, commissionado pelo Towson University em Maryland pelo The First World Guitar Congress com estréia em junho de 2004 com a Baltimore Symphony. Foi premiado pelo NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship em janeiro de 2004. Um dos primeiros artistas a integrar o selo ArtistShare and lançar Magic Meeting em 2005. Em 2006, a ministra da cultura francesa, Kareen Rispal, conselheira cultural da embaixada da França,honrou Hal com o Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres, tendo ditto: “We honor you, Jim Hall, for expanding the musical universe, for your innovations and contributions to musical expression. We salute your ongoing experimentation which has been known countless times to bring people around the world together." Em novembro de 2008 o album duplo Hemispheres foi lançado pelo ArtistShare, tendo participação do guitarrista e seu estudante Bill Frisell com Scott Colley no contrabaixo, Joey Baron na bateria e produzido por Brian Camelio. Hall casou-se com Jane Herbert em 9 de setembro de 1965, uma compositora e psicanalista. Morreu dormindo em seu apartamento em Manhattan, Nova Iorque, em 10 de dezembro de 2013.
Estilo e influência Hall's musical style develops with every new album and collaboration he engages in. His approach to music is unique - he views music as a way to break all barriers, not limited to music, as well as to share his discoveries with others.[3] Music is a vehicle of peace for Hall and he therefore makes it a goal to reach out to others and communicate his music, teaching seminars all over the world. He is innovative and always interested in new modes of musical expression to further his ability.[3] Hall's tone has been described as mellow, warm, gentle, subtle, rich, and lightly amplified.[3] Unlike other musicians, Hall's work is not necessarily recognized by a signature riff but rather his expressive capabilities.[3] As an arranger, his solos are aptly constructed, taking into account harmonic, melodic and rhythmic elements.[3] They are composed with both feeling and technique with clarity as the ultimate goal.[3] Hall was especially innovative with instrumentation, mixing classical with jazz by adding violinist Itzhak Perlman into the mix. Furthermore, in 1957, he played in a trio with saxophonist Jimmy Giuffre and trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, without any rhythm section. Without piano, bass, or drums, the three musicians improvise at the same time, keeping rhythm themselves.[3] Similar to Duke Ellington, the other artists on the record influence the composition and he creates music to showcase their talents as well.[12] Furthermore, he is always open to what is new and what others are playing, including the guitar synthesizer.[13] I'm not sure I have what's called a style, but I have an approach to music, an attitude to consciously allow myself to grow. I don't like to be boxed in or labeled as having to do with any certain period of jazz music or music in general.[14]
Silence is as much a part of Hall's music as is sound. Intimate settings, such as smaller clubs, showcase this strength.[15] Hall "carefully [chooses] a few notes instead, one after another, and placed them with the care of someone setting an elegant table."[16] Although Hall is generally a leader, his excellent listening skills allow him to aid other musicians harmonically when required and staying silent when needed.[15] Everyone is equal in Hall's groups, he explains, "each one of these guys is a creative, growing musician, and I treat them that way."[15] Exemplifying Hall's musical style is his collaboration with guitarist Pat Metheny (1990). The duo had met thirty years previously, when guitarist Attila Zoller brought 15-year-old Metheny to The Guitar, a club where Hall and bassist Carter had a standing position.[17] "Jim is father of modern jazz guitar to me, he’s the guy who invented a conception that has allowed guitar to function in a lot of musical situations that just weren't thought of as a possibility prior to his emergence as a player. He reinvented what the guitar could be as a jazz instrument... Jim transcends the instrument... the meaning behind the notes is what speaks to people." - Pat Metheny[14]
Because of his desire for spontaneity and emphasis on communication with other musicians and others, Hall preferred live venues.[14] However, Metheny is the opposite, so the album contains pieces
recorded live and in the studio. Reflecting Hall's broad musical tendencies, this album contains originals by him, Metheny, mutual friends Steve Swallow and Zoller, and two standards.[14] Hall and Metheny's expertise and virtuosity allowed for much improvisation, usually spurred by mood, which led to different compositions,"at times acoustic, soft, reverential, melodic, cacophonous, outlandish, humorous, and upbeat."[14] Hall changed the way jazz guitar sounded, with his innovation, composition, and improvisation. Apart from Metheny, he influenced other contemporary artists such as Bill Frisell, Mick Goodrick, John Scofield, and John Abercrombie.[14]
Técnica, timbre equipamento
e
Guitars Gibson ES175 Jim Hall bought this guitar second hand in 1956 from studio guitarist Howard Roberts. In Jim Hall's words: "I love that guitar, even though sometimes I don't touch it for months. It's easy to tune and after having been schlepped around and played for so many years, it's as if it knows just what to do." He plays the guitar with the tone knob rolled back. Other guitarists that play a Gibson ES 175: Pat Metheny, Herb Ellis, Kenny Burrell, Derek Bailey, Joe Pass and Wes Montgomery in the early days
D'Aquisto Guitars Jim Hall owns two guitars that are handmade by the late luthier Jimmy D'Aquisto. The electric one is built specifically for him. It's a hollow body guitar with an orange top. Jimmy used Hall's Gibson as a starting point to build this guitar. The acoustic guitar is the Avant-Garde model.
Sadowsky Guitars
Roger Sadowky has been servicing Jim's D'Aquisto guitars for more then 15 years. He got the idea of building a guitar based on Jim's D'Aquisto. After 4 years of prototyping the guitar got approved by Jim, and the Sadowsky Jim Hall signature model was born.
Other Guitars •
Taylor 12-string
Guitar Strings Jim Hall plays light gauge, flat wound D'Aquisto guitar strings. Jim's words: "The top string is .011 and the bottom is .050 or perhaps a little heavier. I usually use a .022 for the third string, but I also use an unwound .019 so that I can bend it a bit to sound like a horn." More recently Jim Hall has been endorsing Sadowsky flatwounds: 11-50 with a .018 plain G string.
Guitar Amps
Gibson GA50 Tube Amp This Gibson amp has 2 speakers, a 12 inch and an 8 inch.
Jim Hall's words: "I used a Gibson, I actually remember the number, it was a GA50. I love the sound of tube amps in general. I don't know, I may have been able to get used to a Fender but there was something about the subtlety of that amp that I liked. I liked the way it looked, like an old radio." Jim used this amp for several years, but it eventually became too fragile to take on the road. Since then he's been trying to get as close to the sound of the GA50 as possible.
Polytone Mini-Brute Amplifier Jim Hall owns a couple of these and uses them at local gigs. Polytone is a company started in 1968 by Tommy Gumina, a jazz performer himself. Other guitar players using polytone amps: Herb Ellis, Joe Pass,George Benson and Peter Leich.
Other Guitar Amps • • •
Walter Woods amplifier Harry Kolbe GP-1 pre-amp and speaker cabinet whatever a concert promoter gives him
Guitar Effects Jim Hall has been known to use an effect pedal, but he's absolutely not a frequent user. - See more at: http://www.jazzguitar.be/guitar_equipment_jim_hall.html#sthash.3bczJHsV.dpuf
Jim Hall plays the guitar with the tone knob rolled all the way back and is known for not using many effects, although he uses chorus, distortion and a harmonizer, as stated by him, the effects are used for orchestration and are not over-used: “I know it’s a guitar when I see it. That’s about it. I have very little connection to the actual instrument. When traveling, I’ve gotten to the point where I just check the electric thing through—I have a super-case—because it’s gotten so complicated traveling. And it’s disappeared a couple of times overnight. So I just sort of try and separate myself from it; it’s a piece of wood—I can get another guitar. It’s not my dog or my wife.” (quote taken from a Jazz Times interview with Chip Stern)
